# data[].attributes.body
Start here!

# data[].attributes.body
Mandatory video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about the development of storms, such as thunderstorms, blizzards, and hurricanes, in this video excerpt from NOVA's Cloud Lab. The formation of powerful storms is a more extreme version of the process that creates clouds. Severe storms require three conditions to develop: an energy source, moisture, and unstable air.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
List of severe weather phenomena - Wikipedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Severe weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous to human life and property.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction: How to Give a Short Class Presentation Competently

This Instructable is composed of bullet points with a lot of words attached to them. I know words can be intimidating, but reading these particular words will help you avoid common pitfalls when giving a classroom presentation. It doesn't matter what topic you have, and if you have 5 minutes or 20; this 'ible provides tips to help your presentation shine.

Step 1: Speaking/Presenting

How you carry yourself when you are giving your presentation is just as important as all that work you put into researching for it. A presentation is 2 parts: information and show. You get the information together, and here's how you do the show:

* Speak loudly but do not yell.
* Speak slowly and clearly.
* Smile, maintain good posture, and make eye contact with audience.
* Be succinct: keep your presentation simple but make your words count.
* Be engaging. How can your audience be interested in your presentation if you aren't?
* Vary your tone, don't "read" your script; even if you are actually reading it, it doesn't have to sound that way.
* If you mention a foreign word, put it on a slide - some people will not really understand a new word without seeing it too.
* Likewise, if you come across a word you are unfamiliar with, look up the pronunciation or ask a professor/teacher/sage before you make a fool of yourself. Another solution would be to replace the difficult word with a synonym. (Example: change "prevalent" to "common," etc.)
* Do not turn your back on your audience; it is extremely rude. ESPECIALLY do not go to the computer where your slides are loaded, stay there, and read from the computer without ever looking at your audience.
* Dress professionally when giving your presentation - like you would for a job interview. (Examples of what not to wear include shorts, flip-flops, a black bra under a white shirt, etc.)
* Don't step back and forth, pace, or dance a jig out of nervousness when you're presenting. At best it makes you look silly, at worst it makes your audience seasick.

Step 2: PowerPoint

Your slides cannot save your presentation if your script sucks. Slides ≠ your presentation. They are a separate entity, and you cannot depend solely on them to make you dazzle.On that note:

*DO NOT put your entire script in the slides.
* DO NOT read your slides as you present.
* Use slides for what they are: visual aids. Include pictures, make them aesthetic. Use them to highlight ideas, words, or concepts.
* Don't use fancy transitions and effects, they will only make your slideshow look cheesy and will draw away from your presentation.
* Spell-check your slides, but have someone else look them over, too. "Route" and "root" are both spelled correctly, but they are not interchangeable in context.
* Store your presentation on a flash drive in "PowerPoint Show" format so you can click & go; this will keep you from having to navigate to "Slideshow" and click "Begin from current slide."
* Save your PowerPoint in legacy (compatible with older versions) format - you can't be sure what version your presenting computer will have.
* Email yourself a copy of the presentation if possible, in case there is a problem with your flash drive, the USB port, or other technical difficulties.
* Use standard fonts. Your computer might have Zappywigserif44, but your presenting machine likely won't.
* If technical difficulties are irresolvable, be prepared to give your presentation sans slideshow. Your slides are not your presentation, just a background to it.

Step 3: Content

This is not a guide to how to set up the content of your presentation, but rather to offer tips on how to do so. If you need a basic reminder or how to set up a speech: Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; tell 'em; tell 'em what you told 'em.

* Don't inject too much opinion into your presentation unless the project directs you to specifically do so. You are a reporter; be impartial.
* In conjunction with the above, do not fear-monger or seek to sensationalize simply to get attention. Stay in the realm of mainstream sanity. You must maintain credibility in the eyes of your audience.
* Conclude your presentation so that your audience knows it's over, don't just trail off or get to the last slide and say "that's it."

Step 4: Rehearsal

A lot of people skip this step, and a big majority of them reaaaaallly needed to practice more.

