Welcome to the NBC Weather Pulse -- the official blog of NBC Weather Plus. In this space, meteorologists, producers, directors and everyone else involved with the nation's first 24-hour, seven-day-a-week digital network will share their insights and stories about the weather and how it impacts daily life.BLOG ARCHIVE: MAYClick here for the latest NBC Weather Pulse Blog---The Next Six Months ... (Bill Karins, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 31, 2006 | 9:45 p.m. ET Hurricane season has arrived and it looks like a most interesting 6 months ahead…
June 1st to November 30th. Six months of anticipation, anxiety and, if like the last two seasons, heartbreak. You can’t put into words the feeling that millions of Americans have in their bellies now that hurricane season has begun once again. This time last year I would have told you that there is no way 2005 will be worse than 2004 when 4 hurricanes struck in two months (Charley, Ivan, Jeanne and Francis). Of course, it was much worse.
The only way I can rationalize what we are about to go through is to look at it positively. I am realistic and know that there is an above average chance that another hurricane or two will hit the U.S. this year but that doesn’t mean we should be running around scared for the next 6 months. Here are a few facts too put you at ease as we head through the start of the hurricane season.
The average date the first "A" named storm forms isn’t until July 11th. The average date the first hurricane forms isn’t until August 14th. The average date the first hurricane reaches category 3 strength is Sept 4th.
My point is that just because hurricane season has started don’t think we will have devastating storms immediately. Typically the big dangerous storms form more towards August, September and October. So go about your daily lives and have fun at the beach or the lake this summer.
As long as you are prepared with a plan, let us do the staring at the clouds and the worrying. We will be here for you all season long through the good and the bad.
For more information on hurricanes, visit
Weather Plus Hurricane Central.To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Hurricane Season Begins ... Officially (Kristen Cornett, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 31, 2006 | 7:30 p.m. ET Hurricane season officially begins June 1, but the season typically starts a little slow as the ocean is still warming. When the oceans reach their peak warmth, around mid-September, we are in peak hurricane season as that warm ocean water is what fuels the storms.
So what we can expect this year? Well, different groups put out different forecasts but they all seem to agree we're in for an active season with above average activity.
NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to ten becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.
INTERACTIVE: Hurricanes 101On average, the north Atlantic hurricane season produces 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes, including two major hurricanes.
Last year blew out all kinds of records. I still can't believe there were 28 storms! That was the first time we've ever gotten through the whole list of names. Prior to that, we'd only gotten to the 'T' storm.
MORE: Weather Plus Hurricane CentralNo one is expecting a repeat of last year, but the potential for a hurricane to strike the U.S. is high. Stay tuned...
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Met Mailbag (NBC Weather Plus Meteorologists) May 25, 2006 | 7:00 p.m. ET Met Mailbag is your chance to have a Weather Plus Meteorologist answer your weather question. Each Thursday, our NBC Weather Pulse Blog will publish the answers to questions you send us. This week's question was answered by NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist
Kristen Cornett.
Question: What is the dewpoint, and why is it important to weather? Submitted by Will McGrew, Chicago, ILAnswer: Thanks for the question, Will.
The dewpoint is a measure of moisture in the air. It's simply the temperature to which air must be cooled in order to reach saturation. So if the air temperature is 60 degrees and the dewpoint is 55, the air will become saturated if the air cools to 55 degrees. At this point, when the air temperature and dewpoint temperature are equal, the relative humidity is 100% and the saturated air can't hold any more water vapor. Any further cooling will result in condensation where cloud development and precipitation is possible.
The higher the dewpoint, the higher the moisture content of the air. Once the dewpoint temperature reaches about 70 degrees, the air becomes uncomfortably humid. The dewpoint gives you a much better idea of how humid it will feel outside on a summer day as compared to the relative humidity. Think about it this way...on a cool day, the air temperature and dewpoint may both be 40 degrees, resulting in 100% relative humidity, but it doesn't really feel humid, does it? That's because cooler air can't hold as much moisture. On the flip side, on a hot summer day when the air temperature is 85 degrees and the dewpoint is 70, the relative humidity is only 54%. If you want to know if it's going to be a sticky day, check the dewpoint!
