Category Archives: Meteorology

Radar, an acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging, was invented during World War II to detect aircraft, but precipitation frequently got in the way. The military’s noise is meteorology’s signal. Continue reading →

The typical speed of a falling raindrop depends on the size of the drop. Gravity pulls everything downward. As an object falls, it experiences a frictional drag that counters the downward force of gravity. When the gravity and frictional drag are balanced, we have an equilibrium fall speed that is known as the terminal velocity of the object. The terminal velocity depends on the size, shape and mass of the raindrop and the density of the air. Thus, it is worth talking a bit about the shape and size of raindrops. Continue reading →

The National Weather Service, or NWS, is a part of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NWS provides “weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.” Continue reading →

A monsoon is a seasonal reversal in wind patterns over a region. The word “monsoon” comes from the Arabic word mausim, meaning “season.” The seasonal wind shift is usually accompanied by a dramatic change in precipitation.

The best known example of a monsoon occurs over the Indian subcontinent. In summer, the sun warms the land and the air above it. With cooler air lying over the oceans that surround the subcontinent, a horizontal pressure gradient is established that generates winds directed from the ocean to land. Continue reading →

Recent episodes of severe weather both here in southern Wisconsin and around the country have included reference to “derechos.” Forecasters worried a storm that passed through Wisconsin on June 11-12 could become a derecho, although it never became that severe. Continue reading →