* If you have a verbal tic ("um," "like," "so, yeah," "uh," etc.) practice is especially important.
* Try to pace your breathing in rehearsal so that you do not speed up, run out of breath, panic, and get flustered.
* Rehearsal is not optional prep - and you must do it in front of real people. Get your parents on Skype, call friends over for a movie night and surprise them with a presentation on Surrealism during the intermission, whatever it takes. Rehearse twice minimum.
* Use observations from rehearsal to eliminate awkward phrasing, awkward pauses, and to mark your script exactly where you need to change slides.
* Make sure to time your rehearsals so that you will stay within/meet your time limit.

Step 5: As an Audience Member

Remember, if you're in a class and have to give a presentation, it's likely your audience is made up of future or past presenters. Be a good audience for them and maybe they'll reciprocate. Also, it's just good manners.

* Do not heckle, comment, or raise your hand during the presentation. Questions should come at the end.
* Stay in your seat. The middle of someone else's presentation is not the right time for a bathroom break.
* If you are late to class, wait outside or in the doorway until the presenter is done, then enter.

Step 6: In Conclusion...

If you are someone who suffers from stage fright, I recommend either researching stress-relieving exercises you can do before (and possibly during) your presentation, or working customer service for 4 years to give you a strong backbone and make you bitter. Either way, good luck!!! You'll do great! Just do alllll the things I said to do. ;)

Be the First to Share

Recommendations

Toys & Games Contest

Furniture Contest

Big vs Small Challenge

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Give a Short Class Presentation Competently

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How to Give a Short Class Presentation Competently: This Instructable is composed of bullet points with a lot of words attached to them. I know words can be intimidating, but reading these particular words will help you avoid common pitfalls when giving a classroom presentation. It doesn't matter...

# data[].attributes.body
Predicting Natural Disasters

# data[].attributes.body
natural disasters

# data[].attributes.body
air masses and weather

# data[].attributes.body
See what happens inside!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
INSANE INSIDE THE TORNADO | CCTV FOOTAGE

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the direction the water moves. The end in incredible and SCARY!!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Uncut and Unseen: Greenland Tsunami (First Wave to Largest Wave in 6 mins.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids learn more about the science of dangerous weather. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tsunami - Five signs approaching tsunami

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane. This is because the physical conditions in each place are different. The active San Andreas fault runs through California and causes regular earthquakes, while the warm waters transported by the Gulf Stream can intensify a storm heading for South Carolina. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. Building codes in California require builders to meet standards set to minimize structural damage in an earthquake and coastal cities have building code to reinforce roofs and walls to resist a storm's high winds.

Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane.

# data[].attributes.headline
National Geographic Catastrophic Weather Events

# data[].attributes.subject
National Geographic Catastrophic Weather Events

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Catastrophic weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and droughts, among others. As these massively destructive and costly events become more frequent, scientific evidence points to climate change as a leading cause. While they can often be predicted, the loss of life and property take an emotional and economic toll on the community impacted.

Explore these resources to teach your students about catastrophic weather events and how they impact every part of the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Catastrophic Weather Events | National Geographic Society

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Catastrophic weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and droughts, among others. As these massively destructive and costly events become more frequent, scientific evidence points to climate change as a leading cause. While they can often be predicted, the loss of life and property take an emotional and economic toll on the community impacted.

# data[].attributes.body
NatGeo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. Program

1. Activate students' prior knowledge about extreme weather on Earth.
Ask: What do you know about extreme weather on Earth? Have students brainstorm a list of weather-related words and phrases. Write their responses on the board. Then ask students to sort the list into logical categories, such as types of weather, tools to measure weather, and effects of weather.

2. Discuss a photo gallery of extreme weather.
Tell students they will look at a photo gallery of extreme weather and then watch a video about weather. Display the photo gallery Extreme Weather. Invite volunteers to read aloud each caption. Then, show the National Geographic video "Weather 101." Ask students to describe the extreme weather events. Then ask: What are the necessary conditions for each weather event to occur? Elicit responses from students such as: differences in circulating air masses, clashing warm and cool air masses ( fronts), and jet streams. Ask: What are the factors that affect extreme weather? Elicit responses from students such as: the sun ( temperature), water ( precipitation), and other atmospheric conditions like jet stream, pressure, wind, humidity, and clouds.

