WEATHER REPORT

What is the Coriolis Effect and how does it affect you?

Image: Nikolas Noonan

While talking about the weather might have bad press, no one can resist the awe-inspiring allure of a powerful storm or a display of lightning against a pitch-black sky. And even if this raw demonstration of the power of nature frightens you - or you just find it boring, the myriad of subtle intricacies of atmospheric phenomena are bound to catch your eye.

Here are 10 curious facts about storms and weather phenomena to quench your sense of wonder, and - hopefully - leave you a bit more appreciative of nature's grandeur.

Image: Johannes Plenio

Each year, Earth experiences about 1.4 billion lightning strikes. These bolts of electricity can reach temperatures of up to 30,000 Kelvin (53,540 degrees Fahrenheit), hotter than the surface of the sun. This violent phenomenon occurs when electrical imbalances build up within clouds or between clouds and the ground. The thunder that follows a lightning bolt is caused by the rapid expansion of air around it, and it can travel from 15 to 30 miles from the point where the strike occurred. In fact, if you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and its sound, and divide it by 5, you can approximate the distance in miles to the source of the lightning. Just make sure you are in a safe place while counting!

Image: NOAA

Tornado Alley, a loosely defined region in the central United States, sees more tornadoes than any other place on Earth. This area, stretching from Texas to South Dakota, experiences frequent tornado activity due to the collision of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from Canada. The combination of these air masses, along with the presence of the Rocky Mountains to the west, creates an environment ripe for the formation of these formidable wind vortexes. If you happen to live in an area prone to tornadoes, just don’t try to emulate Dorothy, or you might end up much farther away than the Land of Oz.

Image: NASA

Did you know that hurricanes are given names to help with communication and awareness? The use of names for hurricanes dates back to the 1950s and helps to avoid confusion when multiple storms are active simultaneously, as names are much easier to remember than numbers or technical terms. The World Meteorological Organization generates lists of names that are rotated every six years, except for particularly destructive storms, whose names are retired forever.

Image: Matthieu Joannon

Haboobs are massive dust storms that occur in arid regions, such as the Sahara Desert and the southwestern United States. These towering walls of dust can reach heights of 4,921 feet and travel at speeds of up to 60 mph, engulfing everything in their path. Haboobs typically form when cold downdrafts from thunderstorms hit the ground and kick up loose, dry soil and sand. These intense dust storms can reduce visibility to near-zero levels, posing serious dangers to motorists and even disrupting air travel.

Image: John Middelkoop

The Fujita Scale, developed by Dr. Ted Fujita in 1971, measures the intensity of tornadoes based on the damage they cause to human-built structures and vegetation. The scale ranges from F0 (light damage) to F5 (incredible damage), with wind speeds exceeding 300 mph for the most severe tornadoes. In recent years, the original scale has been replaced by the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale), which incorporates modern engineering and construction standards to assess tornado damage more accurately.

Image: Noah Silliman

Throughout history, people have relied on old sayings and common knowledge to predict the weather. From "red sky at night, sailor's delight" to "ring around the moon means rain real soon," these sayings often contain kernels of truth based on observable atmospheric patterns. Even when most are - more likely than not - not scientifically accurate, they prove that humanity has always been intrinsically connected to weather patterns.

Image: Ryan Arnst

Atmospheric rivers are narrow corridors of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that can transport vast amounts of water vapor across long distances. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in global weather patterns and can lead to heavy rainfall and flooding whenever they make landfall. Scientists believe that changes in global temperatures and atmospheric humidity will increase the intensity and frequency of weather phenomena caused by atmospheric rivers in the next few years.

Image: JOSHUA COLEMAN

The Coriolis Effect is a phenomenon caused by Earth's rotation, which deflects moving objects, including air and water, to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This effect influences the direction of winds and ocean currents, shaping global weather patterns. For this reason, large currents of air and powerful weather events like cyclones display either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction of motion depending on their position in the globe.

Image: Chris Gallagher

El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, which refers to fluctuations in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. These large weather patterns can directly influence the climate around the globe, affecting precipitation, temperatures, and storm activity. While El Niño events are marked by an anomalous warming of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, in contrast, La Niña events are characterized by cooler-than-average temperatures.

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

Hailstorms occur when strong updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops into colder regions of the atmosphere, where they freeze and accumulate layers of ice before falling to the ground. The size of hailstones can vary widely, ranging from pea-sized pellets to golf ball-sized or larger projectiles capable of causing significant damage to property, crops, and vehicles. The largest hailstone ever recorded fell on the town of Vivian, South Dakota, during an extraordinary hailstorm, and it was larger than a bowling ball, measuring 7.87 inches in diameter and weighing almost 2 pounds!

THIS MAGICAL LAND OF US

Discover Ten Breathtakingly Beautiful Natural Treasures!

Image: Muneeb Usmani

The United States has truly earned its "America the Beautiful" nickname: We are lucky to live in a nation filled with such an amazing landscape. America contains many different weathers and terrains, and each state is home to stunningly beautiful natural jewels.

We have (metaphorically) traveled throughout the United States, coast to coast and north to south, to select our ten favorite natural treasures. Who knows? You might end up discovering your next holiday destination. Enjoy!

