Greetings everyone. I hope this week’s post finds everyone doing well. March is a highly transitional month especially across the Northern Hemisphere as winter begins to wane and occasionally gives way to brief warm spells and severe weather events. This week I will continue with severe weather safety infographics starting with a reminder on lightning safety. There are many other interesting science links to check out, so let’s get started.
- This is an exceptionally intriguing read on astronomers finding just how long water has existed.
- As we reach the 3rd anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the worst health crisis on our planet in a century, are we winning, or are we just tempting fate and setting ourselves up to become bait for an even more nefarious variant?
- Plastic pollution is global and exists even in the deepest areas of our planet’s oceans. Here’s a startling look at just how much plastic pollution there is.
- Here’s another perspective on the level of global plastic pollution which has surged since 2005.
- The ways in which the Arctic and Antarctica have responded to climate change is vast and something scientists are just beginning to understand.
- Have you ever had an interest in learning about the types of clouds we see in our atmosphere? NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has a easy way to get started with this webpage and a link to the Globe Observer App where you can send your cloud observations to scientists.
- NOAA has just released their assessment of the February 2023 weather and climate events across the USA.
- Here is this week’s update on the USA Drought Monitor. Conditions east of the Mississippi river continue to improve. Extreme or exceptional drought conditions exist for much of the plains states. Minor improvements have shown up this week in the west although dry conditions persist in many areas.
WINTER WEATHER AND SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY
- This week, I will continue the transition from winter weather to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and related hazards. If you’re looking for winter weather preparedness and safety information, here’s an excellent website for everything you need to know for before and after the storm. With spring starting to settle in across the Northern Hemisphere, severe weather events become more frequent. As for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and related hazards, here’s an excellent 20 page PDF file from the National Weather Service…”Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and Lightning. Nature’s Most Violent Storms.” First, a reminder on the dangers of lightning which exists in any thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you’re in danger of being struck. Next, we’ll take a look look at the Storm Prediction Center’s severe thunderstorm risk categories and then a great checklist to help you prepare an emergency kit. 2023 has gotten off to an early start in many areas of the plains and south with numerous significant severe weather events. By some accounts, the rest of 2023 could be a very active severe weather and tornado season. Time will tell.
This important infographic focuses on winter weather and social media. However, it also applies to any weather conditions that occur years round regardless of where you live. Remember that your NOAA weather radio, local NWS Office, and the broadcast meteorologists of your choice are always the best choices for all types of weather…from clement to life threatening situations.
That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to all of you who pay this website a visit and follow Tornado Quest in social media!
See you next Saturday!
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