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326 Questions

Last Answer on December 24, 2019

Is there a name for the period of silence between the lightning strike and the thunder clap?

Asked by Shane Chuvalas over 6 years ago

Great question! Not that I know of. The delay in hearing thunder is because light travels faster than sound. The lightning causes the air to heat and expand rapidly and that shockwave is the thunder. The visible flash gets to you faster. If you were standing right next to the bolt (not recommended) you would see and hear at the same time. Thanks!

730 Votes

Also have you ever been featured in a blooper?

Asked by 56 almost 6 years ago

I think only at the Christmas party. It was so long ago I can’t remember the blooper. Merry Christmas!

730 Votes

Hello. I would like to know the cause of all of the abnormal January 2019 rain and freezing temperatures in Yuma Az. and the area this year. Neither is normal for this area even during the dead of winter. What is the cause of this?

Msully

Asked by Msully53 almost 7 years ago

Hi. Thanks for the question. "Abnormal" or "normal" is a tricky question sometimes. I usually prefer to use "average" since that is a closer description of what is used in the climate data. Specific to your question, this year is one where the overall patter is favoring storm systems, developed and driven across the country by the jet stream, moving in to the desert southwest from the Pacific, and the cooler weather is caused by that same pattern favoring cooler air toward Yuma.

729 Votes

Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

Asked by Melinda about 7 years ago

Excellent question, and honestly I don’t have an answer, but I know who does. Check out the Cloud Appreciation Society. They will know, and if they don’t they will like the question enough to find out. Let me know! https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

728 Votes

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Why is it that when the clouds obscure the sun wind starts blowing, and then when the sun comes out again the wind dies down?

Asked by Stephanie about 7 years ago

Thanks, Stephanie. Not always directly related. The wind is caused by differences in air pressure. Mother Nature likes things to be in balance so she moves air from high pressure toward low pressure. The pressure differences are caused by uneven heating of the earth by the sun and the ground heats unevenly as the clouds come and go. Hope that helps.

727 Votes

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

Asked by Robert Zachary about 6 years ago

I'll side with the National Weather Service on this one, having not seen a picture. They would have been more aware of the conditions at the time you called. My guess would be you might have seen some sort of wind maximum that created a vortex one either side. A loose example would be the wave of a boat. Thanks!

726 Votes

Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

Asked by Donovin over 6 years ago

Great question. A tornado or severe thunderstorm watch will come from the Storm Prediction Center, often in consultation with local offices. A hurricane watch will come from the National Hurricane Center and winter weather and flood watches will come from local offices. Thanks, Donovin!

725 Votes

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Ask me anything!

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Is there a name for the period of silence between the lightning strike and the thunder clap?

Also have you ever been featured in a blooper?

Hello. I would like to know the cause of all of the abnormal January 2019 rain and freezing temperatures in Yuma Az. and the area this year. Neither is normal for this area even during the dead of winter. What is the cause of this?

Msully

Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

Also on Jobstr...

Why is it that when the clouds obscure the sun wind starts blowing, and then when the sun comes out again the wind dies down?

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

TV Meteorologist

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Is there a name for the period of silence between the lightning strike and the thunder clap?

Also have you ever been featured in a blooper?

Hello. I would like to know the cause of all of the abnormal January 2019 rain and freezing temperatures in Yuma Az. and the area this year. Neither is normal for this area even during the dead of winter. What is the cause of this?Msully

Hi, weather teacher here. My students ask me this question, and I've tried researching to no avail. When naming clouds, how come sometimes the root comes before the name and sometimes after (example: nimostratus vs. cumulonimbus)

Also on Jobstr...

Why is it that when the clouds obscure the sun wind starts blowing, and then when the sun comes out again the wind dies down?

As a teacher, I looked up from the playground to a cloudy sky. straight above were to clouds counter rotating. I called the weather service and they said it was a common benign occurrence but had no name for the phenomenon. Is there a name for it?

Can the NWS issue watches or is that only something the storm prediction center can do?

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Hello. I would like to know the cause of all of the abnormal January 2019 rain and freezing temperatures in Yuma Az. and the area this year. Neither is normal for this area even during the dead of winter. What is the cause of this?

Msully