5 Things Everyone Misunderstands About Weather - Series Part 3

After centuries of weather forecasting study and research, the human race knows a thing or two about storms.  We know that hurricanes and typhoons will spin out of the oceans every summer and ravage certain coastlines.  We know that tornadoes will strike thousands of times per year, causing significant localized damage, and we generally know where they will appear and why.  We can even predict which years will bring particularly strong weather patterns and what those patterns will mean for farmers, ranchers and others.
 

But, the truth is, we don't know everything. At least the general population doesn't. In fact, although there is plenty of meteorological research out there for reference, a wide swath of the population clings to a number of weather myths that, although they sound correct, just aren't true. Earlier this month, AccuWeather.com set out to put some of these weather myths to bed by explaining some of the most widespread and misinformed. Click through this week to learn fact from fiction.

Myth #3: Red sky at night, sailor's delight...

Kinda true, kinda not.

 

The idea behind the classic axiom -- "red sky at night sailor's delight, red sky in morning sailors take warning" -- is that red skies are most common when the atmosphere is dry, meaning that it appears at night when the dry are is to the west. Dry air to the east means a red sky in the morning.  Since weather patterns in North America generally move from west to east, this stands up most of the time, but it isn't a guarantee because systems can move in any direction

 

5 Things Everyone Misunderstands About Weather - Series Part 2

After centuries of weather forecasting study and research, the human race knows a thing or two about storms.  We know that hurricanes and typhoons will spin out of the oceans every summer and ravage certain coastlines.  We know that tornadoes will strike thousands of times per year, causing significant localized damage, and we generally know where they will appear and why.  We can even predict which years will bring particularly strong weather patterns and what those patterns will mean for farmers, ranchers and others.
 

But, the truth is, we don't know everything. At least the general population doesn't. In fact, although there is plenty of meteorological research out there for reference, a wide swath of the population clings to a number of weather myths that, although they sound correct, just aren't true. Earlier this month, AccuWeather.com set out to put some of these weather myths to bed by explaining some of the most widespread and misinformed. Click through this week to learn fact from fiction.

 

Myth #2: Tornadoes don't hit cities or mountains

That this is just wishful thinking. Why would a city have been built somewhere if it was a common tornado area? Residents of Kansas City, Denver and Oklahoma City might have some opinions on that.

The truth is, although rough terrain and tall buildings do disrupt the circular forces that create tornadoes, they aren't impossible.

 

 

5 Things Everyone Misunderstands About Weather - Series Part 1

After centuries of weather forecasting study and research, the human race knows a thing or two about storms.  We know that hurricanes and typhoons will spin out of the oceans every summer and ravage certain coastlines.  We know that tornadoes will strike thousands of times per year, causing significant localized damage, and we generally know where they will appear and why.  We can even predict which years will bring particularly strong weather patterns and what those patterns will mean for farmers, ranchers and others.

But, the truth is, we don't know everything. At least the general population doesn't. In fact, although there is plenty of meteorological research out there for reference, a wide swath of the population clings to a number of weather myths that, although they sound correct, just aren't true. Earlier this month, AccuWeather.com set out to put some of these weather myths to bed by explaining some of the most widespread and misinformed. Click through this week to learn fact from fiction.

Myth #1: Humid air is heavier than dry air

According to AccuWeather.com meteorologist Steve Wistar, dry air is actually heavier than humid air, despite the fact that it seems like you can "feel" humid air more than dry. "There are more molecules of water in humid air which are lighter than molecules of air".

Tips for Hurricane Season - In the Home

Homeowners, in the event of a storm, should close and lock all windows and doors, reinforcing windows with shutters and adding heavy-duty hinges and deadbolts to entry doors. The garage door, in particular needs to be braced, even if it means backing your car up against the interior of the garage door.

In case of flooding or power loss, homeowners should also install a battery backup system for the sump pump to prevent drain backups and a backup generator can be helpful in the event of extended power loss.

When it comes to valuable items in the home, such as rugs or art, homeowners should move them away from any windows, and to upper floors of the house, if possible. Prepare copies of important personal and financial documents, and secure these copies in a safe, alternate location to ensure that these documents survive the storm.

If a storm does threaten to hit, homeowners should keep their emergency contact information on hand and be sure that they have a full tank of gas in their car should they need to evacuate.

Keeping a “go bag,” with a change of clothes, prescription medications, food and water, flashlights, a portable radio and batteries is extremely helpful in the event of an emergency. 

Your family’s safety should always come first. Agree on an evacuation plan, emergency communication procedures and a rendezvous point in case you get separated.