Tornado Quest Top Science Links For 28 January – 4 February 2023 #science #weather #climate #climatechange #drought #astronomy #health

Greetings everyone! I hope all of you are having a great week and, if you were impacted by the recent winter storm across much of the eastern half of the USA, I hope you had no troubles or are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Since we’ve many more weeks of winter ahead, we’ll continue our winter weather safety information. But first, there are many other interesting science links to check out. Let’s get started.

The Hubble telescope may not be the latest and greatest, but it still can stun us with it’s amazing imagery.
Groundhog Day gets its share of publicity, but is there really anything to its accuracy?
This makes perfectly good sense especially in light of the fact that trees in urban settings help improve the quality of air you breathe.
We still don’t fully understand all of the properties of water and ice. Discoveries like this just help us understand even more this critical building block of life.
Microplastics are a problem the world over in water and on land, but just how are they affecting you when they become airborne?
Here is the latest update on the USA Drought Monitor. Recent precipitation has brought some improvements even to California in the wake of several significant storm systems. East of the Mississippi river, conditions have improved significantly while parts of the central and southern plains still have extreme or exceptional drought conditions.

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

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. This all inclusive website from NOAA and the National Weather Service will help you prepare for the storm and tell you how to stay safe afterwards. Here’s some more winter safety information from OSHA geared towards those who have to work outdoors in the cold. The infographics have tips on dressing for the cold and five things to keep in mind during the coldest months of the year.

Infographic courtesy NWS Mobile, Alabama

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!

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 21 – 28, 2023

Tornado Quest Micro-podcast For January 21 – 28, 2023

Greetings everyone! I hope all of you are having a great week. This week, we’ll continue our winter weather safety information. There are many, many other interesting science links to check out, so let’s get started.

For those of us fascinated with aviation, here’s some exiting news on the development of a new aircraft that would be a successor to the SR-71 Blackbird.
Here’s a fascinating astronomy read for this week. “Astronomers Pin Down the Age of the Most Distant Galaxy: Seen 367 Million Years After the Big Bang.“
Antarctica is a great place to visit if you’re searching for meteorites. Recently, a meteorite was found that weighed an astounding 7.6 kilograms (16.7 pounds).
The global climate crisis will have significant effects on many cultures that are dwindling in populations and the number of people who speak their languages.
Over 600 square miles. This is no small ice cube. “Iceberg roughly the size of London breaks off in Antarctica.”
Here is the latest update on the USA Drought Monitor. Recent precipitation has brought some improvements even to California in the wake of several significant storm systems. East of the Mississippi river, conditions have improved significantly while parts of the central and southern plains still have extreme or exceptional drought conditions.

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

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. This all inclusive website from NOAA and the National Weather Service will help you prepare for the storm and tell you how to stay safe afterwards. Here’s some more winter safety information from OSHA geared towards those who have to work outdoors in the cold. The infographics have tips on dressing for the cold and five things to keep in mind during the coldest months of the year.

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!

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For December 31, 2022 – January 7, 2023

Happy New Year to one and all! It’s the start of a new year and new beginnings. Nature never takes a break as we have seen with recent cold weather outbreaks, snowfall, floods, and even severe weather across portions of North America. This week, we’ll continue our winter weather safety information. There are many interesting science links to check out, so let’s get started.

The more we study the weather on Mars, the more spectacular we realize this amazing planet is.
This is a fantastic, novel idea! “The Unlikely Solution to Microplastic Pollution: Magnets?“
If you ever have to shovel snow, there are several tips that we all should be mindful of in order to do it safely.
What a flight this must be. “Storm-Chasing Seabirds Ride Out Hurricanes from Inside.”
Newly released research. “Half of glaciers will be gone by 2100 even under Paris 1.5C accord, study finds.”
Our warming climate is not only increasing the number of tropical cyclones, but their intensity.
A swing in Australia from three years of La Niña to hot and dry El Niño in 2023 would be quite a tough climate extreme to endure.
Here is this week’s update on the USA Drought Monitor. Recent precipitation has brought some improvements even to California which has been pummeled in recent days with several significant storm systems. East of the Mississippi, conditions have improved significantly while the plains still hold fast to extreme or exceptional drought conditions.

