weather

What Is the Snow-to-Liquid Ratio?

How much water snow contains has a big impact on whether you get light and fluffy flakes or a wet and heavy slush.

Why Did We Just Have a Spring-Like Tornado Outbreak?

A sprawling storm that covered almost the entire eastern half of the country produced just about every type of weather imaginable this week, including blizzard conditions near Chicago and deadly tornadoes in the southeast.

19th century London. Image Credit: Christie’s via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

5 Predictions for 20th Century London From 1857

No more fog!

Study Casts Doubt on Whether Seasonal Affective Disorder Is Real

A large study found no support for seasonal mood changes.

How the Wind Chill Makes Cold Days Even Worse

Scientists used detailed human studies to figure out how a cold wind affects your body’s ability to retain heat.

A Brutal Cold Snap Is Freezing Much of the U.S. This Weekend

Low temperatures on Saturday morning will plummet to double digits below zero in the Upper Midwest, with lows on Saturday and Sunday dipping near or below zero in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Why Isn't 100 Percent Humidity Always Rain?

Wouldn't the air just be pure water?

Rare Snow Rollers Form Across Idaho

The frosty formations only form in very precise weather conditions.

The Position of the Moon Slightly Affects the Rainfall on Earth

Scientists compared rainfall data with lunar position and found a distinct pattern.

This Massive Wind Turbine Design Can Withstand Hurricane-Force Winds

Engineers borrowed some design elements from the palm tree.

Why is it Controversial to Name Winter Storms?

It seems like a silly controversy, but there are some pretty strong arguments both for and against assigning names to winter storms.

Why Does Your Nose Run When It's Cold Outside?

A bit of physics and biology are to blame.

How the Historic East Coast Blizzard Came to Life

It's likely to be remembered as a benchmark storm for decades.

Snowpocalypse 2016 Has Begun

The storm will likely land in the record books by the end of this weekend.

About That Huge Snowstorm That Will Slam the East Coast...

Here's what you need to know.

Why Are Nor'easters So Hard to Forecast?

They can be the size and strength of a hurricane—and figuring out how they'll behave is challenging.

Hurricane Alex in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, January 14, 2016. | Source: Google Earth

We Just Had the First January Hurricane in the Atlantic Since 1954

Why did Hurricane Alex develop at such an odd time of the year?

7 Common Causes of Death During Winter Storms

“The dead of winter” indeed.

The North Pole Warm-Up Explained

The storm was indeed unusual, but in the North Pole, at least, it wasn’t quite as horrific as many people thought.

5 Beautiful Weather Events to Look for on Your Winter Break

There are some pretty cool weather events you might be able to see on your travels.

Dive Into Old Whaling Logs to Help Scientists Better Understand Climate Change

Nearly half a million handwritten pages from whaling logs are waiting to be analyzed.

The Festivus Forecast Calls for Severe Weather

If your holiday travel plans take you through the southern United States this week, it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the sky and an ear glued to the local news outlets as you get ready for the long weekend.

The Science of the Solstice

A brief primer.

So, Where's All the Snow?

In many cases, we’ve never recorded this kind of warmth so close to the end of the year.