Did you know that the Southeast has two severe weather seasons each year? In addition to the spring severe weather season, we have a second season in late fall when the polar front moves towards the equator as the sun angle decreases. This leads to more dynamic systems that can…
Read More
This story from the Atlanta Journal Constitution describes how many of Georgia’s counties are not adequately prepared for severe weather by looking at Randolph County in southwest Georgia and the challenges they face with a small rural population and low tax base. For example, they have to deal with questions…
Read More
Occasionally I get asked if and how climate change is affecting extreme weather in the Southeast. This has come up more frequently in the past few years with all of the hurricanes which have impacted agriculture in the past few years, including Matthew, Florence, Irma, and Michael. Here is a…
Read More
Small tornadoes can be a problem in land-falling tropical systems, and Nestor was no exception. Damage from several tornadoes was observed in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina as the storm passed. The Weather Channel has a good article summarizing the damage from Nestor, including the tornadoes, which you can view…
Read More
Do you know of someone who is deaf or hard of hearing? It can be difficult to get severe weather information if you cannot listen to a NOAA weather radio or hear a siren. The National Weather Service has a web page devoted to communicating severe weather information to those…
Read More
A recent study by scientists at the University of Illinois shows that forested areas affected by tornadoes or other wind storms not only knock down many trees but also provide an opening for the spread of invasive weeds and pests by disrupting the forest canopy. In some cases the infestation…
Read More
Now that we are back in a rainier pattern with more frequent showers and thunderstorms, it’s time for a refresher about how to determine how far away a lightning strike is. Contrary to some people’s views, when you see lightning strike and then count the number of seconds until you…
Read More