Weather is defined as the state of the atmosphere in a certain place at a specific time, while climate is the long-term pattern of weather. Understanding weather is crucial to our comfort, food availability, and safety. Meteorologists can use equipment such as thermometers and satellites to analyze and predict the weather, looking at variables such as the temperature, wind, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation. But anyone can be a weather watcher, from a retiree on their back porch to a student playing on a playground. Paying attention to and learning about the weather can help you understand how it affects your life and protect yourself from the dangers of severe weather.
A hurricane is a massive storm, measuring up to 600 miles across. The winds that accompany a hurricane can reach speeds of up to 200 mph, and the storm itself rotates around a central point called the eye, where the weather is calm. Hurricanes form and strengthen over warm ocean water, and they typically move at a speed of 10 to 20 mph. When they reach land, they bring heavy rain, high winds, and large waves. As they move over land, they weaken, becoming a tropical storm and then a tropical depression.
A tornado is a powerful, rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground. With wind speeds up to 300 mph, tornadoes can cause immense destruction, tearing apart buildings, uprooting trees, and tossing vehicles around like toys. The path of a tornado can be more than a mile wide and up to 50 miles long.
Winter storms occur when cold, dry air from Canada meets warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. Where the two air masses meet is called a front. At this point, the warm air rises or is pushed above the colder air, where it condenses and forms precipitation, typically snow or sleet.
Clouds are large collections of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that float in the air. They form when warm air rises, cools, and condenses onto dust particles. When billions of these droplets gather, they become visible as clouds.
Rain forms when warm air rises, cools, and condenses into water droplets that gather into clouds. When these droplets grow heavy, they fall as rain. Floods occur when excessive rain or melting snow causes rivers to overflow. Flash floods are sudden, rapid floods caused by intense rainfall, often from slow-moving thunderstorms.
A thunderstorm is a storm featuring lightning and thunder, often with gusty winds and heavy rain and sometimes accompanied by hail. Lightning, a bright flash of electricity, occurs when electrical charges build up in a thundercloud. It is extremely dangerous, causing more fatalities annually than hurricanes or tornadoes.
Wind is moving air. This happens due to pressure differences caused by the sun's uneven heating of Earth's surface. Warm air, being less dense, rises, and cooler, denser air moves in to replace it, creating wind.
Temperature is a measurement of heat energy that's measured using a thermometer. It reflects the speed of atoms and molecules in a substance. Temperature is recorded in degrees using the Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin scales.
A wildfire, also known as a forest fire or bushfire, is an uncontrolled fire that spreads quickly through vegetation and can destroy homes and other property. Wildfires can start from lightning, human activity, or volcanic eruptions. Heat waves, droughts, and climate change increase the risk of wildfires.
An earthquake is the sudden shaking of Earth's surface caused by the release of stress from moving tectonic plates. Earthquakes can occur anywhere, though they are more likely to happen near the border where two plates meet. They often last less than a minute, but their impact can be widespread and unpredictable.
A volcano is a mountain formed when molten rock pours through a gap in Earth's surface. When pressure builds up underground, the magma rises to the surface, shooting or pouring out onto the ground. Volcanic eruptions can create ash clouds and lava flows, and they can set off mudslides, avalanches, or tsunamis.
Climate is the prevailing weather conditions in an area throughout a 30-year cycle. The term "weather" describes short-term conditions, while "climate" describes long-term trends.
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