Click here to watch Kristen's on-air answer.To send a weather question to our Met Mailbag, click on this link, and check back next week to see if your question is answered!---Jeff Ranieri Visits Rita's Devastation (Jeff Ranieri, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 24, 2006 | 10:00 p.m. ET Today we headed to Cameron Parish. The drive is 4 hours west from New Orleans and it was devastating. This is a small town with just a few intersections and not much left. Almost every building in this town was destroyed during Hurricane Rita.
This town in particular feels left out and still needs major help as you will see in our story. It is more than sad. Just empty lots, only a few stores open and the only way to get groceries is a donation trailer set up by a local church. Rita left Katrina-size damage here. It looks like the images you may be familiar with from the Biloxi coastline. The water here also picked up homes and floated them away in the marsh that surrounds the city.
Tomorrow we are heading to the levee system in New Orleans and the lower 9th ward.
Oh, also -- just so you can get an idea of the crew I took a picture. Me on the left, Alexa our producer, and Tony our photojournalist/audio man. By the way Tony and Alexa have adopted the nickname of Weather Geek for me. Think it sticks??? :-)
---Jeff's New Orleans Tour (Jeff Ranieri, Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 23, 2006 | 10:50 p.m. ET We have now moved on to New Orleans and on the way we stopped in Bay St. Louis and met up with a family that survived not only Camille but also Katrina and their house is still standing.
I really don't know where some of the residents get their strength from -- it is very inspiring to see them working to get their towns, homes, and lives back in order. While many want to rebuild, the story is that there seems to be so many issues with insurance companies. You hear this story from almost everyone you talk with. When we start airing our stories the first week of hurricane season, you will meet this family and learn how they are preparing for the new season.
After Bay St. Louis on Tuesday we headed back to the hotel and went to New Orleans.
I was able to see the Super Dome which still looks a bit beat up. I also got a chance to get out and around through the French Quarter. Some stores are back open, others have limited hours. One overall theme is that it is nowhere near back to normal. Although, I did see a few tourists walking around and taking pictures etc... After some Cajun food I went back to the hotel for some zzzzzzzzzzzz's .
---Day 2: Jeff Ranieri On The Gulf Coast (Jeff Ranieri, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 23, 2006 | 10:50 a.m. ET 10:00 am: Well, we arrived today and as I was driving from the airport to the beach and it was interesting to see large billboards taking the place of typical ads where companies opted for positive messages for the community instead of just pure selling.
While there were certainly improvements in Biloxi, it was evident, just like in many of the hard hit areas from last year’s storms, that there is no easy and quick fix. It’s a hard reality and more than a tough life for residents who have held out and want to stay and rebuild. From what we witnessed today, it means living in a FEMA trailer or possibly a shelter.
IMAGES: Pictures From The GulfInland, it seems like a functioning city with working traffic lights, open gas stations and stores back up and running.
When I hit the coast, that’s when the memory of last year’s season really rushed back. It’s almost hard to take in as structures for miles to my left are still in disarray with no bulldozer in sight. To my right the beach is still littered sparsely with items like old casino chairs. As I look at the beachfront property, I had to look twice as grass has now grown over some of the foundations, almost making it look as if there were never homes there. Some yards still have signs remaining pleading for help.
The only area that seems to have the most consistent rebuilding is casino row. As you look at the casinos, there are several cranes, still plenty of damage, and yes the casino lights are even flashing in a few spots.
In fact, the hotel where we are staying is one of the most operational casinos in Biloxi. To me it was a very odd feeling when our crew was checking in. We step inside and like any casino you begin to escape. The destruction outside probably heads to the back of the mind for locals while here, but I must say I never would of thought it would have been as busy. People are lined up and pulling on the slots with eyes glazed over hoping for the big win.
11:00 pm: On a slightly different note…after a long day of shooting we headed to a local favorite restaurant. I have to tell you, if you’re near Biloxi and gambling is not your thing you should surely come for the seafood. I had some of the best ever in my whole life for dinner tonight.
Tomorrow we depart from Biloxi to the nearby cities of Waveland and Pass Christian, Mississippi.
Jeff
---Jeff Ranieri Heads to Biloxi (Jeff Ranieri, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 21, 2006 | 5:50 p.m. ET Well, it's close to that time of year again when the Tropics get active. When this happens, it seems like our traveling schedule gets a lot busier here at Weather Plus. I have just finished packing as I'm heading out today to Biloxi, Miss., to begin a series of stories on the damage from last year and the preparations being done for the new season.
