Climate science
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Those of you who like exciting movies may be planning to see the movie “Twisters”, which is somewhat an extension of the movie “Twister” from quite a few years ago about storm chasers competing to get the best tornado footage. Here is a discussion about the science in the movie from Dr. Marshall Shepherd of…
Posted in: Climate science -
What is the maximum amount of precipitation a storm could dump on a given area over time? This is a question that is studied by scientists at NOAA (I used to work for this research group many years ago). We need to know it for design of large projects like dams that require prudent planning…
Posted in: Climate science -
Do you know why summer is the hottest season? It’s not because the earth is closest to the sun then. In fact, on July 5 the earth reached its farthest distance from the sun, a point that is called “aphelion” (I think of it as “a” for “away”). The Northern Hemisphere is hottest in June…
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The summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere this year occurs on June 20, just a couple of days from now. The summer solstice is the date on which the sun appears to be highest in the sky. This means the longest day of the year and then the slow decrease of day length through the…
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Radar is one of the most-used tools in meteorological analysis of real-time weather events. Radar shows where precipitation is occurring and how it is moving over time. The newer versions of doppler radar also wind speed and direction, which allows operators to identify areas that might contain a tornado or other strong wind event. If…
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You may have heard the recent story about the airplane accident near Singapore this past week and how the injuries and one death were linked to atmospheric turbulence. If you’ve ever flown, you have likely experienced some uncomfortable turbulence yourself. Here is a good video explanation for what turbulence is and how it affects the…
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According to a recent story by Brad Haire in the Southeast Farm Press, compared with 30 years ago, pollen production has extended by about a month, starting about 20 days earlier and ending 10 days later. This makes life miserable for everyone with spring allergies but probably makes owners of car washes happy. The change…