People have long been fascinated with weather. Here are a few interesting weather facts.
Contrary to popular belief, it really can rain frogs and fish due to tornadoes or waterspouts sucking them up into the air before dropping them back down again.
1. There are 39 kinds of snowflake
No two snowflakes are the same, yet just how many varieties of snowflake exist? According to Andy Brunning from Compound Interest blog who conducted an informal count there are 39 varieties. His count relies on how snow crystals are categorised and does not provide an exact figure.
Every snowflake begins as water droplets suspended in a cloud, then as air temperatures cool, those drops freeze and begin to stick together, depending on conditions like humidity levels; simple shapes like germ of ice crystals tend to form at lower levels while more complex snowflakes like plane crystals take shape at higher humidity levels.
Snowflakes often look similar when they first fall from the sky: covered with globs of rime made up of water droplets frozen onto them and adhering tightly. But depending on where they fall, snowflakes might also be entirely free of rime or may include scattered droplets that have frozen to form rime blobs; other times two snowflakes might collide and grow into one larger twelve-branched specimen.
Wilson Bentley may have first introduced the notion that no two snowflakes are alike in 1885, when he used a microscope to photograph a snowflake and document its diverse array of shapes – something which made him refer to them as “little works of art”, noting their individuality and individuality.
2. It rains frogs and fish
An intense thunderstorm can draw small animals from ponds and other bodies of water and transport them away in a waterspout similar to that seen during tornadoes, sucking up lower-weight objects including frogs to higher elevations in the atmosphere before discharging its cargo back down again – sometimes miles away from where they originated!
Animal rain is a rare but mysterious weather phenomenon, reported in multiple cultures over time and depicted on ancient engravings as “living hailstones.” While animal rain may seem unlikely, the National Weather Service states it occurs frequently – usually as the result of waterspouts developing over bodies of water with strong updrafts pulling any fish or amphibians contained within upward so high as to appear as living raindrops falling from above.
Frogs and fish alike can travel great distances within the confines of a waterspout vortex, which allows frogs and fish to make miraculous journeys across borders; one day a Minneapolis frog may land on a golf course in southern Greece while on another it could come down from Minneapolis before landing somewhere entirely different the next day!
As soon as someone complains about the weather, remind them that forecasting it isn’t an exact science; predictions rely on probabilities and there will always be some degree of uncertainty involved. But you can help teach children more about weather by encouraging them to observe and track data in their backyard using AcuRite gardening tools, weather stations, or educational materials like AcuRite learning resources.
3. It snows in places where you’d least expect it
Snowfall isn’t limited to northern climates alone – it has even fallen in places as disparate as Hawaii and the Sahara Desert! Even one of Earth’s driest spots – Atacama Desert in Chile received close to 32 inches of this white stuff last year!
Snow has the unique capability of taking on many colors. When air humidity levels reach extremely humid levels (for instance during summer months), snowflakes can form an aurora borealis-esque display in the far northern winter skies; alternatively, pink snow can appear due to an algae known as Chlamydomonas nivalis in Colorado and California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Puerto Rico may seem like an idyllic tropical island, yet you might be amazed to learn it has never seen snowfall! Meanwhile Yuma, Arizona – one of the sunniest and driest cities in America – experienced its first flurries only as recently as 1977!
Although both tornadoes and hurricanes involve wind, they are two very distinct types of storms. Tornadoes result from rotating winds within thunderstorms while hurricanes involve moving water masses over an ocean surface.
Lightning strikes the Empire State Building approximately 23 times annually due to lightning piercing through the atmosphere and compressing air pressure in its immediate surroundings, creating the signature thunderclap we all know and love.
4. It rains cats and dogs
Many people mistakenly believe that when it’s raining cats and dogs, it portends a heavy, thunderous storm. However, this is untrue. Instead, this old idiom simply refers to heavy downpours. While its exact origin remains unclear, one theory holds that it originated with Odin (Norse god of storms), who often depicted himself with animals such as cats and dogs — animals which also associate storms as they would sailors as signs that one was approaching.
Tornadoes and hurricanes are two powerful weather events that can cause major destruction when they strike populated areas, with tornadoes being rotating wind storms while hurricanes form over water before impacting land. Tornadoes occur more frequently in the US while hurricanes form over water before striking land. Understanding their development is vital if one wants to prepare themselves properly against these deadly weather events.
Lightning is an incredibly destructive force of nature that should never be underestimated. Straight lightning is most often encountered, though other types such as curved and rolling lightning may form due to updrafts. To keep yourself and others safe during a lightning storm it is wise not to venture outside during any lightning storm.
Learning about the weather is an excellent way to teach kids about science and technology. From tracking garden data with AcuRite tools, or keeping a weather diary, studying weather is fun for people of all ages!
5. It rains ice
Whenever you find yourself misjudging the forecast from your local weather person, just remember that weather is not an exact science; randomness often plays a factor when trying to predict it; even experienced meteorologists make mistakes on occasion.
Rain that freezes upon impact to form small pellets of ice is known as sleet. More intense summer storms may bring larger balls of ice that fall – called hail. Hail may begin as sleet but be carried higher by updrafts several times until reaching its final form and becoming full-grown balls of ice called hailstones; with one hailstone ever recorded being nearly one pound heavy!
Utilizing tools like backyard weather stations or daily weather journals are among the best ways to educate children on weather and environment around them. For more interesting science facts, check out our article on weird weather trivia!