It's Raining Fish and Spiders (21 page)

BOOK: It's Raining Fish and Spiders
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used by permission of James Quirk; taken by his grandfather.

As the low moves eastward, a cold front trails south from it. Warm air is ahead of the front. As the low works eastward through the south, it produces soaking rains and thunderstorms while picking up tons of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. When that moisture moves north and hits colder air, it produces snow through Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Ohio Valley.

By midnight Monday, the low is over Atlanta, and thunderstorms are dumping heavy rain over Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. As the warm front pushes northward into the colder air, snow breaks out over the mid-Atlantic states, the Smokey Mountains, and the Virginias. By noon Tuesday, the low is over Washington, D.C., producing snow, and the arctic high is sliding eastward over New England.

Now the low is moving northeastward and out over the Atlantic Ocean, where conditions cause the low to strengthen. As the low becomes stronger it throws more moisture from the ocean back into the northeastern United States, creating a major snowstorm. In this scenario as much as 20 to 30 inches of snow can be produced throughout New England and the other northeastern states. By midnight Tuesday, the storm is just east of Boston.

Types of Winter Precipitation

In winter, one of the hardest things for a weather forecaster to do is to figure out what type of precipitation there will be. In most cases winter storms bring more than just snow. Only in the coldest months in the northernmost reaches of the country is the precipitation usually all snow. Over much of the country, depending on local geography and the flow of just a little warm air, precipitation can vary from snow, sleet, or freezing rain (which causes many more automobile accidents than snow). Sometimes it is hard for forecasters to say exactly what is going to fall from the sky in winter because it's not just snow.

Other Kinds of Ice

Frank Picini

There is always confusion when it comes to the names of the types of ice falling from the sky. Many people confuse sleet with hail. The difference is easy to remember: sleet in winter and hail in summer. But when it comes to ice and its classifications, not even scientists can agree.

Snow makes up seven of the ten kinds of frozen precipitation in the international classification system. The others are graupel, hail, and ice pellets or sleet. Official weather observers in the United States use the term
ice pellets
rather than sleet, as sleet is defined differently throughout the world. Here you can see the differences.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce

Wind Chill!

Whenever you hear the words “wind chill,” it's because the cold winds are cranking outside. Wind chill is actually how skin feels when exposed to bitter winter winds. Updated in 2001 by the National Weather Service, the Wind Chill Temperature Index uses science, technology, and computer modeling to derive the Wind Chill Chart, which lets you know how it really feels outside.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce

The chart is based on the model of a human face, with wind blowing at an average height of 5 feet (the average height of an adult human face) and measures temperature against wind speed. Wind chill is computed using modern heat transfer theory (heat loss from the body to its surroundings during cold and breezy or windy days). Impact from the sun is not factored in as that may increase wind-chill temperatures by 10° to 18°F (-12° to -8°C). Wind chill can only be figured for temperatures at or below 50°F (10°C) and wind speeds above 3 mph.

Oh My, I Can't Feel My Fingers!

Coldest Temperatures Recorded in Each State

You've Got to Be Kidding Me—Antarctica!

You want to talk about extremes, Antarctica is the land of extremes! It is the
coldest, windiest,
and
highest
continent anywhere on Earth! The lowest temperature ever recorded on the planet was -128.6ºF (-89.2°C), was measured at the Russian research station of Vostok, near the South Pole, at an elevation of 11,220 feet. That's the same height as the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.

United States Antarctic Program, National Science Foundation; Photographer: Jerrod Clausen

Bill Adler; used by permission.

Bill Adler; used by permission.

Antarctica has an average elevation of 7,544 feet (2,300 meters) above sea level. Even though it is covered in ice, it receives almost the least amount of rainfall of any place in the world, getting just slightly more rainfall than the Sahara Desert. Despite the snow and ice, Antarctica is the
largest desert
on Earth.

On July 4, 2003, a remote-recording weather station located on Queen Maud Land in eastern Antarctica reported an air temperature of -94°F (-70°C) and a wind speed of 75 mph. The resulting wind chill of -150°F (-101°C) is perhaps the coldest ever recorded anywhere. It's difficult to even imagine how a human could endure such extreme conditions!

Bill Adler; used by permission.

How Low Can It Go?

Antarctica

 

 

Antarctica

-128.6°F (-89.2°C)

Vostok

 

coldest official temperature in the world, on July 21, 1983

 

The Arctic

 

 

Greenland

-86.8°F (-66°C)

Northice

North Pole

-59°F (-51°C)

North Pole

Asia

 

 

Russia

-90°F (-68°C)

Verkhoyansk

Mongolia

-72°F (-58°C)

Uvs Lake

Afghanistan

-64°F (-53°C)

Sharak

China

-62.1°F (-52.3°C)

Mohe

Turkey

-50°F (-46°C)

Karakose

Korea

-46°F (-43°C)

Chungangjin, N. Korea

Japan

-42°F (-41°C)

Asahikawa, Hokkaido

Iran

-33°F (-36°C)

