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Category Archives: Meteorology
How much energy goes into making snow?
Since Dec. 1, Madison and Dane County have received approximately 40 inches of snow — 3 inches above normal for that span.
Snow is a form of solid water, and water is the only substance that occurs naturally in all three phases — solid, liquid and invisible gas — in the Earth’s atmosphere. Continue reading
What is a stratospheric sudden warming?
The region of the atmosphere closest to Earth, where the temperature decreases as you go up, is called the troposphere. The top ranges from about 6 miles over the cold poles to 10 miles over the tropics. Above the tropopause … Continue reading
How did January measure up?
What a strange month January 2023 was in Madison.
The cloudiness was remarkably persistent and, though we don’t have a measurement of that variable for the month at hand, anecdotal assertions we have heard suggest that Madison got only about 8% of its possible January sunshine this past month. Continue reading
What is intermittent snow?
A weather forecast of snow indicates a steady fall of snow. The forecast may be modified by terms such as “light,” “moderate” or “heavy” to indicate the intensity of the snowfall.
The intensity is measured in terms of visibility during the snowfall:
Light snow — visibility of 1 kilometer (1,100 yards) or greater.
Moderate snow — visibility between 0.5 kilometer (550 yards) and 1 kilometer (1,100 yards).
Heavy snow — visibility of less than 0.5 kilometer (550 yards). Continue reading
What is the status of sea ice around Antarctica?
The Southern Ocean around Antarctica freezes to form sea ice every year. Scientists use observations from satellites to monitor the sea ice extent throughout the year.
Sea ice melt in Antarctica is a seasonal occurrence that usually begins in September (the end of Southern Hemisphere winter) and continues into February (end of Southern Hemisphere summer). As the pole warms during summer, the sea ice around the continent breaks up and melts. Continue reading
Category: Climate, Meteorology, Seasons
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