Television Meteorologists: A Look Behind the Scenes

This past summer of 2016, I took on a meteorology internship position at KWCH Eyewitness News, an affiliate of CBS, in Wichita, Kansas. Throughout my college education career at Penn State University, I have worked hard at rounding my experience throughout the weather enterprise in as many ways as possible. And, while my ultimate goal is … Read more

Eleven Years Since Hurricane Katrina’s Dire Forecast

As the peak of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season nears, it was years ago today, on the morning of August 28, 2005, that the National Weather Service in Slidell, which has responsibility for New Orleans, Louisiana, issued a dire bulletin in advance of Hurricane Katrina as she headed towards the Gulf Coast. At the time … Read more

Tips for Hurricane Safety & Preparedness

We recently reviewed ways to receive hazardous weather alerts via NOAA Weather Radio and were reminded by recent catastrophic flooding in Louisiana that it does not take a named storm system to cause catastrophic destruction (life and property). Now, we want to help you review ways to help you prepare for the next tropical event, … Read more

A tropical disturbance doesn’t need a name to be catastrophic

A strong mid-latitude cyclone over the southern U.S. resulted in widespread flash flooding from August 10th-14th, where rainfall totals were in excess of 30.00″ (inches) in some areas. Catastrophic flooding occurred across the Deep South, where over 1,000 motorists were stranded on Interstate 12 in eastern Louisiana. Since the flooding, everyone stranded on the interstate … Read more

Best Weather Radios for Severe Storm Alerts

We simply can’t over stress the importance of disaster preparation. This includes having a stockpile of non-perishable foods, water, first aid supplies, backup battery power, and a reliable means of receiving accurate, critical information. A good way to start an emergency preparedness kit is to have a NOAA Weather Radio (NOAA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric … Read more

Visiting the Chapman, Kansas, EF-4 Tornado Damage

On May 25th, 2016, a large and violent, long-track tornado tore through the landscape across north-central Kansas causing extensive damage along Interstate 70 between Abilene and Chapman, Kansas. What was a marginal day for severe weather ended up producing one of the most violent tornadoes of the 2016 season. We visited Chapman on Saturday, July 23rd, … Read more

Full Moon on the Summer Solstice 2016

The summer solstice begins Monday, June 20th at 5:34pm CDT.  A full moon, also known as the June Strawberry Moon, will coincide with the 2016 summer solstice. A Strawberry Moon is a term given to any full moon in the month of June.  The term was used most by Algonquin tribes, who recognized it as … Read more

Storm chasing: A day in the life of a storm chaser

Storm chasing is an emotional roller coaster. From operational field missions, to university research, and to the hobbyist and/or nature explorer, storm chasing consists of several thousand miles of driving for sometimes only an hour of action. Each Spring, scientists, meteorologists, hobbyists, and explorers, venture out to the Great Plains to seek some of the atmosphere’s … Read more

May 24th, 2016, Western Kansas Tornado Outbreak

On Tuesday, May 24th, 2016, an outbreak of tornadoes occurred across western Kansas. There were 13 observed total tornadoes a cyclic supercell near Dodge City, Kansas including four sets of twin tornadoes, a set of triplets, and a large multi-vortex tornado and wedge tornado. So far, the National Weather Service in Dodge City, Kansas, surveyed 9 … Read more

Remembering the May 21-26, 2011 Tornado Outbreak

From May 21st to May 26th, 2011, destructive tornadoes tore through the Great Plains, impacting thousands of people and leaving billions of dollars in damage in its wake. During this time period, there were 241 total tornadoes, including two EF-5, three EF-4, eight EF-3, thirty-one EF-2, eighty-six EF-1, and one hundred [and] ten EF-0 tornadoes. … Read more

May 8th and 9th Central Plains Storm Chases

A multi-day dryline setup was in place across the central Plains on Sunday, May 8th; and Monday, May 9th, respectively. Observed conditions from radiosonde, or weather balloon, launches, indicated an environment conducive for widespread severe thunderstorms was starting to filter into the central Kansas and central Oklahoma region. Important to any storm chase is to … Read more

The Coldwater, Kansas, Supercell of March 7, 2016

On Monday, March 7th, 2016, a spectacular supercell formed in far northwestern Oklahoma and entered southern Kansas. A supercell is a thunderstorm that rotates. Conditions on Monday were favorable for a couple of supercells to initiate off the dryline in far western Oklahoma, and into western Kansas. However, given weak convergence along the dryline and meager … Read more

The 2016 Blizzard: Historic Snowstorm for the Ages

Brief Overview of the Storm’s Evolution SST Anomalies Evolution of the Surface Low (Animation) After the surface low emerged over the anomalously warm ocean water on the morning of January 23, it deepened and intensified for another 12 to 15 hours with the central pressure reaching a minimum of 983 mb on the evening of … Read more

Equinox: Why the Length of Day & Night are Not Equal

The autumnal equinox occurs Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 7:43 AM, but the days and nights are not considered equal until Saturday, September 26th. This is because of the atmospheric refraction of sunlight. When a wave encounters a medium whose density differs from that through which the wave has been propagating, conservation of momentum and energy … Read more