Weather

How To Measure Wind Damage From Tornadoes, Hurricanes & Other Storms

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:27:15 +0000

Wind damage – its dramatic impacts are sometimes the first images we see following a hurricane, tornado, or strong thunderstorm.

Fortunately, meteorologists are doing an incredible job at improving forecasting methods so homeowners, municipal leaders, and emergency officials can prepare for storms ahead of time and potentially prevent wind damage.

In my Florida city, for example, hurricane season always means city and county code enforcement officials are out in strong numbers inspecting buildings for weak spots, trimming down branches near utility lines, and reminding the public to upgrade their windows, entry doors, and garage doors to more wind-resistant varieties.

Virtually all cities in Florida and many counties outside of the Sunshine State are doing their best to comply with Miami-Dade County wind codes, which mandate some of the toughest hurricane wind codes in the world.

What makes wind codes from a county located in the southeast tip of Florida so special

What Is A Microburst? See How Microbursts Are Different From Tornadoes

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:18:47 +0000

Have you ever experienced a microburst?

You would have probably thought you were in a tornado if you ever had been, since microbursts are strong, sudden blasts of winds that can exceed 160 miles per hour.

While the microbursts I have experienced weren’t as destructive as the typical tornado would be, they can still be an alarming event — especially when they spur young trees to suddenly genuflect toward the ground and cause yard furniture to make a tumbling 30-yard dash to the curb.

But just what is a microburst? How do they form? And, how are microbursts different than tornadoes?

How A Microburst Takes Shape

The rise of warm air can create powerful thunderstorms. The updrafts draw in dry air from around the thunderstorm, which cools the storm and slows down the updrafts. As rain falls into dry pockets inside or below the storm, it starts evaporating, and the evaporation process cools the surrounding air.

Evaporation causes the descending air to cool more rapidly, and since cooler air is denser than warm air, it accelerates cold air toward the ground. This is why we often feel a rush of brisk air just before or during a rainstorm, even on hot summer days.

Sometimes, these downdrafts of air can be so intense, they become downbursts. Downbursts are any occurrence of descending air that causes damage. A microburst, on the other hand, refers to downbursts that are concentrated in a small geographic area that measures less than two-and-a-half miles at its longest dimension.

How Much Damage Can A Microburst Cause?

Don’t let the term “micro” fool you. Microbursts can cause macro damage.

Trees, sheds, and windows are common casualties during a microburst. Often, unfortunately, so are planes. In fact, a microburst was known to have caused an Eastern Air Lines Boeing 727 to crash in New York on June 24, 1975 about 2,400 feet short of its Kennedy International Airport runway; of the 124 passengers and crew members on board, 113 died.

A few years later, in 1983, a very powerful microburst struck Andrews Air Force Base only minutes after Air Force One touched down there with President Ronald Reagan aboard.

How A Microburst Is Different From A Tornado

Microbursts and tornadoes can both exert a lot of damage, so it would make sense for some to believe they are quite similar as far as how they form. While it is true that many people often can’t tell whether they had experienced a tornado or a microburst, there are several distinctions between a tornado and a microburst.

First, tornadoes draw air into a thunderstorm, whereas microbursts are the expulsion of air from a storm. While ground observers without weather monitoring equipment available may not be able to decipher whether wind is going into or coming out of a storm, wind directions can be easily determined by a weather vane or Doppler radar.

Second, tornadic winds are curved and can cause erratic forms of damage on the ground, which can be seen in situations where one house may receive extremely severe damage yet the house next door may be virtually spared. Winds in microbursts, however, flow in a straight line. Straight-line wind damage isn’t always evident to layperson observers on the ground, but can be clearly seen from above. Fallen trees are often the most revealing clue to straight-line winds which, when damaged by a microburst and later viewed from the air, will all be laying in the same direction.

Finally, microbursts are far more common than tornadoes. In fact, for every tornado, there are 10 reports of damage from a microburst.

Should We Be Naming Winter Storms? Why One Weather Watcher Thinks The Idea Is On Thin Ice

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:21:21 +0000

There’s been a flurry of attention lately about the move The Weather Channel has made on naming winter storms. The network, which has been on the air since 1982, has stood behind the move that has been getting frosty reviews by many.