Last year I reported live in Biloxi during Hurricane Katrina. I am very anxious to head back to the spot where I witnessed the aftermath that took entire neighborhoods off the map. While I'm still expecting it to be really bad, I have heard that there have been numerous improvements in Biloxi.
While I'm hoping it will be a better place than what I witnessed immediately after the storm, I'm already starting to feel a rush of emotions. The suffering, destruction and hopelessness on the faces of many people who lost everything will never be forgotten. We are planning to start in Biloxi and travel along the coast and make our way to New Orleans.
Ok, time for me to finish up some weather on MSNBC. Then I will be heading to the airport and catching a flight to Biloxi. The flight should be telling on some levels. I remember the last time I flew there it felt like a scene from a movie. It was eerily quiet but at the same time an extreme amount of tension was on everyone's faces, including our crews, as we knew we were flying into an area that was about to be hit with a major storm.
I'll keep you posted as we gather elements for our stories that will air starting June 1st - the first day of hurricane season.
Jeff
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here --Met Mailbag (NBC Weather Plus Meteorologists) May 18, 2006 | 9:55 a.m. ET Met Mailbag is your chance to have a Weather Plus Meteorologist answer your weather question. Each Thursday, our NBC Weather Pulse Blog will publish the answers to questions you send us. This week's question was answered by NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist
Elise Finch.
Question: How is the UV Index calculated? Submitted by Lenny Johns, Denton, TXAnswer: Thanks for the question Lenny. To answer your question we must first explain exactly what the UV Index is. The Ultraviolet Index is a tool the government uses to alert the public about the level of harmful UV rays on a daily basis. Developed by the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, the UV Index provides a daily forecast of the amount of ultraviolet radiation expected to reach the Earth’s surface. In turn, it lets people know their risk of overexposure to the sun’s harmful rays.
So how is the UV Index calculated? According to the EPA,
calculation of the UV Index starts with a pair of satellites that measure current, total, and worldwide ozone amounts. Remember that ozone is an odorless, colorless gas in the stratosphere that helps reduce the amount of radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface.
RELATED: The UV IndexThe data from the satellites is then used to produce a forecast of ozone levels for the next day at various points around the country. A model is then used to determine the amount of UV radiation that will reach the ground using the time of day, day of the year, and latitude.
This information is then weighted according to how human skin responds to each wavelength. Obviously it is more important to protect people from wavelengths that harm skin than from wavelengths that do not.
RELATED: Skin SafetyAt each wavelength, the actual incoming radiation level is multiplied by the weighting. These weighted irradiances are totaled, or integrated, over the spectrum of UV wavelengths resulting in a value representing the total effect a given day's UV radiation will have on skin.
These estimates are then adjusted for the effects of elevation and clouds, then divided by a conversion factor of 25 and rounded to the nearest whole number.
This results in a number that usually ranges from 0 (where there is no sunlight) to the mid teens. This value is the UV Index.
UV Index Number Exposure Level:
A UV Index number from 0 to 2 = Low Exposure
A UV Index number from 3 to 5 = Moderate Exposure
A UV Index number from 6 to 8 = High Exposure
A UV Index number from 8 to 10 = Very High Exposure
A UV Index number of 11+ = EXTREME EXPOSURE!
Pretty complicated! Just remember, the higher the UV Index number, the higher the exposure to harmful UV rays.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Drama On The Powow River (Kristen Cornett, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 17, 2006 | 2:50 p.m. ET NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist Kristen Cornett heads to Amesbury, Mass., to continue her report on the flooding in the Northeast.A new day, a new set of developments as I now have set up shop here in Amesbury, Mass. While the weather is getting considerably better in the region, the rivers and streams are trying their best to put a damper on the mood for everyone.
For instance, a dock from upstream on the Merrimack River came loose and slammed into another dock at the marina at Hatter's Point, Mass. At one point it was believed that a few people on the dock may have fallen into the water. Fortunately, the Coast Guard was brought in and everyone who was there was accounted for.
There were also reports of many boats that either sank or had to be towed to safety by other boats before they came loose from their docks.
Today, everyone here in downtown Amesbury is in a wait and see mode as it is feared that a retaining wall on the Powwow River may collapse and head downstream.
Let me see if I can give you a visual. The Powow River is a very beautiful river that runs through downtown Amesbury, with buildings actually hovering over top of it in some places. These buildings are supported by tiny pillars that usually are able to keep the structures from sustaining any flood damage when then river is stressed from too much rainfall. So flooding isn't the real danger here.
