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Category Archives: Severe Weather
What is a meteorological bomb?
Storm systems that form in middle or high latitudes, in regions of large temperature contrast are called extratropical cyclones. This contrasts with tropical cyclones, such as hurricanes, which form in regions or relatively uniform temperatures.
Extratropical cyclones are surface low-pressure systems where the air at the surface flows counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. The winds around these centers of low-pressure spiral inward at the surface, forcing rising motions. The rising air can result in clouds and precipitation. The process of extratropical cyclone development and intensification is referred to as cyclogenesis. In North America there are favorable regions for cyclogenesis, including the eastern slopes of mountain ranges, the Atlantic Ocean off the Carolina Coast, and the Gulf of Mexico. The jet stream also influences cyclogenesis. Continue reading
Is it safe to shower or bathe during a thunderstorm?
Taking a shower or bath during a thunderstorm could put you at risk from a lightning strike. When you are indoors during a thunderstorm, the National Weather Service (NWS) recommends that you seek a safe location, away from electrical systems, electronic equipment, and avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths and faucets. Most indoor lightning casualties are due to conduction via lightning.
The plumbing systems in many households include metal pipes, which can serve as conduits during lightning strikes. Lightning travels long distances in metal including wires and pipes. Metal does not attract lightning, rather it provides a path for the lightning to follow. Water is also excellent conductor of electricity.
The plumbing systems in many households include metal pipes, which can serve as conduits during lightning strikes. Lightning travels long distances in metal including wires and pipes. Metal does not attract lightning, rather it provides a path for the lightning to follow. Water is also excellent conductor of electricity. Continue reading
Category: Severe Weather, Weather Dangers
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What is Tornado Alley?
A tornado is a powerful column of winds that rotate around a center of low pressure. The winds inside a tornado spiral inward and upward, often exceeding speeds of 300 mph. Tornadoes form in atmospheres that have extremely unstable moist air, large amounts of vertical wind shear and weather systems, such as fronts or thunderstorms, that force air upward.
The continental United States provides these three ingredients in abundance. Continue reading
Do thunderstorms cause milk to spoil?
No, but it was once widely thought that summertime thunderstorms could cause fresh milk to curdle.
This thinking was based on observations that raw milk would spoil during lightning and thunderstorms. But it was neither the thunderstorms nor lightning that caused the spoiling; rather it was the atmospheric conditions. The conditions that are optimum for thunderstorm development are the same as those that would cause milk to spoil. Continue reading
Are thunderstorm rain amounts hard to predict?
Meteorologists would generally agree that summer is the most challenging time of year for making accurate rain forecasts.
During summer, there generally is enough moisture and atmospheric instability to help fuel the development of rain showers. Scattered thunderstorms are one of the most difficult weather events to forecast. Continue reading
Category: Meteorology, Severe Weather
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