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326 Questions

Last Answer on December 24, 2019

Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

Asked by Melinda over 6 years ago

Excellent question, and honestly I don’t have an answer, but I know who does. Check out the Cloud Appreciation Society. They will know, and if they don’t they will like the question enough to find out. Let me know! https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

620 Votes

I ive in Michigan and we have winds up to 60 miles per hour today And they have been blowing for about 5 hours but no storms the sky is clear blue with a few clouds. so where are the winds come from

Asked by Debra about 7 years ago

There is a strong low pressure area to your east. Mother Nature likes for things to be in balance. Think of low pressure as a valley, high pressure as a hill. She is moving air from the hill to fill the valley. The bigger the hill, the deeper the valley, the faster the air moves to fix the imbalance and the stronger the wind blows. Great question, thanks.

620 Votes

Good evening,,if there was lightning at the very top of a hurricane,say a photo was taken from the i.s.s.,would the lightning travel downward or would it spiral with the winds on top

Asked by Keith Lemieux over 5 years ago

Hi, Keith. Lightning is looking to relieve the difference between a positive and negative charge in the atmosphere. In order to do that it looks for the path of least resistance and often looks for several paths to do it in a given strike, that is why it often looks forked. The first path that makes the connection between positive and negative wins and that part of the channel is usually brightest. Specific to your question, could the spinning air have some effect on the channel? Maybe a small bit. If you are suggesting something you might see in a Marvel movie...I's say no. :) Thanks.

619 Votes

I live in SW Mo why when they call for 12” of snow we get a trace or nothing but when they call for a trace we get 12”?

Asked by Tommy over 6 years ago

Hi, Tommy. Winter weather forecasting is pretty difficult. I'm guessing your question might be at least a little exaggerated. The foundation of any forecast is the weather balloons that are launched twice a day around the world. That, and other data, are fed into computer programs that model the behavior of the atmosphere. Since weather balloon launch sites are pretty far apart unseen effects can creep in and affect the forecast. In some cases a storm track shift of just a few miles can change snowfall amounts in a given spot pretty dramatically.

617 Votes

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Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

Asked by Donovin over 6 years ago

Great question. A tornado or severe thunderstorm watch will come from the Storm Prediction Center, often in consultation with local offices. A hurricane watch will come from the National Hurricane Center and winter weather and flood watches will come from local offices. Thanks, Donovin!

615 Votes

What is the farthest in current conditions a hurricane could go on land? I mean the most extreme situation that could happen in 1,000 years. I guess anything can happen but what do you think?

Asked by Saksjdkfe about 6 years ago

A hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico can easily make to the central plains of the United States. Usually it would have been downgraded from a hurricane before leaving Texas but the remnants can stay well organized and touch much the eastern half of the country.

612 Votes

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

Asked by Robert Zachary over 5 years ago

I'll side with the National Weather Service on this one, having not seen a picture. They would have been more aware of the conditions at the time you called. My guess would be you might have seen some sort of wind maximum that created a vortex one either side. A loose example would be the wave of a boat. Thanks!

611 Votes

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Ask me anything!

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Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

I ive in Michigan and we have winds up to 60 miles per hour today And they have been blowing for about 5 hours but no storms the sky is clear blue with a few clouds. so where are the winds come from

Good evening,,if there was lightning at the very top of a hurricane,say a photo was taken from the i.s.s.,would the lightning travel downward or would it spiral with the winds on top

I live in SW Mo why when they call for 12” of snow we get a trace or nothing but when they call for a trace we get 12”?

Also on Jobstr...

Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

What is the farthest in current conditions a hurricane could go on land? I mean the most extreme situation that could happen in 1,000 years. I guess anything can happen but what do you think?

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

TV Meteorologist

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

I ive in Michigan and we have winds up to 60 miles per hour today And they have been blowing for about 5 hours but no storms the sky is clear blue with a few clouds. so where are the winds come from

Good evening,,if there was lightning at the very top of a hurricane,say a photo was taken from the i.s.s.,would the lightning travel downward or would it spiral with the winds on top

I live in SW Mo why when they call for 12” of snow we get a trace or nothing but when they call for a trace we get 12”?

Also on Jobstr...

Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

What is the farthest in current conditions a hurricane could go on land? I mean the most extreme situation that could happen in 1,000 years. I guess anything can happen but what do you think?

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

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