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Category Archives: Severe Weather
What is a funnel cloud?
A funnel cloud gets its name from its shape — it is a funnel-shaped protuberance from the base of a thunderstorm.
It is composed of water droplets and is often associated with a supercell storm. The funnel cloud often has rotation, and when it does, it’s a harbinger of possible severe weather. Continue reading
What is the difference between a ‘warning’ and a ‘watch’?
The difference is that a weather watch indicates that hazardous weather may occur, while a warning is issued when hazardous weather is occurring, is about to occur or has a very high probability of occurring.
A warning indicates that conditions pose a threat to life or property, and people in the area of the warning should take action to protect themselves. A watch is intended to provide people with enough time to set safety plans in motion for possible hazardous weather. Continue reading
Category: Severe Weather, Weather Dangers
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How do you stay safe from lightning?
There is no place outdoors that is completely safe during a thunderstorm, so the saying goes, “When thunder roars, go indoors!”
The safest thing to do is to get inside a safe building or vehicle. A safe building is one that is covered with a roof, walls and floor, and has plumbing or wiring. Stay away from metal and electrical equipment, including computer, plumbing and faucets. Keep away from windows and doors, and don’t hang out on a porch to watch the lightning storm. Continue reading
When is Wisconsin’s tornado season?
Tornadoes can happen in just about any location and at any time, although the chances of having one in late fall and winter are small.
For example, there have been only six tornadoes in Wisconsin during the month of November, and Wisconsin has never recorded a tornado in February.
On average, there have been 21 tornadoes touch down in Wisconsin in a year, with a record 62 tornadoes in 2005. For the 20-year period between 1991 and 2010, there was an average of nine tornadoes in the month of June. Continue reading
Did weather play a role in D-Day?
Friday marked the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Europe and the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny and murder in World War II. A perfect combination of full moon (for nighttime aerial navigation purposes), low tide (so that German mines in Brittany would be exposed) and light winds were necessary to give the invasion any reasonable chance of success.
Thus, days on which the tides and phase of the moon were optimal were known some weeks in advance. As late May arrived, it became increasingly clear that choosing among those optimal days for invasion would depend crucially upon the weather and the ability to make an accurate forecast of weather conditions.
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Category: Meteorology, Severe Weather, Weather Dangers
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