WEATHER

Watch Lightning Strikes in Real Time

Watch Beautiful Thunderstorms Swirl

How Do Tornadoes Form?

The science of twisters

What Is El Niño?

Climate models are predicting that this fall, there's a 75 percent chance that an El Niño will occur. But just what is this weather phenomenon, and how does it affect us?

That Snow Down South Is Fake, Say Conspiracy Theorists

The government and/or terrorists must have dumped fake snow on the South as a chemical attack.

Making Snow with Hot Water and Other Frozen Phenomena

Why Do We Put Salt on Icy Roads?

Winter is officially here, and for those of you at more northern latitudes, you know what that means: snow and ice. And while walking in a winter wonderland is certainly wonderful, slipping and sliding can mean some nasty injuries.

Parhelia of "sun dogs" appear over a field in Iowa.

11 Wonderful Winter Weather Terms

When winter bears down, it can be hard to think of anything outside of how much you hate (or love!) the snow and ice. Here are a few of the words and phenomena that could define this season.

Why Does the Road Look Wet on Hot Days?

When this refracted light reaches you, your brain and eye don’t account for all the bending it did along the way. What you see is an inferior mirage where the mirage is under the real object.

6 Lesser-Known Terms for Weather Phenomena

This summer, you’re bound to hear emergency broadcasts, news reports, and videos of massive thunderstorms, with commentary and terminology you might not be familiar with. Knowing what those words mean can tell you a lot more about what’s going on than jus

Why Do Tornados Frequently Hit Oklahoma City?

Oklahoma City holds the dubious distinction of being the unofficial Tornado Capital of the United States. The U.S. city and its suburbs have endured more tornados than any other city—100 since 1890, as far back as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ

Why Do We Feel Hot in Temperatures Lower Than Our Body Temp?

There's a major difference between your body and your environment.

8 Extreme Weather Events As Seen From Space

No matter how things look from the ground, these events look drastically different, even surprisingly peaceful, from above.

11 Great Geeky Umbrellas

How Much Does a Cloud Weigh?

It's time to pull out those calculators and do the math with the density and volume to determine the total water content of the cloud.

NASA captures a high altitude view of Alaska's Icy Bay in the Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness. Just a century ago, this body of water was covered in ice.

Climate Change vs. Global Warming: What's the Difference?

While global warming is a specific function of trapped greenhouse gases, climate change is more complicated.

23 Vintage Photos of People Having Fun in the Snow

Get cozy and enjoy these historical photos of snow day shenanigans. Who knows—maybe they'll inspire you to bundle up, venture out, and have some fun.

How Many Words Do "Eskimos" Really Have for Snow?

There are three answers: A heck of a lot, not that many, and a whole heck of a lot. Or, if you want specifics: 5, 2, and at least 99.

11 Acts of Kindness in the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

SHANNON STAPLETON/Reuters/Landov Between election bad blood and ongoing hurricane horror stories, there's no shortage of negative news right now. Take heart—good things are happening out there. These stories from 11 Sandy Samaritans are sure to give your

When Did We Start Naming Winter Storms?

Don’t be surprised if you hear a meteorologist refer to the nor'easter that’s about to hit the East Coast as “Athena.” They’re just following the example of The Weather Channel, which recently announced that it will name “noteworthy winter storms,” just a

5 U.S. Cities That Were Destroyed—and Completely Rebuilt

As recovery efforts begin in areas ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, rebuilding may seem like an impossible task right now. But rebuilding will happen. We’ve talked about historic disasters like the Great Chicago Fire and the 1906 earthquake that devastated San

Running The NYC Marathon: Bad Idea Or Worst Idea?

Shortly after this was posted, there was an UPDATE, 5:26 PM: The NYC Marathon has been canceled.

Hurricane Sandy's Aftermath: Will Rats Take Over Manhattan?

Wikimedia Commons "The 8-million-strong human population of New York City is matched, if not exceeded, by the city's number of rodent dwellers," says Lynne Peeples at The Huffington Post. And lots more rats lost their homes — subway tunnels and sewers —

What Were They Thinking?: The Psychology of Riding Out the Storm

Last night we put the call out for readers’ nagging hurricane questions. @BrothaDom and @michellesipics both asked for a peek into the minds of people who defy evacuation orders “in the face of everything that is sane.”Just hours before Hurricane Sandy ma

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