Clouds play an essential part in Earth’s climate by reflecting some of the sunlight back into space and keeping Earth cooler than otherwise. From sky-filling stratus to popcorn-puff cumulus and wispy cirrus all the way through to anvil-shaped nimbus clouds are essential in keeping its temperatures at an acceptable level. Clouds form in areas with…
The sky is blue due to small molecules in the atmosphere scattering shorter wavelengths more effectively, known as Rayleigh scattering. As sunlight hits clouds, its light is scattered by larger water droplets or ice crystals which scatter all colors equally so white light remains visible. Light tends to travel upwards or to the sides, creating…
As opposed to temperature and rainfall changes that leave their imprint in sedimentary layers, tree rings, or ice cores, clouds have the ability to dissipate quickly – and when this happens, computer simulations indicate that climate tipping points could result in 8 additional degrees of warming globally over the course of one century – this…
The sky appears blue because molecules in the atmosphere scatter light of all wavelengths; shorter-wavelength light being scattered more heavily than longer wavelengths; which explains why it appears blue during daylight hours. At sunrise or sunset, when the sun moves closer to the horizon, more blue light scatters away while more red light reaches your…
Our atmosphere contains molecules like N2 and O2, which scatter more blue light. Seasonal fluctuations alter its hue, with higher altitudes producing less air to scatter it. Discover more about the history and science of blue skies with this special edition of Why is the sky blue. The Sun The Sun provides us with all…
Mars may appear to have seasons, but they’re much more complex than you might realize. Due to its thin atmosphere and lack of oceans, its climate changes rapidly between seasons. Mars weather can vary daily and even over short distances. Cloud cover, precipitation and wind speed all play an integral part of its climate system….
Satellite weather is a great way to see the current weather conditions. You can view a variety of weather data on this page, including temperature, precipitation, wind speed and more. The tourism score favors clear, rainless days with perceived temperatures between 65degF and 80degF. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit…
Weather satellites are primarily used for monitoring the Earth’s weather and climate. They see more than clouds and cloud systems; they can also provide information about fires, city lights, effects of pollution, auroras, sand and dust storms, snow cover, ice mapping, boundaries of ocean currents, energy flows, etc. They have to be far away, at…
Weather satellites provide a wide variety of information to meteorologists, including images of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. These measurements are crucial for weather forecasting and climate monitoring. There are two main types of environmental satellites: geostationary and polar orbiting. Both fly in different orbits and provide a range of data for meteorologists. Weather Conditions…
