Skip to main content
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

Climate

gray volcano erupting plume of smoke and ash

How do volcanic eruptions affect climate?

A large underwater volcano recently erupted in the South Pacific. Volcanoes can send huge amounts of gases and ash into the atmosphere. Very large eruptions can affect the climate. In 1815, one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in the last several thousand years occurred in the South...
Finish this story
La Nina weather model from NOAA

What really is La Nina?

You’ve probably heard these weather terms many times - El Nino and La Nina. They seem to affect our weather and they come and go. Are they normal to occur? Where do they occur? Why does it affect our weather? What is La Nina? In this post, I’ll focus on La Nina since that is what...
Finish this story
Corn Field

How does corn affect Midwest weather?

As I write this article, corn has tasseled on about 80% of fields in Central Illinois. Apologies to those with corn pollen allergies! Corn, just like other plants, experiences evapotranspiration (ET)Evapotranspiration is when water is taken up by corn...
Finish this story
storm from two jet streams overlaping

What to expect when jet streams overlap

Early spring in Illinois can be a battle between the last of cold winter weather and the mild air of spring. On relatively rare occasions in March, we can experience warm, muggy air that normally doesn’t reach us until April or May. When this occurs early in spring, it’s best to be on guard...
Finish this story

Winters in the late 70s were ones to tell your kids

I’m now at the point in my life where I know others look at me and think I’m old. For truth in advertising, I’m currently 61; actually 61 ½, but the pleasure in saying the ½ left many decades ago. I can talk about my weather experiences with a sense of sage nostalgia. Case in point, I...
Finish this story
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

EEO myExtension Login