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Category Archives: History
Is mathematical pi used in meteorology?
The ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter is a constant value. The size of the circle does not matter; this ratio is always the same value and is called pi.
The existence of this constant was known by the Babylonians and the Egyptians dating back to at least 2000 B.C. The numerical value is represented by the Greek letter for p, or π. Continue reading
When was the National Weather Service created?
While successfully prosecuting the Civil War against the Confederacy, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had learned that weather information — even if not in the form of a forecast — was extremely valuable for operations.
Then, in the years after the war, Dr. Increase Lapham, a Milwaukee scientist, lobbied Milwaukee’s congressman, Gen. Halbert Paine, to push for the establishment of a storm warning service for the Great Lakes. On Feb. 2, 1870, Paine introduced a Joint Congressional Resolution requiring the Secretary of War “to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent, and at other points in the States and Territories … and for giving notice on the northern lakes and on the seacoast, by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms.” Continue reading
Do you read the “Farmer’s Almanac” for weather forecasts?
No, not seriously.
There are two publications of a “farmer’s almanac.” “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” has been in publication since 1792. Then there’s the “Farmers’ Almanac,” which has been in publication since 1818.
Both publications contain what is typical of almanacs in general — planting dates, tide tables, various astronomical and astrological information, content typically contained in almanacs. They also offer gardening tips as well as jokes and whimsical columns. These two publications also predict the general weather for the coming year. Continue reading
How did it ever get so cold on Jan. 30, 1951?
On the morning of Jan. 30, 1951, the temperature in Madison fell to its all-time record low of minus 37 degrees.
It is difficult to put that amazing record low in perspective. Consider that the coldest morning of this winter season was less than a week ago, when the temperature Wednesday dropped to minus 18 — a full 19 degrees warmer than the all-time record. Continue reading
Category: History, Seasons, Severe Weather
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Is permafrost permanent?
Permafrost is ground that has a temperature below freezing for at least two consecutive years.
Permafrost varies in thickness from less than a couple of feet to more than 4,000 feet thick. Permafrost is mostly located in polar regions, although it also occurs in some high mountains where it is called alpine permafrost. Much of the permafrost in Alaska is tens of thousands of years old. Continue reading
