Aurae Beidler's Blog
Posted by Aurae Beidler
As the end of the year approaches, I wanted to look back at the weather events of 2007. There were several horrible events that caught my attention this year. This year I was amazed at the awesome power of Mother Nature, or the amazing feats of God, whichever way you'd like to put it. I've listed the Top 5 Weather Events of 2007, in terms of widespread destruction and the affect on society.
5. Oklahoma Ice Storm of December - a widespread ice storm hit the Mid-western United States, causing the governor of Oklahoma to declare a state of emergency. Power lines were brought down by ice of the lines, as freezing rain accumulated on anything and everything. Freezing rain and ice caused many auto accidents as the storm continued for several days.
4. Hurricane Force Winds Hit Northwest Coast - a massive winter storm hit the Northwestern United States in early December, with hurricane force winds and inches of rainfall. Widespread flooding occurred for several days after the winds subsided.
3. Wildfires Sweep Through Southern California - Fueled by heat waves and dry conditions, the Santa Ana winds swept fire and smoke throughout Southern California. Residents were forced to evacuate the areas, as over 1 million acres burned.
2. An E-F5 Tornado Destroys Greensburg, Kansas - The first E-F5 tornado since the enhanced Fujita Scale was completed earlier in the year, hit the Mid-West on May 4, 2007. Greensburg, Kansas was almost completely destroyed, as the 200 mph winds damaged anything in its 1.7 mile wide path.
1. Cyclone Sidr - On November 16th, the strong tropical cyclone caused massive destruction and death in Bangladesh. Originating from the Bay of Bengal, the tropical cyclone brought 150 mph winds, causing high storm surge to the low-lying areas of the nation.
Posted by Aurae Beidler
Recently, I’ve had friends and family suggest that I write an article about the meteor showers and comet trail that Earth will be passing through on Dec. 22nd, because they know I am the Feature Writer for “Meteorology & Climatology”. So, I thought I would pass on the information, to appease their interest, even though I personally would seek out the information from an Astronomy writer. ;)
On December 22, 2007, the Earth will pass through the trail of the Comet 8P/Tuttle. While passing through the trail of comet dust, inhabitants of Earth will be able to see the dust and debris, appearing as meteors in the sky. The comet is said to be as big as comet Halley, yet not as bright. During the previous years the comet passed by Earth, most recently 1980 and 1994, “dozens of meteors per hour” were visible from the Ursa-Minor area of the sky. The meteor show is nicknamed “the Ursids” for this reason.
Yet, the meteor shower may be hard to see from North America, as the peak time will occur during daylight hours, and an almost full moon doesn’t help the viewing during evening hours either. But, those who brave the cold of winter, venturing outside in the dark, may be in for a real treat as the comet is sure to have “a strong Perseid-level shower in store for us” (SETI Institute, Meteor Astronomer Carl Sagan Center, 2007).
Posted by Aurae Beidler
This time of year is sure to get the best of the most happiest of people. I know the winter makes me feel tired and depressed at times. As the winter hits us, especially in the Northern states and Canada, it seems most of us get a case of "cabin fever". We're trapped indoors for long periods of time, the days are short and the cold weather just makes us want to sleep in our warm beds! These can all be considered normal reactions to season change, especially the change to winter.
The more serious reaction to the changing seasons is considered Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD affects those in northern locations where the sun's UV light is limited. The Mayo Clinic describes symptoms of SAD as
- depression
- lethargy
- fatigue
- anxiety
- other problems, such as oversleeping, weight gain, and withdrawing from society
Several treatments and coping mechanisms to SAD include
- Light box therapy
- Antidepressants
- Vitamin D treatment
- Letting the light in through windows
- Exercise
- Getting outside during sunny weather no matter where you live
- Taking a trip to a sunny location
- Stress Management
Posted by Aurae Beidler
While trying to find something to watch on television this weekend, I happened to flip to the Weather Channel, which I periodically do, being the Feature Writer for Meteorology & Climatology. There I found Harry Connick, Jr. hosting a show called the "100 Biggest Weather Moments". I happened to be tuned into the show on #10, 1974 Tornado Super Outbreak. My eyes were glued to the screen for the next 15 minutes. I was amazed at the amount of information they presented, and awed at how nature could have such an impact on society. I regretted that I hadn't found this program earlier.
The program lists the "100 Biggest Weather Moments", ranking everything from meteorology technology, to natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, to weather icons like Punxsutawney Phil and scientists and meteorologists such as Benjamin Franklin.
Make sure to check out the 100 Biggest Weather Moments now airing on The Weather Channel or go to their website to do further reading and vote in polls.
Posted by Aurae Beidler
Welcome! I am so excited to be the new Feature Writer for the new Meteorology & Climatology topic. This new topic has so many areas to explore, from weather forecasting to storm chasing and global climate changes and on and on. I would like to bring more attention to this topic, by keeping discussions up-to-date, creating weekly or monthly polls and writing intriguing weather and climate stories.
Weather is always in the news, from hurricanes to heat waves or record snow. Each season creates new weather forecasting challenges, coupled with the opportunity to use newly developed technology in meteorology. Weather forecasters are either your best friend or your enemy, depending on how accurate weather predictions are.
Today the Northwest has been in the news, with record wind gusts, rainfall totals and damaging storm debris. Roads are closed along the coast and coastal mountain passes, with trees and branches falling on roadways. Flooding is the new threat, leaving some stranded. The winter weather has created such a mess for people over here in the Northwest.
Read on for more information about winter storms, specifically Nor'Easters.