Video: Kristen Cornett Reports From AmesburyWhat's the danger? Well if the retaining wall shatters, all of the debris will start running downstream and start colliding with the pillars that hold these buildings up. If the building supports give way, they could cause the structures to collapse into the river. Not a pretty sight.
Also, if the retaining wall breaks apart, the debris could collect downstream, forming a dam and backing up the water as it heads downstream. If this happens, downtown Amesbury could be severely flooded. The mayor, fire chief, and other town officials are all here monitoring the situation. It's a major operation to say the least! Hopefully the wall will be able to hang in there until the waters start to recede.
And that's the good news. It seems as if the water levels are, in fact, decreasing. Plus the sun is shining brightly, so who knows, maybe it's a sign that all will end well. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!
---Angry River Eyewitness (Kristen Cornett, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 16, 2006 | 8:20 p.m. ET As the rain in New England reached record-levels (see James Brady's blog entry below), NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist Kristen Cornett flew to New Hampshire to report on the flooding. Below is her account of the trip.I flew into the Manchester, New Hampshire airport last night, and caught a cab to my hotel. On the drive to the hotel, the cab driver pointed out all the area flooding -- blocked roads, downed trees, and homes under water.
At the hotel, I watched the local news and found out more about how the area is dealing with the massive flooding. Schools and businesses are closed, homes are flooded, and people are forced to find new ways of getting around.
Today we came out to start our news reports in front of the roaring Amoskeag Dam on the Merrimack River, here in New Hampshire. We are recording news segments for NBC Weather Plus, NBC Nightly News, WNBC in New York, and WLWT in Cincinatti (my former station!), among other outlets.
As the day progressed, the parking lot near where we're recording has become crowded with people. With schools and offices closed, nature has become the day's entertainment.
It seems everyone has come by with their video cameras to record the awesome spectacle of the water pouring over the dam.
People here say they've never seen anything like this before, and given that New England hasn't seen flooding like this in 70 years, they're right.
The good news: the Merrimack River has crested. Already the river is four feet lower today than it was at the same time yesterday. Though there is more rain in the forecast, the river isn't expected to rise again, and certainly not to the same levels as it did in the last few days.
---Mother Nature, Record-Breaker (James Brady, Producer) May 16, 2006 | 3:50 p.m. ET From one record to another, the 2006 spring season continues to showcase Mother Nature’s extreme capabilities.
For the 5th consecutive day, rain has continued to fall in much of New England. With many locations receiving over a foot of rain, rivers and streams in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have reached moderate to major flood stage, prompting mandatory evacuations and school closings. In New Hampshire, more than 600 roads have been damaged, while flood damage in Massachusetts alone is expected to reach the tens of millions of dollars.
Rainfall records have been easily broken across much of the region since this event began Friday evening, May 12th. Boston’s 8.30" storm total as of 2 p.m. Monday was the 2nd-greatest three consecutive day total in over 100 years of record keeping. And it is expected to become the 3rd-greatest for a four consecutive day total. As of 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, the total rainfall for this month in Boston was 11.41", ranking 2nd to the May 1954 record of 13.38". Portland, ME and Concord, NH have already reached their wettest May on record with 10.16” and 9.88” respectively, as of May 15th. Many more monthly records will fall as more rain is expected the rest of this week as another low pressure system will move across Long Island and up into Maine Tuesday and Wednesday.
And you think it stops in New England. The tail end of this storm has extended as far south as Florida, and as far west as Texas. Miami, FL set a 24-hour rainfall record Monday with 4.07” of rain, breaking the old May 15th record of 2.23” set back in 1971. Hialeah, FL (just northwest of Miami) recorded 6.18” in a little over 4 hours Monday afternoon! Drought-stricken Brownsville, TX received 2.17” of rain Monday, breaking the record of 1.91” set back in 1991.
While much of the east coast has been setting rainfall records over the past few days, the west coast has set records of their own. From California to Washington, record high temperatures were set across much of the Pacific Northwest on Monday. The mercury at Roseburg, OR reached 97 degrees, breaking the old record of 86 degrees. With a strong upper ridge continuing over the western U.S., more record highs will be reached Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs expected to be 15 to 25 degrees above average!
So as much as us forecasters try to predict what is going to happen next, Mother Nature reminds us that it still remains in her hands.
