10 Interesting Facts About Weather
Weather is a fascinating topic with numerous interesting facts. Some examples are:
A waterspout is a type of tornado that forms over water. There are two categories of waterspouts, tornadic waterspouts and fair-weather waterspouts.
Birds have the ability to detect changes in barometric air pressure that signal an impending storm and thus adjust their flight patterns accordingly; when rain begins falling they move lower while flying higher during sunny periods.
1. Weather is the state of the atmosphere
Weather can have a huge impact on our world, from global climate changes to what causes lightning strikes. Unfortunately, people can get confused between weather and climate – what weather is about short-term atmospheric conditions like temperature, humidity, wind speed and precipitation (rain today and sunshine tomorrow); climate is the average atmospheric conditions over longer time spans (up to 30 years).
Scientists study the effects of weather not only on Earth but also other planets like Jupiter. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is an anticyclonic storm system. Weather factors include factors like water vapor levels in the air, temperature, humidity levels, air pressure and wind speed that change daily allowing meteorologists to forecast future days weather forecasts accurately. Also thunderstorms form when hot and cool air collide and rise up through their layers, creating thunderclouds which cause chaos across planets!
2. Weather is influenced by the sun
The sun provides energy that drives Earth’s weather system. Solar radiation heats unevenly across the atmosphere, creating movement of air and pressure systems as well as differences in temperature that lead to precipitation or other weather events.
As stated above, these effects tend to be relatively small in the lower atmosphere known as the troposphere, however variations in solar activity may have an enormous impact on higher altitude ionosphere regions.
Thunder occurs when two pockets of air with different temperatures come together, creating an imbalance in atmospheric pressure that results in thunderclaps. Pine cones can be used as forecasting tools; their seeds open and close depending on humidity conditions to disperse their seeds more evenly across their surroundings – thus giving an indication of rainfall forecasting. It has often been said that lightning never strikes twice; this myth has since been disproven by scientific studies which demonstrate it striking multiple times at any one location.
3. Weather is influenced by the moon
The moon’s gravity exerts an effect on Earth that causes predictable rises and falls in sea levels known as tides, while also impacting weather patterns through atmospheric pressure, cloudiness and precipitation changes.
Scientists from the University of Washington recently conducted a study which linked changes in air pressure with lunar cycles. More specifically, rainfall was lighter when the moon was higher up in the sky; however these variations would likely go undetected without paying close attention to what’s happening outside your window.
Weather plays a large part in animal migration patterns. For instance, each year thousands of wildebeests migrate between Africa and Serengeti in search of food; their migrations are driven by changes in rain, wind and temperatures along with other factors like availability of water or ground temperature.
4. Weather is influenced by the earth’s rotation
The earth’s rotation plays an integral role in weather. For instance, its rotation causes air and ocean currents to follow a curved path on Earth’s surface due to the Coriolis effect; wind blowing toward low pressure centers in Northern Hemisphere often deflect rightward and move in a clockwise manner while, conversely, its opposite occurs in Southern Hemisphere winds.
Temperature of the atmosphere can also be affected by the earth’s rotation, with warmer air rising higher into the atmosphere than cooler air due to its lower weight and density.
Weather and climate play an integral role in migration patterns of both animals and humans alike, such as when wildebeest migrate annually in search of fresh grazing areas.
5. Weather is influenced by the oceans
Covering 70% of Earth’s surface, oceans are essential components of our weather and climate systems. By absorbing solar radiation and spreading it around globally, oceans regulate our climate in much the same way that your blood system regulates your own temperature.
Warm ocean water evaporates to add moisture to the atmosphere, leading to rainstorms and blizzards. Indeed, nearly all rainfall on land originates in the ocean; therefore making tropical regions especially wet due to higher heat absorption rates that drive ocean evaporation rates.
The world’s ocean currents – including the Gulf Stream – play an essential role in shaping our weather. By transporting balmy air from tropical regions far north into Europe and helping maintain milder temperatures there, these currents help regulate our climate.
6. Weather is influenced by the wind
Wind is the force that propels air across Earth’s surface. The direction and temperature of its movement depend on atmospheric temperatures – warmer air has less pressure, moving slower while cooler air has increased pressure, moving faster.
The Coriolis effect occurs when Earth rotates, altering weather patterns to produce winds from its equator towards its poles.
Wind can also have a major effect on the amount of rainfall a region experiences, for instance via squalls – windy storms which produce raindrops; or through waterspouts (water tornadoes that form over water, moving with speeds reaching 118 miles per hour). Waterpouts should not be confused with hurricanes and typhoons which are tropical storms which occur over oceans.
7. Weather is influenced by the earth’s magnetic field
Earth’s magnetic field protects us from radiation and gases that could be harmful, but can be disrupted by solar winds which cause geomagnetic storms that disrupt satellites and lead to radio and power blackouts here on Earth.
As the sun heats the Earth unevenly, air flows from areas with high pressure to those with lower pressure causing wind currents, clouds, rain and snowfall to occur.
Water vapor is present everywhere in the air and can condense into liquid form when it cools – this process is known as condensation. When two air masses with different temperatures meet, thunderstorms, hurricanes, typhoons or Willy Willies (a term used in Australia) form. Lighting strikes can occur almost anywhere on earth and typically strikes twice at the same spot (especially trees or antennae).
8. Weather is influenced by the earth’s rotation
The tilt and rotation of our planet greatly influence our weather. One such effect is the Coriolis effect, in which winds blowing towards low pressure centers in the Northern Hemisphere deflect rightward and move counterclockwise around their target compared to what occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.
Water vapor exists throughout the atmosphere, but only becomes liquid rain or snow when temperatures drop enough for condensation to occur. This occurs when hot and cool air masses come together – known as meeting points for two air masses with different temperatures – known as cold fronts or warm fronts.
There are 13 distinct kinds of storms, from squalls and gales to dust devils and cold temperatures can even cause rivers to freeze solid for two months – as was seen with London’s River Thames freezing over in 1684.
9. Weather is influenced by the earth’s magnetic field
The Earth’s magnetic field can be thought of as a giant dipole magnet with two poles (a dipole). These invisible lines of force reach thousands of kilometers into space, protecting us from solar wind and cosmic rays and protecting our weather systems from their damaging effects. Unfortunately, its strength is weakening over time which has serious ramifications on weather patterns around our planet.
Flooding can be caused by strong storms with heavy rainfall in many countries around the world. This poses serious problems to infrastructure development.
Air is saturated with water vapor that rises when temperatures become warm and descends when cold temperatures arrive – this process is known as condensation – which results in clouds that form from this condensation process and form our weather conditions, including thunderstorms and snowstorms. Pine cones can help forecast weather by opening or closing depending on humidity conditions to help disperse their seeds more evenly throughout their environments.
10. Weather is influenced by the earth’s rotation
The Earth spins on its axis, which impacts weather patterns. For instance, during summer we receive more sunlight at the equator than at either pole. This leads to temperature differentials which lead to air currents, clouds and various weather events.
As humidity, water vapour in the air contributes to precipitation such as rain or snowfall, wind can affect both rainfall rate and hurricane movement – possibly leading to fire whirls caused by wildfires – as well as affect how cold it becomes; on January 23rd 1983 Commonwealth Bay Antarctica recorded its lowest temperature ever, at -130C!