While as a Floridian I live in a state that is lucky if it sees a dusting of flurries once every couple of years, I am no stranger to the idea of naming storms. Do the names Andrew, Charley, or Donna ring a bell, anyone?

Of course, here in Florida, we get acquainted to a whole batch of names every year in the Sunshine State as the National Hurricane Center, the authority on naming tropical storm systems, releases its annual litany of hurricane names. The practice of naming hurricanes, which has been in official use by the weather service since 1953, is designed to help reduce confusion by trackers and the public at large when two or more tropical systems have formed. This followed the longstanding tradition of the Caribbeans, who would name landfalling hurricanes after the saint of the day on the Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar

Hypercanes: Severe Hurricanes You Wouldn’t Want to Mess With

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:42:04 +0000

You know those severe hurricanes in the movies that wipe out entire cities, wash away beaches, and render millions of people homeless?

The computers at Hollywood’s studios aren’t the only ones cooking these devastating storms – those at the desks of some weather scientists across the United States are, too.

As a resident of Florida – you know, that spit of land in Hurricane Alley that eerily seems to break off the U.S. mainland and sink into an Atlantic abyss in every other potential disaster scenario known to man – I get a little nervous.

4 Tips for Getting Your Roof Gutters Ready for Spring Snowmelt

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 04:00:03 +0000

Your roof gutters may have been designed to handle rainfall, but if you live in the northern climes, your gutter system may also have to handle winter storms and the subsequent melting snow.

While the amount of snowmelt you experience will differ from year to year, melting snow nevertheless always poses hazards to you and your home.

From falling ice that can damage your car to black ice that can form on the ground below your roof’s drip line and cause potentially serious injuries, snowmelt poses many dangers – even some that you may not even think about, such as seepage into your basement.

Your roof gutters play an integral role in protecting you and your property from the hazards of snowmelt, especially considering that a foot of snow on a 1,000-square-foot-roof will produce roughly 2,500 gallons of water. And, since this water will likely be running off your roof over a period of several days, your gutters could be overwhelmed by a steady torrent of water that won’t relent until the warm springtime sun melts the last vestiges of winter off your roof.

Weather Clubs and Activities are Fun for All

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:01:30 +0000

Weather clubs are a great venue for enjoying your love of meteorology and sharing your passion of the science with other people with similar interests. If you’re a weather bug like me, you’ve probably thought about the idea of joining a weather club but aren’t sure where they are, how to join, or what they are like.

Of course, as is the case with virtually any type of club, weather clubs differ in terms of size, scope, and how often they convene.

Many Online Weather Clubs Available

Today, many weather clubs are simply organized online communities where backyard weather watchers post observations, make weather forecasts, ask questions, and share photos on discussion boards. This type of forum is highly common and is a great way to stay active and involved in the weather community without having to actually go to any clubs – a particular problem if you live in a rural community and are a long drive from the nearest weather club gathering spot.

Winter Storms Facts and Info Revealed

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 04:06:07 +0000

If you’re like many people seeking facts and info on winter storms, you may feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of information out there on blizzards, nor’easters, clippers, and the other types of winter storm phenomena that takes place every winter.

As a weather buff myself, studying winter storm patterns intrigues me, though definitely requires having to sort out tons of facts and info to better understand winter storms and the often blinding fury they can unleash.

The interesting thing about winter weather is that it can have its allure for some people. After all, if not for downright cold temperatures, there would be much less purpose for cozying up by a crackling warm fire; you would never get to wake up on a winter morning and see a blanket of freshly fallen snow; and without winter weather, outdoor ice skating would be an impossibility. So, yes, putting up with fierce winter storms can have its benefits!

5 Dangerous and Costly Hurricane Facts and Myths Debunked

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:46:02 +0000

There are many myths about hurricanes, but the facts behind these storms could make the difference between life and death if you live by any of the common misnomers about one of Mother Nature’s most powerful types of storms.

Many hurricane facts and myths circle about in every day pop culture. I myself even used to believe some of these myths. However, I grew up in Florida, one of the most hurricane-prone states in the country. So, I quickly learned that many of the things I heard about hurricanes were in fact myths that could be quickly dispelled by facts that have been proven by scientific research and studies.