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

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. This all inclusive website from NOAA and the National Weather Service will help you prepare for the storm and tell you how to stay safe afterwards. The infographics have tips on dressing for the cold and five things to keep in mind during the coldest months of the year.

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! Whether you’re with family, friends, or alone, I wish all of you the absolute best during this holiday season and for all of us, a very healthy and happy 2023!

See you next Saturday!

Tornado Quest Micro Podcast for 31 Dec 2022 – 7 Jan 2023

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For November 26 – December 3, 2022

Greetings everyone! I hope this week’s post finds all of you well. With the first day of December, meteorological winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere and summer is starting south of the equator. This week, I’ll continue winter weather safety information with helpful tips on understanding winter weather forecasts and preparing an emergency kit that will be useful in any winter storm or severe weather scenario. There are many other essential science reads this week, so let’s get started.

Let’s start with some very good news. By the end of 2022, USA renewable energy sources will surpass nuclear and coal in the percentage of energy created!
Take a look at these spectacular images from the new James Webb Space Telescope.
This is a new and very important study on how living in areas with high amounts of air pollution is likely to result in a myriad of long term health conditions. The number of participants were not small. This study involved more than 364,000 participants.
Here are several amazing ice formations to be on the lookout for this winter. In just the right winter weather conditions, nature can make some incredible artistic ice sculptures.
Here is this week’s update on the USA Drought Monitor. Dry or drought conditions continue to persist across much of the contiguous USA with moderate to severe drought spreading from the Great Lakes region to the deep south.

If you’re looking for winter weather preparedness and safety information, here’s your one stop website for everything you need to know for before and after the storm. This all inclusive website from NOAA will help you prepare for the storm and tell you how to stay safe afterwards. The infographics below will also help you prepare an emergency kit and advise discretion when encountering questionable weather information/forecasts/hyperbole while visiting websites and using social media. Furthermore, forecasting winter weather is one of the most daunting challenges that even the most seasoned meteorologist will face. With that in mind, it would behoove us all to stay flexible and prepare to change plans at short notice.

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

Infographic courtesy FEMA/Ready.gov/Red Cross

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 my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, Mastodon, Instagram, or Facebook, let’s connect!

See you next Saturday!

Tornado Quest Micro-Podcast for November 26 – December 3 2022

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For November 19 – 26, 2022

Greetings everyone! I hope this week’s post finds all of you well. If you celebrated the American thanksgiving holiday, I hope it was a pleasant day for all. Winter is making its presence known across much of North America. A recent record breaking snowstorm in New York state is one example. Therefore, I’ll continue posting winter weather safety information this week with helpful tips on understanding winter weather forecasts and preparing an emergency kit that will be useful in any winter storm or severe weather scenario. There are many essential science reads this week including important information on the conclusion of the COP27 climate summit, so let’s get started.

NASA’s Orion capsule has just started an amazing adventure and a new chapter in space exploration. Here’s a look at its close swing by our planet’s moon.
The COP27 climate summit has come to a conclusion. Here’s a concise summary of the good and not so good results.
No doubt, this was the topic of conversation around many dinner tables during the American Thanksgiving holiday with not a little consternation in the air. Fortunately, for those that deny sound science, there are ways to understand their behavior and, perhaps, encourage them to understand the basis behind established facts and data.
There are many variables and metrics to consider when evaluating climate change and extreme weather events. Aerosols are one variable that we can’t afford to leave out due to the major role they play in air quality and regional extreme weather events.
According to a Stockholm University study, much of continental Europe is, on average, warming at twice the rate of the rest of the Earth.
As Europe goes, so goes the UK with a ‘second spring’ now becoming common with plants that normally would be dormant this time of year now springing back to life.
If the plant is warming, it would make sense that snowfalls would decrease in amounts and intensity. In fact, the opposite is true.
Here is this week’s update on the USA Drought Monitor. Dry or drought conditions continue to persist across much of the contiguous USA with moderate to severe drought spreading from the Great Lakes region to the deep south.

