MetaFilter posts tagged with meterology

"I'm not worrying," Pa replied. "But it's going to be a hard winter."

ChuraChura — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:57:18 -0800

Meteorologist and climatologist Barbara Mayes Boustead has loved the Little House books since she was a little girl. At her blog Wilder Weather, Barbara makes "connections between weather and climate concepts, events during Laura’s time and in her books, and present or future weather and climate concerns." For example, in October of 1880, a storm is brewing. "The initial shot of cold air brought near-freezing temperatures and a little bit of precipitation up north on the 14th. The low pressure system deepened on the 15th as it got spinning in eastern Nebraska, pulling cold air around behind it while it brought moisture up from the south. Then, the low pressure just sat there for a while and deepened. As it got deeper, the winds behind it – in eastern South Dakota – got stronger. The storm stayed in the area of northwest Iowa to southern Minnesota through the 16th, then pulled away into northern Michigan on the 17th, leaving cold air and breezy conditions behind it." And in De Smet, South Dakota, Laura Ingalls and her family settle in for the beginning of the Long Winter. Watch her presentations on the weather of the Little House. (via).

aabbbiee — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:08:28 -0800

The Weather Channel is teaming with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s Hydrologic Prediction Center (HPC) to name winter storms in the US starting with the 2012-2013 winter season. "The process for naming a winter storm will reflect a more complete assessment of several variables that combine to produce disruptive impacts including snowfall, ice, wind and temperature. In addition, the time of day (rush hour vs. overnight) and the day of the week (weekday school and work travel vs. weekends) will be taken into consideration in the process the meteorological team will use to name storms." Names chosen for 2012-13 storms include Iago, Orko, Q, Gandolf, Virgil, and Xerkes. The full list of names for the 2012-2013 is available. Naming winter storms is common in Europe. The names from the Free University of Berlin are widely used. Names are also used by the National Weather Service in Buffalo, NY for lake-effect storms. Jeff Masters of Weather Underground has more information.

PapaLobo — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:57:05 -0800

One of my favorite blogs happens to be local to me. Eric Berger, the Houston Chronicle's "SciGuy" usually reports on the weather. But he also posts entertaining and serious stuff as well. Example of some fun posts: --Use a condom, save the planet. --Why fingernails scratching on a chalkboard is so annoying. --That creepy guy may be reading your texts. Then there's more serious (and SCIENCE!) stuff: --Nasa "bullshit" --"Great Lakes" on Europa. --Dark Energy and the Nobel Prize. Mr. Berger is my first source for bad weather news, as he always keeps a level head and is pretty much on-the-spot with criticism about how mainstream media overhypes KILLER STORMS and other things. There's tons of interesting stuff here. I hope you find it fun and interesting ... and informative!

ArgentCorvid — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:03:13 -0800

The (U.S.) National Weather Service has released its report on a strong tornado that occured in Iowa the evening of May 25th. On the evening of May 25th, 2008 a tornado rated at EF5 (estimated wind speed was around 205 MPH!!) obliterated half of the town of Parkersburg, Iowa. Eight people have died, and 70 were injured. Here is a PDF containing incredible pictures of the damage (taken by employees of the NWS during their survey). there are a bunch more pictures on flickr, as well.