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Category Archives: Seasons
Why are there April showers?
As we head into the second half of April, recent weather has reminded us all of the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” The question, of course, is why does April bring the showers? First of all, is it … Continue reading
What is permafrost?
Permafrost is ground that is frozen for at least two years. It remains frozen all year and contains plant material that has not yet completely decomposed.
Permafrost is mostly located in polar regions, though it also occurs in some high mountain tops where it is called alpine permafrost. There is no permafrost in Madison, though our ground does freeze in most winters. Continue reading
Is water always present in the atmosphere?
Evidence of the presence of water in our atmosphere is ubiquitous. Water occurs in the Earth’s atmosphere in all three of its phases — solid (snow and ice), liquid (rain and dew) and gas (invisible water vapor).
As we begin to emerge from winter and enter spring, we may begin to see more dew on the ground and on the windshields of cars in the morning. The air nearly always holds some amount of water vapor. Dew is liquid water that condenses overnight onto objects when the air that contains the water vapor cools to a sufficiently low temperature. Continue reading
When does spring begin?
Spring marks the transition from winter to summer. Meteorologists often define the three months of spring as March through May. By that definition, spring would begin on March 1.
We might also define spring as the day on which, if there is precipitation, it is more likely to be in the form of rain than snow. Continue reading
Are there different types of snowfall?
While forecasts of snowfall have improved, they remain a challenge for even the best forecaster. Heavy snow often occurs in narrow bands and the exact location and orientation of those bands can be hard to predict.
Winter weather can be life-threatening, and under hazardous conditions the National Weather Service issues weather watches, warnings and advisories. Continue reading