Image: Omer Nezih Gerek

We’ll start this list with an outstanding icon, synonymous with everything that makes the United States great. The Grand Canyon is more than just a landmark, it's an American giant that has inspired generations throughout the history of this country. It is also world-famous, a truly iconic sightseeing destination, featured in everything from postcards to Arizona driving licenses.

The Grand Canyon has an outstanding depth of over a mile, which can be seen from strategically placed viewing points. Bald eagles and other birds can also be seen in this area, flying above and throughout the red rocky walls of the Canyon.

Image: Edward Koorey

Niagara Falls is a true spectacle. This group of waterfalls inspires millions of tourists every year both by their inconceivable beauty and by their power, since over 5.9 million cubic feet of water go over their crest every minute.

The Falls are formed by the Niagara River, and they are located on the border between the U.S. state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its water’s sparkling green color has made it one of America’s most recognizable landmarks.

Image: Aniket Deole

Extending over four counties in the heart of California, Yosemite National Park is home to immense granite cliffs, ancient giant sequoia trees, and incredibly diverse wildlife. It was President Lincoln himself who signed an act that declared Yosemite as federally preserved land in 1864 and, over a hundred years later in 1984, this iconic park was declared a World Heritage Site.

Yosemite features truly breathtaking rock formations, but perhaps the most unique among them are the rock domes such as Sentinel Dome and Half Dome. This park is also known for its majestic glaciers, the largest of them being Lyell Glacier.

Image: Ken Cheung

If you’ve ever driven behind a car with a license plate from Utah, you might notice that they are decorated with one of this state’s most treasured landmarks: the iconic sandstone arches located in Arches National Park. These instantly recognizable formations are deeply ingrained in the identity of "the Beehive State," but their beauty and magnificence are an inspiring sight to every American who visits them.

This national park is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, but perhaps the most iconic one is the Delicate Arch. In 2002, during the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics, the Olympic torch relay went through this 52-foot-tall arch.

Image: Nik Shuliahin

It is almost impossible to walk around any of the four parks that compose the Redwood National and State Parks and not feel extremely tiny: The mighty redwoods protected by this complex are the tallest trees in the world. Not only that, they are also among the oldest trees, so it's no wonder that their sight not only inspires curiosity but also the utmost respect.

Perhaps most notable among these already remarkable trees, a redwood tree named Hyperion stands at an impressive 380-foot height. Hyperion is the tallest tree in the world, and his runner-up for the title, a 377-foot tree called Helios, is also located in Redwood National Park.

Image: Joshua Sortino

Mammoth Cave can be an intimidating sight. After all, the world’s longest-known cave system is a massive network of dark and tall limestone caves. However, similar to how little time it takes for the human eye to adjust to the dark, it only takes a few moments to realize the inherent beauty that this Kentucky landmark has to offer.

Guided tours take visitors through some of the most gorgeous sights in the cave, such as the "Frozen Niagara" (a rock formation that resembles a waterfall) or the "Grand Avenue" (a flat and narrow area flowing between rocks). Mammoth Cave is home to a diverse ecosystem, which includes the Spotted-tail salamander or the Cave Crayfish.

Image: Bryson Beaver

The tallest mountain in North America is also one of its most beautiful ones. Located in Alaska, this mountain was first named "Mount McKinley" in 1896, after U.S. President William McKinley. However, in 2015, the U.S. Department of Interior decided to rename it into the name chosen by the native Koyukon people who inhabit the area.

Denali’s magnificence has dared many climbers throughout the ages to attempt to climb it, with the first verifiable attempt happening in 1913. In 1951, the safer and more accessible West Buttress route was discovered, which is still considered the best option by mountain climbers.

Image: Andrew Perilloux

Louisiana is known as "the Bayou State" for its many gorgeous and picturesque bayous, so choosing one for this article is definitively a difficult task. We have decided to lean towards the longest bayou in the world, so massive that it extends into the neighboring state of Arkansas. We are talking, of course, about the iconic Bayou Bartholomew.

Measuring approximately 364 miles, Bayou Bartholomew is home to diverse wildlife, including over 100 different aquatic species. Thousands of anglers visit the bayou to catch gorgeous specimens of crawfish, bream, and catfish.

Image: Brian Tafel

Some people compare the five boroughs in New York City to the five fingers on a hand. Perhaps this idea came from the Finger Lakes, a treasured natural landmark beloved by everyone in New York. This group of lakes was named after their narrow and long shape, but no one could mistake them with a human hand, since eleven different lakes compose this wonderful area.

One of the most beautiful things about the Finger Lakes is that, while similar, they all have their own characteristics and attributes that make them unique. Conesus Lake is a great place for fishing walleye and yellow perch, while Hemlock Lake is known for its landlocked salmon. Cayuga Lake is home to a folklore sea serpent known as "Old Greeny," regularly spotted throughout the years.

Image: Meina Yin

Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in that same year. Fitting for our nation’s first park, Yellowstone is home to a huge variety of natural treasures, including geysers, canyons, and a dormant supervolcano. It is also home to many different species of animals, including grizzly bears and the oldest and largest free-ranging herd of bison in the country.

It is rather difficult to select a must-see sight in Yellowstone. Perhaps its most famous landmark is the "Old Faithful" geyser, which erupts up to 185 feet in the air in an almost scheduled pattern. However, another heavy contender would be the iconic Grand Prismatic Spring, the third-largest in the world and filled with bright and vivid colors.