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Category Archives: Meteorology
How were recent heavy rains so well-predicted so many days in advance?
Though we have been relatively dry for much of the autumn, on the weekend of Oct. 13-14 we received a soaking rain of 0.86 inches on Saturday followed by 1.74 inches on Sunday. Two aspects of this heavy rain event are noteworthy to us. First, though Madison averages an inch of rain in a single day about six times each year, the 1.74 inches that fell on Sunday was the most in a single calendar day in Madison since 3.61 inches of rain fell on July 22, 2010. That long stretch includes two full summers (2011 and 2012) in which we never received such a rain. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Meteorology, precipitation
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Tags Meteorology, precipitation
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What is an air mass?
An air mass is a large body of air whose properties of temperature and humidity are similar in any horizontal direction. Air masses can cover hundreds of thousands of square miles. Air masses are formed when air stagnates for long periods of time over a uniform surface. The characteristic temperature and moisture of air masses are determined by the surface over which they form. An air mass acquires these attributes through heat and moisture exchanges with the surface. Continue reading
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. This scale allows sailors to estimate the wind speed just by observing the state of the sea surface. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Measurement, Meteorology, Wind
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Tags Measurement, Meteorology, Wind
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Was the recent tornado outbreak forecasted?
The recent tornado outbreak in the Plains States was predicted by forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., as far as seven days in advance. This kind of forecast undoubtedly contributed to a vigilance that resulted in only six lives being lost in this first major outbreak of the year. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Meteorology, Severe Weather, Tornadoes
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Tags Meteorology, Severe Weather, Tornadoes
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What was the weather during the Titanic’s fateful voyage?
There were northerly winds over North Atlantic in the months before the RMS Titanic left port. These winds likely played a role in pushing icebergs farther south than normal and into the Titanic’s path. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology
Tags Cold, Historical events, Icebergs
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Tags Cold, Historical events, Icebergs
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