---It’s Raining Cats and Dogs (and Frogs?) (Mike Dangolovich, Producer) May 11, 2006 | 9:25 p.m. ET During severe weather season, it is not uncommon to hear about some truly incredible (and dangerous) occurrences that are associated with the various hazards that severe thunderstorms bring. For example, we can hear about how flash flooding caused by very heavy rains devastated a town in a matter of minutes, or how very large hail (sometimes the size of softballs or even larger) completely destroyed the windows of every vehicle in an automobile dealership, or how a tornado picked up a home and smashed it into pieces while the home was still in the air. When these events occur, we can be awestruck by just what nature in all its fury can do. However, the reasons behind these events can usually be easily explained.
But occasionally, some truly bizarre weather events take place that don’t appear to have such easy explanations. For example, while it is often said that "it’s raining cats and dogs" when a very heavy rain is falling, and while we understand that it isn’t truly raining cats and dogs, what about instances where frogs, or fish, or other creatures have been reported as falling out of the sky during, or just after, a thunderstorm? Do these events have an easy explanation?
Yes, they actually do, although they are understandably very rare. These events generally occur when tornadoes or waterspouts passing over a region pick up frogs, fish, and sometimes larger creatures such as small land animals (although even cows have reportedly been picked up by the strong winds of a tornado), and the strong updrafts within the thunderstorm can then carry them farther upward into the storm. The smaller the creature, the greater the chance that it will be carried higher and higher, and there have even been reports of small turtles being carried so high into the frozen regions of clouds that they actually became encased in ice by the time they fell back to the ground. Even more surprising is the fact that many of these unfortunate creatures survive their trek in the atmosphere, although they are usually a bit dazed by the experience.
Since a tornado can pick up very large objects such as trucks or houses, it certainly is not difficult for one to carry much smaller items such as animals, etc. into the air, and sometimes high into the atmosphere. So the next time someone says that it is raining cats and dogs, perhaps we should not be so quick to dismiss their words as figurative.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Humidity And Hair Drama (Jackie Meretsky, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 11, 2006 | 10:25 a.m. ET Today’s forecast: hot, humid and a chance of rain. Translation: BAD HAIR DAY. especially for those of us (present company included) with naturally curly tresses.
As a woman who knows all too well how weather-dependant a good hair day is, with summer approaching, it is with pleasure and a sense of duty that I share what I’ve learned over years dealing with hot, humid and hazy summer weather.
If you’re blessed with bone straight hair, you can skip to the next web article. However, you probably know somebody or have a relative who feels anxiety towards late spring knowing that bad-hair season is right around the corner. If you’re feeling compassionate, read this and pass it on. She or He will be very grateful for the information.
Scientifically, it’s a pretty simple story. Humidity determines the amount of water vapor in the air and affects the hair shaft in several different ways. Humidity acts as a truth serum for hair by drawing out your tresses’ worst tendencies.
Contrary to popular belief, low humidity and very dry weather can challenge a good hair day to the same effect as high humidity. It’s all about the level of moisture in the air coming into contact with hair’s hydrogen bonds. Elevated humidity causes the hair shaft to swell. Very low humidity can cause the hair to lose water, resulting in brittle hair and the frizzies as well.
So, from the Northeast with increasing humidity in the summer, to very dry weather in the Southwest, to stormy weather in the south-central part of the nation, spring and summer can cause hair anxiety and ultimately lead to days, if not months of bad hair.
Beating the HumidityOne thing I’ve learned is NOT to fight it. If you go with your hair’s natural texture, with the right styling aids, you will likely have the best results. However, if you’re like me and opt for a challenge in most situations, then you probably have a cabinet full of styling products and equipment that add and extra half-hour at least to your spring and summer mornings.
So, if you do choose to fight the humidity and attempt to transform curls into straight locks during periods of high humidity or extremely dry weather, here are some suggestions:
- Use a leave-in conditioner, especially if your hair is dry.
- Use a clarifying shampoo to prevent any hair build-up from repelling moisture. This will also keep your hair well nourished.
- Try an anti-humectant and or a silicone based serum. In my experience, less is more as these products are heavy and can flatten your hairstyle or give you a greasy look.
- Avoid mousses if you have dry, coarsely textured hair.
- If humidity makes your hair flat, switch to a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for fine hair.
Most importantly, don’t let hot, humid weather prevent you from going outdoors and enjoying your spring and summer. Test the right products and styling aids ahead of time and if all else fails, pay a visit to a
milliner.