3. Have students complete the worksheet Weather Investigation.
Distribute a copy of the worksheet Weather Investigation to each student. Read aloud the directions and go over the provided answer. Allow students to gather and organize the information they have learned about weather and atmospheric conditions present for each type of weather. Their answers should include the following:

Tornado: clouds, strong wind, rain, hail

Hurricane or cyclone: strong wind, heavy rain

Blizzard: heavy snow, ice, cold temperatures

Dust storm: strong winds, arid conditions

Flood: heavy rainfall

Hail storm: cold or warm temperatures, rain, ice

Ice storm: freezing rain

After students have completed the worksheet, ask: What patterns do you see?

4. Have students make connections between weather and climate.
Ask: What is climate? How does climate relate to weather? Some students may understand that the climate in areas closer to the Equator has fewer extremes than in the areas farther away from the Equator. Make sure students understand that the term weather describes conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time. The term climate describes weather patterns of a particular region over a longer period, usually 30 years or more. Climate is an average pattern of weather for a particular region. Build background by providing the following example: The weather in Wisconsin can vary from day to day. Some days can be very warm, with record temperatures over 100˚Fahrenheit (F), with other summer days not even reaching 70˚F. Winter temperatures can vary just as much. The climate however, is a trend over an extended period of time. Temperature trends in the Midwest show an overall warming of between 0.3˚F to 1.8˚F from data collected during the period of 1895-2006.

Informal Assessment

Ask students to orally describe:

examples of weather on Earth and the atmospheric conditions present

the difference between weather and climate

Background Information

Articles & Profiles

Websites

Credits

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Writer

Anna Mika, M.S. Ed., NASA Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers (NEAT)

Editors

Anne Haywood, National Geographic Society
Christina Riska Simmons

Educator Reviewers

Dianne Koval Butler, Manager, Education Outreach & Partnerships, Lockheed Martin Corporate Communications
Naveen Cunha, M.Ed., Science Teacher, Stephen F. Austin Middle School, Bryan, Texas; NASA/Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow

Expert Reviewer

Buddy Nelson, Media Relations, Lockheed Martin Space Systems

National Geographic Program

Wildest Weather in the Solar System

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

Media

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service.

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students use prior knowledge, a photo gallery, and a video to discuss what they already know about extreme weather on Earth and brainstorm and categorize a list of weather-related words and phrases. Then they identify the necessary conditions for weather events to occur, and the factors that affect extreme weather.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a Blizzard? | Winter Science | Weather Science | SciShow Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As countless inaccurate weather reports have shown, storms are mysterious, unpredictable things. Most of us would probably have trouble identifying what exactly causes them, and even those whose full-time job is to predict them seem to have a tough time doing so.

In other words, just when we think we understand her, Mother Nature swoops in with a big surprise-one that's often perplexing, terrifying, or even downright deadly. To that end, here are 33 interesting tidbits about downpours, cloudbursts, blizzards, deluges, tornadoes, hurricanes, and any other type of storm you-or Mother Nature-could possibly think of.

In 1995 a storm hit northern Texas which inflicted 70 mph winds and hail as big as softballs, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 100. The storm caused extensive flooding, knocked out power to 16,800 customers and broke the windows of many buildings and cars. Within one hour, some roads in Fort Worth were buried under two feet of hailstones. Eleven people drowned while trying to escape flooded vehicles, including five people from one family.

The Iran Blizzard of 1972 is known as the deadliest blizzard in history. The storm lasted a full week from, February 3rd to 9th, and resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 people. Southern Iran received as much as 26 feet of snow, and about 200 villages were completely buried and wiped off the map, which resulted in no survivors in the outlying areas of the country which were hit the hardest.

From July 25 through September 23, 2001, red-colored rain fell down on Kerala, India, and it baffled the entire world. A few days before the blood rain started, people reported a sudden flash of light and booming sound in the sky. People also said that trees shredded shrunken and wrinkled burnt leaves. After scientists studied this phenomenon, it was determined that there were red particles found in the rain, which were actually spores from lichen-forming alga.