Across the Northern Hemisphere, winter is setting in. If you’re looking for winter weather preparedness and safety information, here’s your one stop website for everything you need to know for before and after the storm. This all inclusive website from NOAA will help you prepare for the storm and tell you how to stay safe afterwards. The infographics below will also help you prepare an emergency kit and advise discretion when encountering questionable weather information/forecasts/hyperbole while visiting websites and using social media. Furthermore, forecasting winter weather is one of the most daunting challenges that even the most seasoned meteorologist will face. With that in mind, it would behoove us all to stay flexible and prepare to change plans at short notice.

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

See you next Saturday!

Tornado Quest Micro-podcast for November 19 – 26 2022

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 29 – February 5, 2022

Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. The big weather story for much of North America this week has been back-to-back winter storms. Speaking of winter, for this week’s winter weather safety, a review of how wind chill affects your body. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

Is it too much trouble to engage in fact checking & critical thinking? Social media platforms haven’t been holding up their promise to debunk misinformation, disinformation, fact check, and basically keep their platforms civil. “Social Media Platforms Failing To Tackle Abuse Of Scientists.“
This is an excellent and very timely read that will help alleviate much of the misconceptions of how science and the scientific method works. “What Is A Scientific Theory?“
A very thought provoking read on the 1918 influenza pandemic & its unmistakable connections to our current COVID-19 health crisis. It would behoove us greatly to learn from the past.
Here’s a fascinating astronomy read about that humble star that we on Earth refer to as the Sun.
Now, let’s go to the moon and talk about ‘moon trees.’
This is a novel idea that, with some luck, will spread to other cities around the world. “Hong Kong’s car pollution sensors help it clean its air in world first.”
This is yet another victim of our warming planet. The highest glacier on Mount Everest is rapidly melting.
Methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas and second to carbon dioxide in the level of harm is produces, has been detected by satellites leaking in large quantities from gas pipelines.
The flood risk across the USA has been an ongoing threat for generations. By some accounts, it’s about to get much worse and for an unexpected reason.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

Infographic courtesy NWS Fort Worth, Texas, USA

That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!

See you next Saturday!

Tornado Quest Micro-podcast for January 29 – February 5, 2022

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 22 – 29, 2022

Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. For this week’s winter weather safety, a review of dressing for the cold to stave off hypothermia and frostbite. If you’re interested in citizen science and contributing to weather research, we’ve a link for a great app. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

If you’d like to contribute to weather research through a simple weather app, please check out the mPING app. It’s a great way to contribute to weather forecasting and observation data regardless of the season or climate you live in.
The importance of science communication & subtle differences in words can’t be underestimated. “COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless.”
The importance of soil to our daily lives is a topic that is frequently overlooked. “A Call For Governments To Save Soil.“
The strain that climate change puts on agriculture is an expense that ultimately the taxpayer has to pick up the tab for.
Walking on ice can be very tricky…and even dangerous. Here’s an excellent read on how to get across the slippery surface in a safe manner.
If 2021 seemed to be a very warm year during the summer months, you weren’t imagining things. Last year was one of the seven hottest years on record according to the World Meteorological Organization.
While on the topic of 2021, here’s an excellent overview of the USA’s billion dollar weather and climate disasters within a historical context.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

The key word to remember when dressing for cold weather…layers!

See you next Saturday!