Also, keep an eye out for the new Weather Plus "HairCaster" on
iVillage.com that lets you know whether or not your day will be a good hair day or a bad one.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Met Mailbag (NBC Weather Plus Meteorologists) May 10, 2006 | 12:00 p.m. ET Met Mailbag is your chance to have a Weather Plus Meteorologist answer your weather question. Each Wednesday, our NBC Weather Pulse Blog will publish the answers to questions you send us. This week's questions were answered by NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist
Bill Karins.
Question: While everyone is gearing up for the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1, we can't forget that starting on May 15 is the beginning of the Pacific hurricane season. The last 3 years it has been non-active on that side I think due to La Nina or the El Nino pattern off the Baja peninsula or in the Pacific Ocean.
So my question is:
Do you think the pattern will be the same this year or will there also be an active period as in the Atlantic region? Submitted by Michael WilliamsAnswer: Hi Michael, you are right, 99% of the hurricane coverage in the media is spent on the Atlantic side. If you look at just the number of storms each year you have to ask why? The Atlantic Ocean averages 10 named storms a year while the Pacific Ocean averages 17 named storms and in an average year, nine of these would become hurricanes, of which five would become major hurricanes. The reason for the huge media bias is because the storms that form in the Pacific usually move away from North America safely out to sea while the storms that form in the Atlantic move towards land areas. A few of the Pacific storms do curl back towards Mexico and Central America every now and then and a few popular resort cities have seen storm damage including Acapulco, Cabo San Lucus and Puntarenas. What about California? Hurricanes feed off of warm water and to put it simply the water off of California is just too cold for tropical systems to thrive and hit California.
The East Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15th through November 30 with the peak July through September. The national hurricane center will release their prediction for the number of storms in the Pacific Ocean on May 15th. Here is a great chart from the National Hurricane Center showing the average dates of Pacific named storms.
RELATED: Average Number Of Pacific Systems Per YearIn my opinion, the answer to your question is yes, I do expect a similar weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean this year to last year. As a result, I expect a slightly below average storm season. I will let the experts at the hurricane center give you specific numbers but the average is 17 and in 2005 we saw 15. I’d be surprised if their prediction wasn’t somewhere close to this. In 2004 we saw 12 named storms and in 2003 we had 16. There appears to be a seesaw effect with the Pacific and Atlantic oceans during active years. When the Atlantic is active like the past few years the Pacific has been calmer and back in the ‘90s it was the other way around. In general, when we are in a La Nina pattern (like now) the Atlantic is active and the Pacific is quieter. In an El Nino year, it is just the opposite. Hopes this helps and thanks for the question.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Birthrates And Bad Weather (Jeff Ranieri, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 10, 2006 | 11:35 a.m. ET As I was about to do a weather segment for Early Today on NBC this morning, my co-anchor Kristine Johnson was reading a story about 5 nurses who were all employees at the same hospital who were expected to give birth at about the same time.
I made a comment to my producer about it and she said yeah it's probably the 9-month disaster link. We all thought back and counted nine months ago and the largest disaster by far was Hurricane Katrina. While there is no proof that the stress of Hurricane Katrina caused a higher birth rate this year, it is something that has stirred up a lot of thought in the past.
I did some research and was able to find
several articles that loosely link higher birth rates to blackouts, or natural disasters like hurricanes.
While there could be a link or not, many critics point to the fact that birth rates are cyclical just like the weather. It was hard to find any hard scientific evidence. Either way, it is interesting to think that the weather may somehow be linked to the population! So, next time there is a blizzard stranding you in or even a blackout it could be the start of something new in your family or just several inches of snow.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Wildfires And Allergy Woes (Kristen Cornett, NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist) May 9, 2006 | 6:35 p.m. ET You may have seen the pictures of the wildfires in Florida recently. While wildfires aren't known to affect the weather elsewhere, they can be a big pain to allergy sufferers!
Smoke from wildfires can travel hundreds of miles. Depending upon where the wind takes it, millions of people can be exposed. The pollution level both indoor and outdoor would be higher than normal and could result in increased respiratory problems, especially if you have allergies and asthma.
