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Category Archives: Phenomena
What is a derecho?
A derecho (pronounced deh-RAY-cho, a Spanish word meaning “straight ahead”) is an hours-long windstorm associated with a line of severe thunderstorms.
It is a result of straight-line winds, not the rotary winds of a tornado — hence its name. Derechos in the United States are most common in the late spring and summer (May through August). Continue reading
Why is the grass wet in the morning, when it didn’t rain?
Recent spring mornings have produced wet lawns. To explain this, we start with the fact that air contains water in the gas phase, called water vapor. Dew is made of liquid water that has condensed from some of the water vapor in the air.
Dew occurs when objects cool. A common example of dew formation is when drops of liquid form on the glass of an ice-cold drink. Dew forms when the object, such as the glass, cools down to the dew point temperature. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena
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How is the ice cover on the Great Lakes?
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) monitors and reports on the ice coverage of the Great Lakes. The average concentration of ice on Lake Superior is currently 5.7 percent, compared to 4.6 percent last year and 55.5 percent in 2015. … Continue reading
Category: Climate, Meteorology, Phenomena, Seasons
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Why does the morning low temperature sometimes occur after sunrise?
Those who keep a particularly vigilant eye on the weather might have noticed that on certain mornings, in all seasons, the lowest temperature is often recorded just after sunrise.
One of us had a morning paper route as a boy and was puzzled for years about this seemingly counterintuitive phenomena. How could the temperature continue to fall for the few minutes after sunrise on a cold winter morning? Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Phenomena
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What role did weather play in the Peshtigo Fire?
The Peshtigo Fire was the largest wildfire in U.S. history and occurred on Oct. 8, 1871.
The fire swept through the eastern and western shores of Green Bay, burning more than 1.28 million acres. Continue reading
Category: Phenomena, Severe Weather, Weather Dangers
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