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What does a percent chance of rain mean?
Most of us understand the meaning of a high and low temperature forecast. More confusing is the meaning of a “chance of rain” expressed as a percentage in a weather forecast.
The National Weather Service calculates a probability of precipitation, or PoP. The PoP describes how likely it is for a measurable amount of rain (at least 0.01 inches) to occur in a given time in the forecast area. Continue reading
Have we just seen the weirdest weather of the season?
The extremely unusual weather we have experienced this winter perhaps reached a new peak last Thursday when, in addition to remarkable springlike temperatures in the southern part of the state — Madison reached a high of 55 degrees while Milwaukee hit 59 — there were confirmed tornadoes in several southern counties: Dane, Rock and Green.
These are the first February tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin. And this means we are in absolutely uncharted weather and climate territory. What’s more, this strange weather is not limited to our region. In fact, thus far the entire Northern Hemisphere is running its fourth-warmest winter (Dec. 1 through Feb. 7) in the past 76, years and we have a genuine shot at being the warmest ever by the time this month is over. Continue reading
What role did Wisconsin play in establishing the National Weather Service?
Wednesday was the 153rd anniversary of the first day of operation of what has become the National Weather Service. On Nov. 1, 1870, the first organized set of observations around the country were taken under the auspices of the Army Signal Service.
On Feb. 9 of that same year, President Ulysses S. Grant, fresh from his own experiences during the Civil War, enthusiastically signed the service into existence. Its purpose was “to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent and at other points in the States and Territories … and for giving notice on the northern (Great) Lakes and on the seacoast by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms.” Continue reading
Category: Uncategorized
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Is there a typical season for waterspouts?
A waterspout is a whirlwind that forms beneath a cumulus cloud over water. Before you see the waterspout, you may see a funnel-like cloud hanging from the cloud base. The Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico, and Chesapeake Bay are common regions for waterspouts.
The Great Lakes also have waterspouts, though seasonally. August and September are the most common months for Great Lakes waterspouts to develop, with the full season considered to run from the end of July into October. Continue reading
Are daily weather forecasts affected by climate change?
As it turns out, predictions of the coming weather are nearly exclusively dependent on the observed conditions of the atmosphere in the day prior to the forecast period. Continue reading
Category: Climate, Meteorology, Uncategorized
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