A heatwave hit northern California's wine country in September 2017, during Labor Day Weekend, and straight-up turned grapes into raisins. As temperatures hit up to 109° Fahrenheit, the scorching heat evaporated water from the berries and shut down the vines' entire metabolic process. It was estimated that wine vineyards lost up to 50 percent of their crop due to the unprecedented heat. Though September heat waves are not uncommon in California wine regions, for one to come that earlyin the month is highly unusual, and negatively affected several vineyards.

The coldest temperature ever reported was in Antarctica on August 20, 2010. The temperature fell to -135.8°F, or -94.7°C. That's almost 10 degrees colder than the previous record. As the temperature was captured by satellite, not thermostat, it wasn't able to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records. According to an ice scientist who reported the temp, he said that it was more fitting for Mars than for one of Earth's poles.

Landslidesoccur when masses of rock, earth, or debris move down a slope, andmudslides are a common type of landslide which moves at a very rapid pace. Mudslides usually start on steep slopes and can be activated by natural disasters, including wildfires or after heavy rains. In the United States, landslides, and mudslides result in 25 to 50 deaths each year, and can carry rocks, trees, vehicles, and even entire buildings.

The United States has more tornadoes than any other country. Oh, and they're also stronger and more violent in America than anywhere else. The majority form in an area known as Tornado Alley, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The United States averaged 1,274 tornadoes per year in the last decade, most of which happen in spring. (Tornados are least common in winter.) Worldwide, most tornadoes occur in the late afternoon, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and peak around 5:00 p.m.

Specifically: Cape Farewell, Greenland, is the windiest place on the planet. According to a researcher who led an expedition there in 2007, the winds are so strong that that flying over the region is "stomach-churning." According to satellite data, winds reach 44.7 mph 16 percent of the year and 29 percent of the winter. It is believed that these strong winds carried Viking explorers from Iceland and Greenland to North America, making them the first Europeans to discover the continent.

When we have warm fall weather, you can expect to see more spiders around your home. Male spiders mature in mid-to-late summer, leave their webs or holes, and go looking for a mate. It's during this search that you're likely to see them crawling along our walls, windows, furniture, or floors. However, the warmer the fall season, the bigger the spiders get, because there is more prey available than usual. Insects thrive in warm conditions, and that's what spiders feed on.

There's a, well, lightning-quick way to figure how far away you are from a lightning strike. Just count the number of seconds that pass between a flash of lightning and the thunder that follows, then divide that number by five. The result equals how many miles away you are from where lightning just struck. This is called the "flash-to-bang" method. The National Weather Service recommends taking cover if the time between lightning and thunder is 30 seconds or less, which indicates that the lightning is 6 miles away or closer.

Tornadic waterspouts are what they sound like, a tornado over a body of water. They generally begin over land in connection with a thunderstorm, then move out over the water. Just like tornadoes, they can be very destructive. Waterspouts occur most often in northern Michigan in August, September, and October, when the waters of the Great Lakes are at their warmest. They tend to last for two to 20 minutes and move at speeds of 10 to 15 knots.

In 525 B.C.E., Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great, sent 50,000 soldiers from Thebes to attack the Oasis of Siwa and destroy the Oracle at the Temple of Amun after local priests refused to legitimize his claim to Egypt. After walking for seven days in the desert, the soldiers drowned in a sandstorm. In 2009, bronze weapons, a silver bracelet, an earring, and hundreds of human bones were found by archeologists in the vast desolate wilderness of the Sahara Desert, believed to have belonged to the missing Persian army.

Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, hit Southern Florida on August 23, 1992. Its fierce winds reached 150 miles per hour and demolished many buildings, including a breeding facility for Burmese pythons, and many of them escaped. As a result, today the Everglades are overrun with the giant snakes. Female pythons can lay up to 100 eggs a year, and reproduce rapidly. To help control the burgeoning python population, Florida residents are authorized to catch and kill them by almost any means necessary, with no permit required, especially on private lands.

