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
HowStuffWorks Illustrated: Hurricane Categories
Why Ice Usually Freezes Cloudy, Not Clear
Where Wildfire Prevention Impacts People and Climate Most
A Comprehensive Guide to Hurricane Harvey: Facts, FAQs, and How to Help
A Comprehensive Look at Hurricane Maria in 2023
Learn More / Page 9
Separating fact from fiction when it comes to tornado safety could mean the difference between life and death.
It's hard to resist a movie where bloodthirsty beasts fall from the sky, especially if Ian Ziering stars! How might the science behind this B movie work?
Only a few natural events pack the power to knock global civilization on its heels. One is a planet-killing meteor. Care to guess the other?
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A rainbow's ability to bring joy to just about anyone is probably why they're painted on kids' cheeks at fairs. But, what do rainbows mean? In this article, we'll look at rainbow symbolism from around the world.
Texas is trapped under a heat dome that is bringing scorching high temperatures to the state. What's causing this dome of high heat?
Bluebirds symbolize optimism, happiness and hope for the future. For skiers, a "bluebird day" bodes well for a great day on the slopes, but hunters and anglers may as well stay home.
Where is tornado alley and why do so many tornadoes form there?
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Tornadoes are some of the most destructive storms on the planet. Rating them is complicated and uses a scale applied to the storms' aftermath.
By Mitch Ryan
Not to be confused with sleet, graupel is actually an interesting mix of snow and ice. But it's not hail. Graupel, get to know it.
Flash droughts start and intensify quickly over periods of weeks to months, compared to years or decades for conventional droughts.
Mauna Loa is erupting for the first time in nearly 40 years. Hawaii's volcanoes are different from most others, and that has to do with its magma chambers.
By Gabi Laske
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Bombogenesis is a phenomenon in which the atmospheric pressure in the middle of a low-pressure system drops rapidly, intensifying a storm and creating a bomb cyclone.
Weather forecasters can tell what the weather will be by reading the barometric pressure, but how does it work?
By Dylan Ris
Picture a hay bale, a paper towel roll, a roll of sod or a flaky doughnut. Now picture it made out of snow. That's a snow roller.
By Dylan Ris
Fresh snow muffles ambient sound immediately after it falls, but the quiet doesn't last very long.
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California has experienced unprecedented rain lately, but the state is still in a drought. So why can't the rain falling now be saved for later?
Learn about Hurricane Julia's origins, its impact, and its place in the history of tropical storms and hurricanes.
By HowStuffWorks
A geomagnetic storm could cause a spectacular aurora borealis Aug. 18 and 19 over parts of the continental United States, as far south as Illinois.
By Sarah Gleim
Haboobs are giant walls of dust that can come seemingly out of nowhere. How are they created and are they different from sandstorms?
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Weather drones can collect all types of information. But one sophisticated drone is about to launch in the U.S. and will, for the first time, share that data for research purposes.
These intense snowstorms can come out of nowhere. They may not last long, but their rapid snowfall and whipping winds can make them disastrous.
By John Donovan
It might seem that the constant rushing of water over a falls would keep it from freezing, but that isn't always the case. Check out the science behind the phenomenon of the frozen waterfall.
By Mark Mancini
Dusk is a beautiful time of day. So is twilight. But when does one turn into the other? And did you know there were three versions of each?
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When the wind starts whipping and the weather gets wild, it's important to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
By Carrie Tatro
In 2014, scientists observed a space hurricane for the first time; they reported their findings this year. But what's a space hurricane — and do we on Earth have to worry about with them?