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Category Archives: Meteorology
Has this been an unusually dreary spring?
With astrological summer set to begin on Friday morning at 10:54 a.m., it seems like a good time to consider the nature of this seemingly dreary and cold spring that we have just endured.
Almost no one will disagree that this year has had a memorably bad spring, not only locally but around the nation as widespread flooding has put elements of the agricultural sector well behind their normal schedules. Continue reading
Is that photo of circular lightning?
When we see a flash of lightning, it looks as though it forms all at once.
However, a lightning bolt is actually produced in many steps. The bolt occurs so quickly that it looks like a single brilliant flash, but high-speed photography can reveal several distinct bolts. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena, Severe Weather
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Comments Off on Is that photo of circular lightning?
What were those flying saucer-shaped clouds?
Thunderstorms rolled through Madison between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday May 16th. Stunning “flying-saucer” clouds accompanied the dark skies of the leading edge of the storm. These dark, protruding clouds are “shelf clouds.” The clouds look like a shelf and … Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena, Uncategorized
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Comments Off on What were those flying saucer-shaped clouds?
What is the Beaufort scale?
The Beaufort scale is a method of estimating wind speed based on the general condition of the surface of a large body of water with respect to wind waves and swell.
It is based on observation of sea state rather than accurate wind measurements. This scale allows sailors to estimate the wind speed just by observing the state of the sea surface. Continue reading
What is a cyclone?
A cyclone is a general term for a weather system in which winds rotate inwardly to an area of low atmospheric pressure.
For large weather systems, the circulation pattern is in a counterclockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. Continue reading