For example, I long thought that you could safely ride out a hurricane in a mobile home grounded with anchors. However, the truth is that mobile dwellings and other types of manufactured homes simply aren’t as durable as homes constructed from the ground up.

And, there are many other hurricane myths and facts you’ll need to know if you want to weather the storm. Check these out:

Tracking the ISS (International Space Station) from Your Computer and in the Night Sky

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 02:34:41 +0000

Tracking the ISS (International Space Station) is a fun activity that many backyard sky gazers will enjoy when the night sky is clear of clouds and the trajectory of the space station in your part of the world is just right.

The ISS, which is a multi-national, modular space station that was planned and built over the course of several years during the 1990s and 2000s, orbits around Earth about 15 times per day.

The orbiting ISS can be easily seen from ground as a bright, white dot slowly but steadily moving across the sky. In fact, the ISS is the biggest and brightest man-made object we can see in the night sky.

Tracking the ISS on the internet can help you to determine when is the best time to go outside, look up, and try to spot the space station as it passes around 225 miles above our heads.

These Online Weather Calculators Help You Convert Weather Terms & Numbers Into Meaningful Information

Lynnette Walczak — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 23:15:47 +0000

Need to convert degrees from Fahrenheit temperature to Celcius — or vice versa?

Are you looking for the Kelvin temperature?

Wonder what the wind chill is outside?

Or how close you are to lightning?

The following online weather calculators are FREE!

There are even some fun weather calculators in here — like the Crickets Chirping Calculator. Did you know that you can tell the temperature by entering the number of cricket chirps you hear, and the season?

Simply plug in the numbers you know and these weather calculators do the rest to help you discover the information you need.

These online weather calculators are especially handy for:

International travelers
Meteorologists
Teachers
Students
Weather geeks

Enjoy!

Free Online Weather Calculators

AC Unit Operating Cost Calculator - Find the daily or monthly usage cost of your air conditioner.

Air Conditioning Or Cooling Capacity Calculator - See what size air conditioner unit you need to cool a room… or an entire house!

Allergy Forecast - Enter your zip code and see the 4-day allergy forecast for your area. You can also view the local weather forecast, UV Index, and Cough & Cold Forecast.

Cloud Altitude Calculator - Find the cloud altitude based on the air temperature and dew point.

Condensation, Mold & Rot Temperature Calculator - See if the current conditions would allow condensation to form, leaving vulnerability for mold, mildew or rot.

Cricket Chirp Temperature Calculator - This is based on an old hunting and fishing rumors that say that you can tell the degrees (Fahrenheit) based on the number of cricket chirps in 5 seconds and the season of the year.

Frost Chart - Find the average frost dates for your area’s last spring frost and first fall frost.

Hail Size Chart - See the standard size designations for various sizes of hail. (Example: “quarter size” = 1 inch.)

Heat Index Calculator - Find out what the temperature feels like to your body, based on current temperature and humidity.

Humidity In The Home Calculator – Find out if the air inside your house is too dry (below 30%) or too wet (above 50%) by entering your zip code and current thermostat setting.

Lightning Distance Calculator - See how close you are to lightning based on the time (in seconds) between the flash of the lightning until the sound of the thunder.

Moon Phases Calculator - View the lunar cycle and see what the moon will look like on a particular date.

Pollen Count Calculator - Enter your zip code and see the pollen levels for grass, weeds, trees, and mold in your area.

Rainwater Harvest Calculator - Determine how much rain water you’ve harvested by entering the area of your roof and the amount of rainfall.

Temperature Conversion Calculator – See what the temperature is in Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin, or Rankin formats.

Tornado F-Scale Table - See maximum wind speeds and typical effects associated with each class of tornado.

USDA Hardiness Zone Finder - See when it’s the best time to plant in your area.

UV Index Calculator - Enter your zip code and see what the UV Index is for your area.

Wind Chill Calculator - Determine wind chill from the current temperature and wind speed.

Wind Power Calculator - Helpful when converting wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines.

Advanced Weather Calculators (Also FREE!)

Didn’t find the calculator to do the type of conversion you’re interested in? You must be a true weather geek then!

Here are lots more advanced weather calculators that you might be interested in: