Category Archives: Severe Weather

Is severe weather common in Italy?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Weather Guys Editor

Since we live in a country with a famous Tornado Alley right in its center, it is easy to forget that severe weather can occur, though with substantially less frequency, in other parts of the world.

A recent example of this is the flooding in Venice, Italy in early November and the strong tornado that roared through Teranto, Italy on Nov. 28. Continue reading →

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What is a nor’easter?

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Weather Guys Editor

A nor’easter is an extratropical cyclone that affects the northeastern United States and extreme eastern Canada. An extratropical cyclone is a low-pressure system that forms outside of the tropics and is usually associated with fronts, unlike a tropical cyclone. A nor’easter is named for the strong northeasterly winds that blow across this region as the path of the low pressure moves northeastward, slightly to the east of the North American coastline. Continue reading →

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What is a derecho?

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Weather Guys Editor

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 →

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What does the recent big storm in Alaska mean for us?

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

The massive storm that struck the west coast of Alaska last Tuesday and Wednesday was truly an amazing meteorological event. The entire Bering Sea coast was under the threat of hurricane-force winds, with many areas facing heavy snow and zero visibility. Continue reading →

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What are Straight-line Winds?

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Weather Guys Editor

The term “straight-line winds” is used to describe ground-level winds that come out of a thunderstorm and do not have rotation. If these winds travel at speeds that exceed . . . Continue reading →

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