The polar vortex is an enormous, 3-dimensional ring of winds that surrounds the North and South poles during each hemisphere’s winter. The polar vortex influences the jet stream, which can bring cold winter weather to the U.S. and Europe. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-is-the-polar-vortex…
Tag: Tornado
Record number of billion-dollar disasters in U.S. in 2020
Last year, the U.S. experienced a record-smashing 22 weather and climate disasters that killed at least 262 people and injured scores more. Damages exceeded $1 billion each and totaled approximately $95 billion for all 22 events. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/record-number-billion-dollar-disasters-us-2020…
Scientists propose possible mechanisms to explain coronal mini-jets in activated tornado-like prominence
Solar jets are a common phenomenon in the solar atmosphere. They mainly appear as transient collimated plasma ejections. Some studies have shown that jets may play an important role in heating the corona and initiating solar winds. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-09-scientists-mechanisms-coronal-mini-jets-tornado-like.html…
Temperature in Death Valley Today: 130 Degrees, Earth’s Highest Since at Least 1931
The Washington Post reports:
In the midst of a historic heat wave in the West, the mercury in Death Valley, California surged to a searing 130 degrees on Sunday afternoon, possibly setting a world record for the highest temperature ever observed during the month of August. If the temperature is valid, it would also rank among the top three highest temperatures ever…
How do waterspouts form?
Waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that form over water. They can and do form over all the world’s oceans. In the U.S., they’re most common near the Florida Keys and in the Gulf of Mexico. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/all-about-waterspouts…
What is a derecho? An atmospheric scientist explains these rare but dangerous storm systems
The derecho in the U.S. East on June 3, 2020, killed 4 people and left a million without power. A Colorado derecho on June 6 had winds in excess of 100 mph. Europe, Asia and South America also have derechos. Here’s what scientists know about them. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-is-a-derecho-storm-system…
Researchers watch the dynamics of plasmonic skyrmions made from light on ultra-smooth gold platelets for the first time
The destructive force of a tornado occurs due to the extremely high rotational speeds in its center, which is called a vortex. Surprisingly, similar effects are predicted for light that travels along an atomically smooth gold surface, which can exhibit angular momentum and vortices. Researchers at the Universities of Stuttgart and Duisburg-Essen and the University of Melbourne (Australia) have now succeeded…
Check out these mammatus clouds
Mammatus clouds can appear ominous. But, in a way that’s so common in nature, their dangerous aspect goes hand in hand with a magnificent beauty. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/amazing-photos-of-mammatus-clouds…