I found some tips from the Allergy Prevention Center that could help reduce problems for those sufferers:
When air pollution is forecast to be high, limit your time outdoors and avoid outdoor exercise. This holds true not only for pollution from fires, but for any kind of air pollution. Use a high-efficiency furnace filter and replace it every two to three months. Remember, this filter provides filtration for central air conditioning as well. A high-efficiency filter not only protects the furnace, but can also capture up to 30 times more pollutants, such as smoke, pet dander and pollen, than standard fiberglass filters. Run the furnace fan continuously so that air is always being filtered. Just set the thermostat to "on" rather than "auto." It may cost more, but it just might be worth it, don't you think? Have your furnace checked out once a year to make sure it's operating at peak efficiency. You can also reduce indoor air pollution by not allowing smoking in the home and making sure gas cooking appliances are vented to the outdoors.
Now if I could only find the solution to my allergies!
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---Met Mailbag (NBC Weather Plus Meteorologists) May 3, 2006 | 1:00 p.m. ET Met Mailbag is your chance to have a Weather Plus Meteorologist answer your weather question. Each Wednesday, our NBC Weather Pulse Blog will publish the answers to questions you send us. This week's questions were answered by NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist
Jeff Ranieri.
Question: What makes wind? Submitted by Joshua Chanin, New York CityAnswer: Well Josh, wind is something that can be either annoying or enjoyable at times and the way it develops is a bit complex but interesting. Read on and you'll see how to do your own wind experiment.
Wind is Mother Nature’s way of balancing out the atmosphere. Wind is created largely by pressure differences. So, let’s start off by explaining pressure in weather terms.
High pressure is generally an area of clearing where the air is sinking and the atmosphere is heavier or has more mass.
Low pressure creates rising air leaving the surface where we live with less weight or air mass and can lead to cloud or storm development.
Now that we have an idea about pressure, it's somewhat simple to understand. High pressure, the area with more weight, will rush into low pressure, in an attempt to equal out the air space and make the air around us the same weight. When this equalization is happening it can create anything from strong gusts to a light breeze. The bigger the difference between "high" and "low" pressure the stronger the wind will be.
You can make or see the effects of how we get wind somewhat easy. If you go to the store and grab acoffee can that is vacuum packed it will demonstrate wind. Before you open the lid think about the can and the air. Outside the can you have higher pressure or mass. Inside the can, a machine has lifted out the air prior to packing to keep it fresh. Therefore, the weight of the air in the can is lighter. When you open the coffee the higher pressure outside will rush into the can to equal the space in the can. You will hear a sound when it's opened and that rushing noise will be a small example of wind!
One way to spot windy or breezy areas is by looking at a temperature map. Huge differences in temperature will create wind. If you remember back, we talked about high and low pressure. Where you have high pressure it tends to be
warmer and where you have low pressure it can signify
cooling on the way. These clashing warm and cool areas will work to balance themselves out and create wind in the process.
To send a question or comment to our NBC Weather Plus team, click here ---A Real Weather Traffic Jam! (Mike Dangolovich, Producer) May 2, 2006 | 8:35 p.m. ET For people living in the central part of the country, a break in the wet and stormy conditions that have been occurring over the last several days is likely near the top of everyone's wish list. However, for parts of the east (the exception being eastern New England) the weather has actually been quite good, and few in that region are likely to have been complaining about the pleasant spring weather they have been enjoying. Why has the weather been so bad in some places for such an extended time, but so good in others at the same time?
The primary reason is because the weather pattern has been effectively 'blocked' from moving in its typical West to East fashion by a big area of high pressure that is parked over southeastern Canada. Another reason is because the main jet stream (the river of air in the upper atmosphere that typically helps move storms along) has been located mostly over Canada, and this has caused any storms that form in the US to sit in one place much longer than they normally would.
The bottom line: just like the traffic jams we experience so many times on the highway, where traffic moves very slowly, or at times not at all, we have a real weather traffic jam going on! When this occurs, the best way to describe the weather at any particular location is "what you see is what you get," and sometimes that is the case for many days in a row, or even longer. Of course, some of the prolonged rains in the central US have actually been beneficial since much of that area has been under drought conditions. On the other hand, some areas that have been enjoying a long spell of pleasant conditions can actually use the rain, such as portions of the Carolinas. So when this type of pattern develops (and it is very common in the spring) it can be a good and bad thing at the same time.
The good news is that the current weather traffic jam will eventually disappear, and the weather over any particular region in the central and eastern US will once again feature more frequent changes, as is typical. Of course, if you are located in a region that has seen tranquil conditions during this most recent weather traffic jam, and if you like tranquil weather, you may not want it to disappear.
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