The odds of being struck by lightning are incredibly slim, but people are more likely to die from lightning than other types of storm, not including hurricanes. Lightning strikes hundreds of people in the United States each year, and 10 percent of lightning deaths happen in Florida alone. A direct strike is deadly. At 50,000° Fahrenheit, a lightning bolt is five times hotter than the sun's surface. There are about 55,000 lightning strikes a day in the States. Watch out!

The very center of a hurricane is called the "eye." In the eye of a storm, the winds are calm, and it can feel like a peaceful, sunny day. The storm's eye is roughly 20 to 40 miles in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weather and highest winds occur. The hurricane's lowest barometric pressure occurs in the eye and can be as much as 15 percent lower than the pressure outside the storm.

Legendary philosopher Aristotle believed that thunder and lightning were part of a "dry exhalation" from clouds. "If any of the dry exhalations are caught in the process as the air cools, it is squeezed out as the clouds contract, and collides in its rapid course with the neighboring clouds, and the sound of this collision is what we call thunder," he said. He believed that lightning is the burning of this same exhalation.

Astraphobia is the extreme fear of thunder and lightning. It's not just children and adults who can suffer from this irrational fear, but it's a common phobia that affects animals: It's why dogs howl and hide when they hear thunder. A person who has astraphobia will frequently check weather forecasts and change their plans if a storm is coming. Like pets, people with astraphobia may even hide a closet to deal with their fear. Astraphobia can be treated through cognitive behavioral therapy.

The Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925, was the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. It caused 695 deaths, more than twice the fatalities of the second deadliest tornado, which took place in Mississippi in 1840. The 151- to 235-mile track left by the tornado was the longest ever recorded in the world; it crossed from southeastern Missouri, through southern Illinois, then into southwestern Indiana. Though it was not officially rated at the time, it's recognized today as an F5 tornado, the maximum damage rating issued on the Fujita scale.

Hurricanes are extremely powerful and are the equivalent to packing as much energy as five Hiroshima-type atomic bombs. Hurricanes get their power from the condensation of warm ocean water. Condensing moisture in a low-pressure region releases energy, which heats the air, then rises and pulls in more air from outside toward the center, creating a devastatingly powerful cycle.

A hurricane can continue for many days over open water, biding and building up power. Then, when it hits land, the lack of moisture and increased friction will slow it down a bit-but not before it can cause mass destruction and loss of life.

Research has found that the extra heat generated around cities makes thunderstorms more intense. This is known as the Urban Heat Island effect. Heat from activities such as driving cars and the vast amount of heat-absorbing concrete in big cities leads to warmer air. This extra heat causes more hot and humid air rising to form clouds and thunderstorms. One study found that rainfall in Phoenix increased by 12 to 14 percent as the city's population grew.

The phrase "lightning never strikes the same place twice" is a total myth. The reality is that lightning can and will strike the same place twice, whether during the same storm or centuries later. There is a significant attraction between the lightning bolt and the place it previously hit, so it's more likely that it would be struck again. Skyscrapers like the Empire State Building are almost guaranteed to be struck by lightning each time a thunderstorm passes overhead. Luckily, such structures generally have built-in lightning rods to make sure no damage is done to the building.

According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 70 percent of Americans now accept that climate change is happening, which is a 5 percent increase from 2015. More than half the respondents (58 percent) said they understand that global warming is caused mostly by human activities. The survey also showed that more Americans are connecting global warming with extreme weather events, with 60 pecrent reported that they believe climate change is affecting the weather. And 40 percent said that they have personally experienced the effects of climate change.

"Raining animals" is a rare but real meteorological phenomenon when animals fall from the sky. But, before you let your imagination run wild, "raining cats and dogs" isn't what happens. Instead, you'll just get pummeled with fish and frogs.

Such occurrences have been reported in many countries throughout history. One hypothesis is that tornadic waterspouts can pick up small animals, such as fish or frogs, and carry them for several miles. Sometimes the animals survive, as witnesses have described them as startled but healthy, and showing normal behavior shortly after. In some incidents, the animals have been frozen or even completely encased in ice. There have also been cases where the rain consisted of shredded animal body parts.

