Much of the southwestern and western U.S. have been suffering extremely high temperatures this summer. Some of that heat crept into the Midwest. Many weather reports are talking about a “heat dome” causing dangerously high temperatures. How is a heat dome created? A heat dome can be created in...

Much of the Midwest has experienced very hazy and smoky conditions the past few days. This is caused by a combination of several atmospheric conditions along with an extreme natural event at the same time. What is the atmosphere doing? Currently, the U.S. is being affected by...

How much do you know about climate? Like the weather, let's change it up. It's All About Weather quiz time! 10 questions to test your knowledge of anything and everything climate. From greenhouse gas emissions to warming effects, how much do you already know? Read the questions and see what...

While I was home from college one summer, an early morning thunderstorm passed over our farmhouse. I was in my room, trying to sleep through the storm, while my parents were in the living room. At the peak of the storm, a tremendous boom rattled the house. I then heard my parents frantically moving...

As I reflect, it was Severe Weather Preparedness Week— March 6-10, 2023. We have already had severe weather this year, but it will become more frequent now that spring is around the corner. Sometimes when thunderstorms are forecast, you will hear weathercasters talking about the atmosphere being...

We are bound to have fog from time to time. I still remember when I was in my late teens and insisted on going to see some friends when I could barely see the edge of the road. My parents were not happy. Some areas, such as San Francisco or London, have fog more often. The cause of fog can depend...

California has recently been slammed with extreme rainfall and snow in the high elevations, along with high winds. Media have attributed these events to an atmospheric river, but what does that mean? What is an atmospheric river? The ones that affect California occur when the polar jet stream...

You may have heard weathercasters saying that December 1 is the beginning of meteorological winter. However, the calendar says winter starts on December 21. Why are there two dates? Meteorogical vs Astronomical winter December 1 is called the beginning of meteorological winter because we often...

Winter precipitation is on its way. Rain, snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all potential types of precipitation. Rain is liquid water, while the other three are frozen at the end of their atmospheric journey. So, if snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all frozen water, what’s the difference?...

Forecasting day-to-day weather and predicting what climate will be five years or 50 years from now have very different outcomes. Both processes use most of the same land, water, and sea parameters, but the range for climate forecasts can also vary due to human activity. For climate forecasts,...

As we move through August, some folks will reference it as being the “dog days.” What are they talking about? We associate these “dog days” with hot weather. But it does not refer to living dogs being uncomfortable in the heat. Instead, the term is associated with a bright star called...

Earth’s atmosphere, while it appears to go forever, is actually a very thin layer of air. Technically the atmosphere reaches out for thousands of miles, but over half of the atmosphere is within 4 miles of the earth’s surface. Think about driving 4 miles- it’s not very far. By the...

Growing up, we would listen to the local radio station at breakfast. In addition to the news, they would play songs from the great crooners of the time, including Nat King Cole. One of his songs is The Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer. As I look out my window, the sky has a milky...

First, thanks for your interest in the How Well Do You Know Weather quiz post from a few weeks ago. Some people sent responses and several said they enjoyed the quiz even if...

Tornadoes can form in a few minutes and dissipate just as quickly. However, the conditions that may create a tornado and other severe weather can be seen hours in advance giving forecasters and the public the chance to be vigilant. Tornado Watch vs. Warning Watch: ...

You’re watching a local weather forecast or checking it online when you notice it says temperatures will be 'above normal or below normal.' But what does this actually mean? Normal is Average In most cases, the word 'normal' is used in place of 'average.' Average Daily Temperature...