Portal:Weather
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Weather is an all-encompassing term used to describe all of the many and varied phenomena that can occur in the atmosphere of a planet. The term is normally taken to mean the activity of these phenomena over short periods of time, usually no more than a few days in length. Average atmospheric conditions over significantly longer periods are known as climate. Usage of the two terms often overlaps as the concepts are obviously very closely related.
The Ice Storm of 1998 (also known as Ice Storm '98) was a massive ice storm that struck areas of Eastern Ontario, southern Québec, and Nova Scotia in Canada, and bordering areas from Northern New York to Northern Maine in the United States. From January 4-10, 1998, up to 5 inches (120 mm) of ice accumulated on surfaces in these areas due to an unusually long period of freezing rain. The tremendous weight of ice accretion caused massive damage to trees and electrical infrastructure all over the area, leading to widespread power outages. Millions were left without power for periods varying from days to weeks, leading to more than 30 fatalities, a shut down of activities in large cities like Montreal and Ottawa, and an unprecedented reconstruction of the power grid. More than $5 million in damages were attributed to this storm.
A mackerel sky over Edmonton, Alberta. Altocumulus clouds in this form indicate moisture and instability at high levels, the two main ingredients needed for precipitation. If the lower atmosphere is stable and no moist air moves in, the weather will most likely remain dry. However, moisture at lower levels combined with instability can lead to spectacular thunderstorms.
Recently selected pictures: Lightning over Romania, Snow-swept trees, Low pressure
...that weather does not just occur on Earth? Any planet with an atmosphere will have some type of weather. Rain composed of liquid methane occurs on Titan and wind gusts of up to 900 miles per hour have been observed on Neptune. Weather even occurs in the gaps between planets: Space weather mainly consists of solar wind. On Earth this can produce spectacular aurorae in high latitudes.
blizzard | cloud | dust devil | fog | hail | ice | lightning | precipitation | rain | severe weather | snow | thunder | thunderstorm | tornado | tropical cyclone | wind
| convection | supercell | deposition | air mass | evaporation | sublimation | crepuscular rays | anticrepuscular rays | temperature | atmospheric pressure | dew point | weather front | jet stream | windchill | heat index | equivalent potential temperature | primitive equations | pilot reports | METAR
weathering | flood | landslide | mudflow | drought | dust storm | acid rain | heat wave | waterspout | avalanche
Alberta clipper | El Niño | Derecho | Gulf Stream | La Niña | Jet stream | North Atlantic oscillation | Madden-Julian oscillation | monsoon | Pacific decadal oscillation | Panhandle Hook | Pineapple Express | Sirocco | Siberian Express | Walker circulation | Hadley cell | Ferrel cell | Global warming | seasons
atmospheric circulation | Absolute Stable Air | temperature inversion | Dine's compensation | cyclone | anticyclone | sea breeze
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Vice Admiral Robert FitzRoy (July 5, 1805 - April 30, 1865) achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality, also proving an able surveyor and hydrographer as well as Governor of New Zealand.
FitzRoy developed charts to allow predictions to be made using observation stations connected by telegraph to transmit to him daily reports of weather at set times. The first daily weather forecasts were published in The Times in 1860, and in the following year a system was introduced of hoisting storm warning cones at the principal ports when a gale was expected. The Weather Book which he published in 1863 was far in advance of the scientific opinion of the time.
Weather: Meteorology | Atmosphere | Basic meteorological concepts and phenomena | Clouds | Floods | Precipitation| Seasons | Snow | Storms | Tornadoes | Tropical cyclones | Types of cyclone | Weather events | Weather lore | Weather hazards | Weather modification | Weather prediction | Weather warnings and advisories| Winds
- List of cloud types
- List of meteorological phenomena
- List of meteorology institutions
- List of SPC High Risk days
- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of European tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of Asian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of Southern Hemisphere tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of F5 tornadoes
- List of tornado-related deaths at schools
- List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
- List of tornado records
- List of weather-related fatalities in the United States
- History of tropical cyclone spawned tornadoes
