Articles

During Bob Henson’s recent Weather Band webinar looking at the August 10, 2020 derecho event that tore through the midwest of the United States, one of the questions that came up was “how is climate change impacting wind events?” As Mr. Henson explained, not only are derecho events hard to predict, but based on current research it is impossible to answer how they are being altered by climate change.

With a height of 8,848 m, Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. For over a century, it has been the subject of exploration for both scientific and recreational purposes. This exploration began in earnest with the British expeditions during the early part of the twentieth century.

Meteorologist Janice Huff takes a look at some of the most common weather myths around and shares some great weather knowledge while she's at it.

Do you have a favorite myth or saying that you've debunked? Discuss in the Weather Band community. 

The first gravitational waves ever recorded appeared in 2015. They propagated outward from the merger of two black holes; altering the fabric of space and time around them, and confirming another of Einstein's predictions. 

A new tool tracking lightning across the northern hemisphere is helping to change our understanding of the phenomenon called "thundersnow." Technically defined as, "a compound of the words ‘thunder’ and ‘snow’ used informally to describe an observation of snow at the surface that occurs with lightning and thunder" by the AMS Glossary of Meteorology, thundersnow occurs rarely and has been difficult to record. But data from the recently launched Geostationary Lightning Mapper promises to change all that.

Scandinavian history is one rich with battles, raids, and trade; all of which were impacted by weather conditions of the northern latitudes, especially the formation and break up of ice floes throughout the Northern and Baltic seas. This is a closer examination of one weather event that changed the course of Danish and Swedish history. 

A bit of health advice that was published especially for the weather weenies of 1928: 

"Heliotherapy is much more than a bath in sunlight," says Dr. Clarence L. Hyde. Treatment with artificial lights, while it may reproduce the rays, cannot equal actual sunlight treatment which is accompanied by changing air currents, differences in atmospheric temperatures and humidity, and constant variations in the sunlight itself.

Can the past reveal the future of hurricanes? The record-breaking hurricane season of 2020 has been only one reminder of the critical role that hurricane modeling plays in saving lives and reducing impacts. Looking backwards in time may provide some new clues for how to move forward with identifying how hurricanes form and propagate within a changing climate.

Vincent Schaefer's 1955 study on changes in atmospheric conditions between the base of a mountain and its peak was only one small facet of Project Skyfire. Originally aimed at reducing lightning caused fires in timber forests in the western United States, this project created a number of fascinating projects, including Schaefer's extensive research into cloud seeding. 

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather”

-John Ruskin

Those of us who believe the truth of Ruskin’s words may not see all weather phenomena as good, but we do revel in it all, fascinated by the atmosphere’s daily march wherever we live.

This paper from 1948 describes the laboratory experiment that Vincent Schaefer created for seeding a supercooled cloud and converting it to ice crystals. This was part of his work at the GE Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York and provided the foundation for weather modification and cloud seeding experiments.  

A few events to look forward to on weather, weather research, and observation trainings: 

Become a Citizen Scientist

March 4, 7:00-8:00 PM EST

Join the National Weather Service Boston Office for an overview of how to get involved with weather and citizen science initiatives. This is focused on New England, but many of the opportunities apply across the country. You can also contact your local forecasting office for special initiatives in your area, or see below for ongoing events. 

In this fascinating talk, Matthias Steiner and his team take a look at weather hazards for emerging modes of air transportation in urban landscapes, like Uber's proposed aerial taxis, and Airbus' Urban Air Mobility planning. 

Recognizing that this is not something out of a Jetsons' cartoon, the research team has analyzed how current weather observations can support the future of small scale air travel. And whether the capabilities actually exist to bring these futuristic ideas into reality. 

Support STEM education and an amazing weather community resource!

This weekend, Ross Forsyth, a director at the National Weather Museum, will be running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours in a jog-a-thon style fundraiser to raise money to support the museum and their outreach to promote weather safety and the science of weather. The museum, located in Norman, Oklahoma, is home to the T28 storm penetrating radar, the Norman Doppler Radar, one-of-a-kind artifacts, and hands on learning to promote STEM education using weather concepts. They have Tim Samaras' Big Kahuna Camera on display and a flight simulator where visitors can fly a T-28. All proceeds go to supporting this one of a kind museum and their mission.

As World War II progressed, a shortage of technical officers left the U.S. increasingly vulnerable. In an effort to shore up defenses, what was then the U.S. Weather Bureau, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy began to recruit women hydrologists, mathematicians, and meteorologists.

11 March 1888: The Great Blizzard of 1888 paralyzes the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine, dumping as much as 55 inches of snow with wind-whipped drifts of 30 to 40 feet. 

This chart shows the tracks of areas of low pressure from March 1888. The stipples are fog belts and the hash marks show where icebergs or field ice was observed!

Fern Kirkman, a graduate of Hunter College in New York City, had entered NYU's College of Engineering in 1937. Once the Department of Meteorology was created, she immediately enrolled. She received the master's degree in June 1939 and became the first woman in the United States to earn a degree in meteorology.

How does a rocket get to space? For that, it needs the help of a very special team of weather forecasters. 

The 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron (45 WS) provides comprehensive weather services to America’s space program at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Patrick Air Force Base. These services include weather support for pre-launch, launch, post-launch, routine weather forecast, 24/7 watches/warnings, flight briefings, and special missions. 

If you could help get every American to take one preparedness action to protect themselves from extreme weather, what would it be?

Many weather safety experts would say taking the time to identify your safe place is the most essential preparedness activity. All the warnings and emergency kits and communication plans become less important if you don’t know where to go to stay safe. This is true for tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, lightning, tsunamis, rip currents, and every other natural hazard. 

Perhaps one of the most important yet unappealing cloud types is stratocumulus. Although they create overcast skies that impose a sense of gloom, they also serve an important function in the heat balance of the earth. This cloud type covers more of the earth’s surface than any other at approximately 20% on an average annual basis. Small reductions or increases in its coverage can cause changes on the same order as greenhouse gases

AMS Weather Band Advisory Committee member Coral Arroyo speaks with Chris Vagasky of Vaisala and the National Lightning Safety Council about safety for fans and staff during stormy games, lightning safety planning, and, of course, the Detroit Tigers.