Pine cones open and close depending on the humidity to help their seeds disperse. Light seeds are contained inside the pine cone. When the weather is dry the pine cone opens up, so wind can catch the seeds and allow them to be dispersed in the air far away from the original tree. When humidity rises and rain is coming, the pine cone closes up to prevent the seeds from escaping and becoming waterlogged.

On October 28, 1998, a freak blast of lightning struck dead an entire soccer team in the African state of Congo during a match, while their opponents were left entirely unharmed. All 11 team members, aged between 20 and 35 years old, lost their lives, while members of the home team were untouched. Many soccer fans blamed witchcraft for the bizarre incident because, incidentally, the score was tied at the time of the deadly lightning strike.

On average, 70 percent of tornado warnings issued in the U.S. are false alarms. This means only three in 10 tornado warnings contained a verified tornado within the warned area during the time of the notice. In an attempt to lessen this false alarm problem, lead times for tornado warnings have decreased from 13 to 14 minutes, at the beginning of the decade, to around 8 to 9 minutes in 2017. National Weather Service forecasters now tend to wait until a tornado has begun before issuing a warning.

Hurricane John, also known as Typhoon John, was both the longest-lasting and the farthest-traveling cyclone ever recorded. John formed in 1994 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane. John traveled 7,165 miles from the eastern Pacific to the western Pacific and back to the central Pacific, lasting 31 days in total. Despite enduring for a full month, John barely hit any land and only minimally affected the Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. military base on Johnston Atoll.

Tropical storms are given names from a pre-determined and pre-approved list by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). There is a naming system in place, where names can only be repeated after six years. However, if a storm causes large amounts of destruction, that name is retired permanently and a new name starting with that letter is added to the list. This system was invented to easily distinguish different storms happening at the same time in different parts of the world.

On December 28, 2008, a windstorm caused a lot of damage during a New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills game. Winds at 75 mph tore a strip off the Buffalo Bills' practice field house across the parking lot from the stadium and tilted both goal posts inside the stadium. Work crews had to use ropes and a forklift to re-secure and re-center the goal posts, which shook heavily in the wind. The winds also tore off part of a goal post on the Bills' outdoor practice field next to the field house.

January 19, 1977, goes down in history and the only time that Florida has ever received snow. The moment the stuff hit the ground, it quickly dissipated. Yet many residents of the Sunshine State remember it as a blizzard. When the snow started to fall, as far south as Homestead, thousands of residents ran outside to see and feel it. Some motorists pulled to the side of the road in wonder, and teachers allowed school children to go out and experience what it's like to feel snowflakes on their faces.

Thundersnow isn't a spell from a fantasy novel. No, it's a rare winter weather phenomenon that's most common near large lakes. When relatively warm columns of air rise from the ground and form turbulent storm clouds in the sky in the winter, there's potential for thundersnow. A few other factors are necessary for it to occur, including air that's warmer than the cloud cover above it, and wind that pushes the warm air upwards. However, you may not even know thundersnow is happening, because lightning is harder to see in the winter and the snow can dampen the sound of thunder.

After snow storms and blizzards, where does the snow go? Different cities employ various snow disposal methods. Many haul it away to parking lots or other wide-open spaces where it can sit until the weather warms up and it melts. During particularly snowy seasons, cities are sometimes forced to dump snow in the ocean. Some cities use snow melter machines, which use hot water to melt 30 to 50 tons of snow an hour. This method is quick but costly-a single machine can cost $200,000.

About 2,000 people are killed around the world by lightning each year. However, hundreds more survive strikes but suffer from a variety of lasting complications, including memory loss, dizziness, weakness, numbness, and other life-altering ailments. Lightning strikes can cause cardiac arrest and severe burns, but the fact is, 9 of every 10 people survive. The average American has about a 1 in 5,000 chance of being struck by lightning during their lifetime. And for more mind-blowing facts, check out these 50 Facts So Crazy You Won't Believe They're Actually True.

