Atmospheric sciences help us understand and predict the weather. Learn about topics such as the seasons, why it snows, and how rainbows are formed.
When the earliest tornado on record was observed, onlookers called it a "steeple of fire." Technological advancements like the Totable Tornado Observatory have since helped demystify these powerful storms. See more »
Witch homicide aside, Dorothy was lucky that her home safely traveled to Oz after the tornado. Many people who lived through the storms on our list were left with nothing.
See more »
Can Fido predict an incoming tornado? If animals can predict the weather, do we stop trusting the weatherman and start visiting the zoo to get tomorrow's forecast?
See more »
As a dominant world power, there's not much that China doesn't affect or control outright these days, including the weather. How did the superpower produce flawless skies for the biggest party of the year?
See more »
I've heard that if I'm inside my home during a lightning storm, on the phone or in the shower, I can get struck by lightning. Is this true?
See more »
A heavy rain in which frogs come plummeting down isn't a pretty sight, but it happens more often than you'd think. Why do animals sometimes fall from the sky?
See more »
I have heard that you can figure out how far away lighting is by how long it takes for the thunder to arrive after you see the flash. Is this true? How do you calculate it?
See more »
For 500 years, explorers searched for the fabled Northwest Passage, a route that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Could global warming reduce the risk and open the passage for modern business?
See more »
Ball lightning can float through the air, pass through walls and even kill you. What could it be, and why are scientists finally accepting this strange meteorological phenomenon?
See more »
Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants, cars and factories. Find out how acid rain is produced, how it affects natural and man-made objects and how governments aim to reduce it.
See more »
Auroras are stunning natural light shows that are visible only in certain parts of the world at certain times of the year. Where can you go to see one?
See more »
Did bunnies just attack that sailboat, or was it a narwhal playing with a school of fish? Are you going crazy, or are you just watching the clouds?
See more »
The Texas flood in the spring of 2007 caused billions of dollars in damage and took the lives of 13 people. Read all about the Texas flood of 2007.
See more »
Technology has brought us an unprecedented ability to maximize crop yields, even in drier climates. But we can take too much from the land. What's the worst that could happen?
See more »
We all know it's a little cooler under a shady tree. But do trees have an effect on the five-day forecast, or even the global climate?
See more »
How does the aurora borealis (the Northern Lights) work? What causes it? Why can you only see it in the North? Are the myths about it producing sound true?
See more »
Whether you're planning an outdoor wedding or a Saturday morning tag sale, it's nice to know ahead of time what the sky is going to do. But does checking the 10-day forecast do any more good than praying for sunshine?
See more »
Before barometers and thermometers, people looked to the land and local lore to predict rain or shine. Have sophisticated statistical models and measuring tools changed the art of forecasting the weather that much?
See more »
Rainbows are one of nature's most beautiful effects. Have you ever wondered how the colors end up in seemingly perfect bands? And, what about double rainbows -- how does that happen? Find out how rain and sun can align to put color in the sky.
See more »
If a tornado was heading your way, you'd probably head for the hills. But for some people, it's just the beginning of a chase.
See more »
When the earliest tornado on record was observed, onlookers called it a "steeple of fire." Technological advancements like the Totable Tornado Observatory have since helped demystify these powerful storms.
See more »