Bijar and Saqquz

India

-24°F (-31°C)

Leh

Lebanon

-9°F (-23°C)

Yammoune

Pakistan

-8°F (-22°C)

Sakardu

Taiwan

-1°F (-18°C)

Yushan North Peak

Iraq

0°F (-18°C)

Mossul

Syria

4°F (-16°C)

Al Qamishi

Israel

6°F (-14°C)

Mount Avital

Jordan

7°F (-14°C)

Shoubak

Saudi Arabia

12°F (-11°C)

Turuyfa

Burma

21°F (-6°C)

Haka

Kuwait

21°F (-6°C)

Kuwait City

Sri Lanka

25°F (-4°C)

Nuwara Eliya

Laos

26°F (-3°C)

Xiang Khoang

Thailand

28°F (-2°C)

Doi Inthanon

Vietnam

28°F (-2°C)

Muong Bu

Hong Kong

32°F (0°C)

Victoria Peak

Oman

32°F (0°C)

Hibra

Yemen

32°F (0°C)

Sanaa

Bangladesh

33°F (1°C)

Jalpaiguri

Indonesia

34°F (1°C)

Mount Pangrango

Qatar

34°F (1°C)

Doha

Malaysia

36°F (2°C)

Cameron Highlands

Bahrain

37°F (3°C)

Manama

United Arab Emirates

37°F (3°C)

Sharjah

Philippines

37.5°F (3.1°C)

Baguio

Cambodia

46°F (8°C)

Val d'Emeraude

Maldives

64°F (18°C)

Male

Brunei

65°F (18°C)

Bandar Seri Bagawan

Singapore

65°F (18°C)

Paya Lebar

North America

 

 

Canada

-81.4°F (-63°C)

Snag, Yukon

United States

-79.8°F (-62°C)

Prospect Creek, AK

Mexico

-18.5°F (-28°C)

Los Lamentos

Cuba

32°F (0°C)

Havana Airport

Europe

 

 

Russia

-68.8°F (-56°C)

Pechora

Sweden

-63°F (-53°C)

Vuoggatjalme

Norway

-62°F (-52°C)

Karasjok

Finland

-61°F (-52°C)

Kittilä and Pokka

Armenia

-51°F (-41°C)

Paghakn

Estonia

-46°F (-43°C)

Jõgeva

Latvia

-46°F (-43°C)

Daugavpils

Yugoslavia (former)

-45°F (-43°C)

Igman, Bosnia Herzegovina

Czech Republic

-44°F (-42°C)

Litvínovice

Switzerland

-43.2°F (-41.7°C)

La Brevine

Poland

-42°F (-41°C)

Siedlce

Slovakia

-42°F (-41°C)

Viglas-Pstrusa

France

-41.5°F (-40.8°C)

Mouthe

Bulgaria

-38°F (-39°C)

Trun

Romania

-37°F (-38°C)

Bod

Iceland

-36.4°F (-38°C)

Grimsstadir and Modrudalur

Germany

-36°F (-37°C)

Hull

Italy

-36°F (-37°C)

Livigno

Austria

-35°F (-37°C)

Sonnblick

Hungary

-31°F (-35°C)

Gorombolytapolca

Spain

-28°F (-33°C)

Estany Gento

Denmark

-24.2°F (-31.2°C)

Horsted

Belgium

-22.2°F (-30.1°C)

Rochefort

Greece

-18°F (-28°C)

Ptolemaida

Great Britain

-17°F (-27°C)

Braemer and Altnaharra

Netherlands

-17°F (-27°C)

Winterswijk

Albania

-16°F (-27°C)

Sheqeras

Luxembourg

-12°F (-24°C)

Wiltz and Clemency

Ireland

-2°F (-19°C)

Markree Castle

Portugal

3°F (-16°C)

Penhas da Sude

Holy See

19°F (-7°C)

Vatican City

Cyprus

21°F (-6°C)

Nicosia

Azores

37°F (2.8°C)

Santa Cruz

South and Central America

 

 

Argentina

-38°F (-39°C)

Pato Superior V alley

Chile

-26°F (-32°C)

Ollague

Bolivia

-15°F (-26°C)

Uyuni

Peru

-13°F (-25°C)

Imata

Brazil

7°F (-14°C)

Cacador

Guatemala

12°F (-11°C)

Labor Ovalle

Uruguay

12°F (-11°C)

Melo

Costa Rica

16°F (-9°C)

Mount Chirripo

Ecuador

17°F (-8°C)

Romerillos

Paraguay

19°F (-7°C)

Prats Gill

Venezuela

19°F (-7°C)

El Aguila Peak

Colombia

20°F (-7°C)

Bogotá

Honduras

31°F (-0.5°C)

La Esperanza

Panama

36°F (2°C)

Bajo Grande

El Salvador

45°F (7°C)

San Salvadore

Belize

52°F (11°C)

Belize City

French Guiana

54°F (12°C)

Saul

Guyana

60°F (16°C)

Mazaruni

Suriname

60°F (16°C)

Paramaribo

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