Mature Thunderstorm Wind:

Thunderstorms are primarily local thermal weather phenomena (usually less than  5 miles to sometimes more than 30 miles in diameter), that are caused by either local surface heating , Air Mass Thunderstorms , or by weather systems such as fronts, converging winds, or troughs aloft that force upward motion of the surrounding air.  From a surface wind perspective, thunderstorms, regardless of their cause can quickly and substantially modify wind direction and speed.  (more…)

The Airlines’ Eyes on the Skies By Del Quentin Wilber The Washington (DC) Post

FORT WORTH — Airline meteorologist Mark Mabey stares at four computer screens on his desk. They are filled with data, charts and radar images. All seem to suggest a different potential for thunderstorms — the airlines’ enemy during the hectic summer travel season. (more…)

The human hair hygrometer was invented by H.B. De Saussure in the 18th century and has stood the test of time as a reliable and accurate method of measuring relative humidity, not actual amount of water vapor in the air. (more…)

Frustrated with the limits of public policy to tackle global warming, some scientists say the time has come to engineer a way to control the weather. The idea might seem appealing, says a science scholar, but it could have potentially harmful ramifications. (more…)