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All About Weather

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Black and white sketch of historic Jamestown

The pilgrims, frost fairs, and winters in the 1620s

We have all heard the story of the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620 and the harsh conditions endured during the winter. The following year, they learned, with the help of indigenous people, how to survive at this location.  We probably also relate what they went through to what we see...
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Frost on green grass

What’s the difference between a frost and a freeze?

We’re nearing that time of year when we’ll start to get warnings about the potential for a frost or freeze taking place. Is there really a difference between the two?Frosts occur close to the groundFrosts can occur even when a thermometer at eye level shows temperatures a few degrees above freezing...
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a weather map of a hurricane

Why hurricanes strike around Labor Day weekend

Labor Day weekend is usually considered the last holiday of summer. It’s one last chance to gather with friends and family for a cookout, games, or beach time. On beaches along the Gulf Coast and southern Atlantic Seaboard, this is also a time when people are wary of the weather. Several major...
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Two tornadoes touch down over plains

Watch out for twisters! (Not the movie)

At the time I’m writing this, Twisters, the sequel to the cow-flying film Twister released in 1996, just hit the movie theatres. Luckily, I didn’t make a spectacle of myself during the original, shouting out about all the scientific inaccuracies. While I have not yet seen the new...
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a weather map

An occluded front is the beginning of the end

Most people who read this blog know most of the symbols on a weather map, such as warm and cold fronts, high- and low-pressure areas, and stationary fronts. However, there may be one type of symbol you’ve seen and maybe even know the term for, but don’t really know what it means. That is the...
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A bright lightning bolt striking down at a city

Does lightning produce gamma rays?

Many people like watching lightning when it’s off in the distance. If it’s close, it becomes a hazard. While fatalities from lightning have come down considerably in the past few decades, there are still several dozen a year in the United States. We are all aware of this danger. It is electricity...
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dirt road leading toward a dark cloudy stormy sky

Do storms really split apart and come back together?

When I do weather talks, I usually get a question like, “Why do we see storms split apart and come back together after they pass by?” Unfortunately, I must tell folks that most of the time, what they’re observing is all in the eyes of the beholder. If it were true from every location I have gotten...
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A dark snow covered yard with rolled snow balls with tracks behind them

Rare snow rollers make an appearance in Illinois

When I was growing up, back in the time when grade schoolers were allowed to play in the snow during recess, we would make “snow forts,” making several large snowballs maybe 3 feet wide. Today, our warmer winters and changes in policies have made this just a memory. While making snowballs is not as...
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snow plow on snow covered road

Is it ever too cold to snow?

Winter is here, and probably by the time you read this, we will have had one or more significant snow events. When it gets really cold, you may hear someone say “it’s too cold to snow.” But is that true? Air temperature, water vapor and humidity work together The first thing to know is that the...
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Blog Authors
Duane Friend

Duane Friend

State Master Naturalist Coordinator and Climate Change Specialist
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