To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, to follow us on Instagram!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
33 Facts About Storms That Will Make You Run for Cover | Best Life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As countless inaccurate weather reports have shown, storms are mysterious, unpredictable things. Most of us would probably have trouble identifying what exactly causes them, and even those whose full-time job is to predict them seem to have a tough time doing so.

# data[].attributes.body
day by day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hurricane Katrina Day by Day | National Geographic

# data[].attributes.body
The power of an ocean~

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content Skip to sidebar

Severe Weather 101
Step into the wild world of weather!
What is a wall cloud? What's the difference between a watch and a warning? Is it ever "too cold to snow"? Learn all about thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, lightning, floods, damaging winds and severe winter weather.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Step into the wild world of weather! What is a wall cloud? What's the difference between a watch and a warning? Is it ever "too cold to snow"? Learn all about thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, lightning, floods, damaging winds and severe winter weather.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thunderstorms, hail, blizzards, ice storms, high winds and heavy rain can develop quickly and threaten life and property. Severe storms occur in all regions of Canada and in all seasons.

Listen to the local radio or television stations for severe weather warnings and advice. Keep a battery-powered or wind-up radio on hand as there can be power outages during severe storms.

Types of storms

What to do:

Types of storms

Blizzards

A blizzard, in general, is when winds of 40 km/h or greater are expected to cause widespread reductions in visibility to 400 metres or less, due to blowing snow, or blowing snow in combination with falling snow, for at least four hours.

Blizzards come in on a wave of cold arctic air, bringing snow, bitter cold, high winds and poor visibility in blowing snow. While these conditions must last for at least four hours to be designated a blizzard, they may last for several days.

Poor visibility, low temperatures and high winds combine to create a significant hazard.

In Canada, blizzards with high winds are most common in the Prairies, eastern Arctic and eastern Ontario.

Heavy snowfalls are most common in British Columbia, the Atlantic provinces, southern and eastern Quebec and areas around the Great Lakes.

Freezing rain can occur pretty much anywhere in the country, but is particularly common in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

Hail

Hailstorms occur across Canada, though they are most frequent in Alberta, the southern Prairies and in southern Ontario.

Hailstorms occur mostly from May to October.

Parts of the Prairies can expect up to 10 hailstorms a year.

For farmers whose crops are crushed, and for others whose homes and cars are damaged, a hailstorm can be a financial disaster.

Some hailstones are the size of peas while others can be as big as grapefruits.

Heavy rain

Heavy rainfall can result in flooding. This is particularly true when the ground is still frozen or already saturated from previous storms.

Floods may also result, especially if heavy rain coincides with the spring thaw.

Ice storms

Freezing rain is tough, clings to everything it touches and is more slippery than snow.

A little freezing rain is dangerous, a lot can be catastrophic.

Lightning

Lightning occurs when the air becomes charged with electricity during a thunderstorm.

Bolts of lightning travel at about 40,000 kilometres per second.

More on lightning safety.

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are often accompanied by high winds, hail, lightning, heavy rain and tornadoes.

Thunderstorms are usually over within an hour, although a series of thunderstorms can last for several hours.

Wind

Strong winds, and especially gusty winds, can cause property damage or turn any loose item into a dangerous projectile, and create unsafe travelling conditions that affect your ability to safely steer your car.

When there is a wind warning for your area, you should expect inland winds to be blowing steadily at 60-65 km/h or more, or winds that are gusting up to 90 km/h or more. Secure or put away loose objects such as outdoor furniture or garbage cans, put your car in the garage, and bring livestock to shelter.

With winds between 60 and 70 km/h, you will have difficulty with balance and walking against the wind. Twigs and small branches could also blow off trees and cause a hazard, so stay inside until it is safe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
severe storm canada emergency preparedness planning how to natural disaster severe type thunderstorm lightning heavy rain hail winter snowstorm blizzard

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thunderstorms, hail, blizzards, ice storms, high winds and heavy rain can develop quickly and threaten life and property. Severe storms occur in all regions of Canada and in all seasons. Listen to the local radio or television stations for severe weather warnings and advice.