Forces of Nature
We see the destruction that the Earth can unleash in the news on a regular basis. Here you can learn about hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and other forces of nature.
Stats Say Global Warming Helps Batters Slug Balls Over Walls
Using the Enhanced Fujita Scale to Rate Tornado Destruction
Tornado Alley: Where the Worst Twisters Form in the U.S.
Where Does Mauna Loa's Lava Come From?
What Is a Flash Drought? An Earth Scientist Explains
What's Your Home's Flood or Wildfire Danger? This Site Will Tell You
Learn More / Page 3
Hurricanes can range in strength from Category 1 all the way to Category 5. Learn more about hurricane categories in this HowStuffWorks Illustrated video.
The San Andreas is one of the most famous and closely watched fault lines in the world because of the fear that it is overdue for the next big quake.
There's nothing quite as relaxing as a nice bubble bath at the end of the day. However, take one during a thunderstorm and you may have a shocking experience instead.
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Spaghetti models plot the potential tracks of tropical storms and hurricanes from different meteorological organizations onto one map. The resulting visual helps project how likely the forecast track will be.
While most of the rest of the world has switched to Celsius, the U.S. continues to use the Fahrenheit temperature scale, apparently out of simple inertia.
NOAA is expecting widespread flooding throughout the United States this spring. Are you ready?
By Oisin Curran
The simple explanation is you have to be in just the right spot and the conditions have to be perfect for you to see the entire 360 degrees.
By Mark Mancini
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Auroras are one of the best parts about living on a planet with a global magnetic field. And they still puzzle space weather experts.
Whenever a winter is exceptionally cold, the term "polar vortex" gets thrown around, causing many to wonder if it is a new weather phenomenon. Actually, the polar vortex is always with us – just usually with a lower profile.
Rock salt is the go-to for melting ice on the roadways. But why?
You may never see it happen live, but if you do, consider yourself lucky. Because this meteorological phenomenon doesn't happen very often.
By Mark Mancini
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This ice-age asteroid crater isn't just the first of its kind. It may also be the smoking gun about what triggered the Younger Dryas, one of the most well-known examples of abrupt climate change.
By Mark Mancini
Ice cubes usually look cloudy and opaque in the middle, despite the fact that water is clear. What's the deal?
By Mark Mancini
Noctilucent clouds form at high altitudes when drifting particles become coated with ice crystals at low temperatures.
By Mark Mancini
Most people probably think high winds are the deadliest aspect of a hurricane. But they'd be wrong. It's the wall of water brought on by storm surge that barrels on shore taking out everything in its path.
By John Donovan
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From hurricanes, to earthquakes, to tornadoes, there's no shortage of potential disasters that can ruin homes and devastate lives. Think you’re ready to survive the next disaster? Take this quiz and find out.
It's sometimes easy to confuse the two, but weather and climate are very different things.
Even though Hurricane Florence was downgraded to a Category 2, the storm could still unleash an historic amount of rain.
By Sarah Gleim & John Donovan
Hurricane Hector is barreling toward the erupting volcano Kilauea. What could possibly be worse?
By John Donovan
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A fire can burn for years, yes years, in a swamp. What's the deal?
By Mark Mancini
Both dry and over-saturated soil can contribute to flash flooding. Can anything be done to prevent them from becoming catastrophic?
By Mark Mancini
Tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the ocean's floor. But other massive waves are caused by wind and can come on suddenly and without warning.
By Mark Mancini
The evidence is clear: Human activities — like the burning of fossil fuels — are the main driving force behind modern climate change.
By Mark Mancini
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We hear about humidity in just about every weather report on the nightly news. There are several different ways meteorologists measure humidity, but relative humidity is the most common measurement. What is relative humidity, though?
To date 14 massive fissures have opened up near Kilauea, and the Big Island has been rocked by repeated earthquakes. Do these geological events foreshadow a massive volcanic eruption?
By Mark Mancini