A storm surge is a flood of high water, caused by wind and low pressure pushing water on shore from the ocean. The most spectacular and damaging examples of this occur during storm events such as hurricanes or cyclones. It…
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The fishing industry is one which has been in decline for a great many years. As demand for fish and seafood has grown from an increasingly numerous and prosperous human population, fishermen and all those associated with the industry have…
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How does the Earth’s spin affect weather? If the earth did not spin, have a tilt on the axis and have water, the air would heat up from the sun and rise causing it to move towards the poles where…
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Thunderstorms form from three ingredients, moisture, instability in the air and sources of lift. The warm water in large oceans like the Atlantic and Pacific and the gulfs are the major contributors of moisture to thunderstorms. The instable air can…
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A satellite picture of a fully formed hurricane is a distinctive one. It is also a scary one for anyone who has lived through one. The central eye of clear air and the spiral of white clouds surrounding it are…
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The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is rising, and this is increasing the acidity of the oceans. The way this happens is that atmospheric CO2 dissolves in water to produce bicarbonate (chemically-speaking, HCO3) and hydrogen ions. The…
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On the 17th of December 1944 the US navy task force 38 had just completed three days of heavy air raids against Japanese airfields in support of amphibious operations against the island of Mindaro in the Philippines. Attempts were made…
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The Great MistakeOn September 21, 1938 the official forecast for Long Island and the New England area was for cloudy skies and gusty conditions. By 3:30 PM an enormous hurricane struck with 30-50 foot waves, 14-25 foot storm tides, and…
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The Beaufort wind scale is a measure of the speed or force of a wind and is widely used on land and at sea. Knowing the strength of approaching winds is obviously important for many reasons. Advance warning of oncoming…
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The Niagara falls are a huge series of waterfalls on the Niagara River, stretching across the international border between New York State and Ontario, with twin cities sharing the name, on each side of the river. The falls themselves are…
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