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For December 11 – 18, 2021 #science #weather #climate #winter #wintersafety #astronomy #tornado #tornadooutbreak #covid19

Greetings to one and all. This has been quite an active severe weather month for the USA with two Moderate Risk events in the middle of December. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

This is a startling look at graphics that depict how vaccines for COVID-19 shaped 2021.
This is quite an accomplishment. NASA sent a probe close to our sun and the results were spectacular.
Meanwhile in the Antarctic. “Giant cracks push imperiled Antarctic glacier closer to collapse.” For decades, scientists have carefully tracked changes in the Thwaites Glacier which causes 4% of global sea-level rise.
So much for that white Christmas that so many of us in the Northern Hemisphere would like to have. “The Twelve Days of Christmas Have Grown More Than 8 Degrees F Warmer in Parts of the U.S.“
Taking a global perspective puts the ugly new ‘normal’ into a new light. Around our planet, many weather records were obliterated in a variety of climates on continents around our humble home.
This is a concise and informative review from NOAA and the National Weather Service of the tornado outbreak of 10-11 December 2021. Several individual National Weather Service offices also have their own links to further information.
Is there a connection between tornado events and climate change? Some preliminary data indicates there is. With the small data set of severe weather events scientists are limited to, it’s still to early to say definitely whether causation exists. With time and more scientific analysis, the answer will be found.
It’s no secret that tornadoes that occur at night are often more deadly and, depending on the storm mode, may be in a high precipitation supercell moving at a very fast speed. It’s these ingredients, along with regional factors, that make tornadoes in the southeastern USA more deadly than their great plains counterparts.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

This infographic continues our winter weather safety focus on wind chill with a specific focus on how wind during winter cold affects our bodies.

Please keep in mind that ONLY NOAA weather radio, your local National Weather Service office, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!

See you next Saturday…Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For February 5 – 12, 2021 #science #weather #meteorology #winter #wintersafety #weathersafety #climate #climatechange #pollution #environment

Much of North America is getting quite a blast of Arctic cold air this week. Some regions of the southern USA are seeing temperatures up to 30F lower than normal. Below are two very important infographics with one addressing wild chill and the other showing how to dress properly to best handle the cold weather and retain body heat. Speaking of winter weather, we’ll explore more on winter weather safety with plenty of information for the next several weeks. There are several interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

We’ll be wearing masks to help with controlling the spread of COVID-19 for some time. I’ve been double masking for over a month. The challenge is avoiding the critical ‘side gap.’
There are many misconceptions about wildfires that are quite pervasive and difficult to eradicate. This video is an interesting look at those wildfire misconceptions and how they help fuel…literally…wildfires.
Because plastics are forever. “Microplastics are everywhere. Here’s what that means for our health.”
Here’s an interesting read on the connection between economic growth and large variations in daily temperatures.
A major win for the international treaty that protects the ozone layer. “Illegal CFC emissions have stopped since scientists raised alarm.”
Folks who deal with seasonal allergies are miserable enough. Here’s the rub…climate change may make their symptoms worse.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

With cooler temperature, snow, ice storms, et al. having settled in across much of the northern hemisphere, folks attention appropriately turns to winter weather hazards. The same preparedness plans and supplies that are helpful for tropical cyclones, tornadoes, flooding, etc. are beneficial to have for winter weather. NOAA has a very nice Winter Weather Safety website to help you get ready with plenty of helpful tips and information you may need.

This NOAA winter weather page has a myriad of links beneficial to organizations such as public services, schools, organizations, etc.

NOAA also has an excellent printable publication that covers winter weather safety which is one of the most underrated weather hazards. (12 page PDF file)

The handy checklist below from the American Red Cross will help you put together an emergency kit for a variety of weather scenarios. A kit like this is very helpful in a variety of other difficult scenarios from wildfires to blizzards to tornadoes and hurricanes.

Social media is a very useful tool that can be misused for misinformation, disinformation, and hype. While this infographic is geared towards, winter weather, it certainly applies to all kinds of weather year round.

Infographic courtesy NWS Fort Worth, Texas

That’s a wrap for this post! I’d like to extend a warm welcome to my followers in social media. I’m glad you’re along for the fun! If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, sport a spiffy mask as often as you can, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay safe, and stay healthy!

Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch

WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY

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