Weatherthings
Hurricane Hunters
In the United States, there are two different groups of hurricane hunters that fly into tropical storms and hurricanes to gather weather data. They use different planes and fly different patterns, but they all collect data in tropical...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Water on Earth
The cycle of water from the air to the ground to the oceans and back to the air never ends. Water is found in the air, in the ground, in rivers and oceans, and it's found as gas, liquid, and solid. As it moves though phases and locations...
Weatherthings
Weather and Seasons: seasons and dressing for seasons
A little girl and her grandfather spend a summer afternoon sitting by a pond. The conversation changes from how warm the summer day is to how the pond gets cold and freezes in the winter. The grandfather helps the girl understand how the...
Weatherthings
Wildfire Safety: Managing and fighting wildfires
How, when, and where wildfires happen, with a focus on safety. Wildfires need fuel and heat, so they can happen in any dry place. They are a natural part of Earth and they do have benefits. Most are caused by human activity. Wildfires...
Weatherthings
Hurricane Frederic
A history of the devastating 1979 hurricane that struck the Alabama coast.
Weatherthings
Water Smart: Water on Earth - Wetlands
Water on Earth focuses on water as most kids would think about it. We start with water in obvious locations such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. We quickly learn that water can change phase to remain a solid in glaciers. Many kids may be...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Satellite
Weather forecasting requires observation. Beyond the things we can see, hear and sense, meteorologists need detailed data to observe distant weather, whether that is distant along the ground, or distant up into the sky. Weather...
Weatherthings
Water Smart: Water as a Natural Resource - Summary
In Water as a Natural Resource we are introduced to words such as habitat, ecosystem, watershed and estuary. Not only do kids learn that water exists everywhere on Earth, but that it is vital for life in plants, animals, and all other...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Spring
The orbit of Earth on a tilted axis around the sun leads to the seasons. The resulting change of angle of the sun, and length of day controls how warm we get at different times of the year. With those changes in seasons come changes in...
Weatherthings
Water Smart: The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate - Evaporation
The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate shows us how the sun produces heat to drive the water cycle. It's made clear that the water cycle continues in the absence of sunlight or heat. We learn how the two components of climate- temperature and...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Thunderstorm Wind
Lightning is spectacular, from a distance. It's nature's way of transferring electricity within the sky, or between the sky and the ground. When lightning is nearby, it is a threat to safety. People are struck by lightning, in many cases...
Weatherthings
Water Smart: Water on Earth - Groundwater
Water on Earth focuses on water as most kids would think about it. We start with water in obvious locations such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. We quickly learn that water can change phase to remain a solid in glaciers. Many kids may be...
Weatherthings
Water Smart: Water in the Air - Clouds
Water in the Air reveals the varied phases of water that surround us, fall on us, travel in air, and serve as a crucial component of the water cycle. Emphasis is on the fact that water in air can be vapor or solid, visible or invisible,...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Physics of Optics
A blue sky and fluffy bright clouds are things that are seen around the world. The atmosphere presents a multitude of sights and phenomena using light, air, water droplets, ice crystals, and dust. Many of the phenomena give clues to...
Weatherthings
Water Smart: The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate - Quiz
The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate shows us how the sun produces heat to drive the water cycle. It's made clear that the water cycle continues in the absence of sunlight or heat. We learn how the two components of climate- temperature and...
Weatherthings
Storms: Weather jokes and credits
Children on a playground use creativity and their imaginations to simulate the many different types of storms found on Earth. From thunderstorms to wind storms, to snow storms and rain storms, to hurricanes and tornadoes, the children...
Weatherthings
Contrails
A fun music video featuring airplane condensation trails, also known as vapor trails. These common man-made clouds form behind high-flying aircraft as skinny lines but then they may spread out to merge with natural cirrus clouds.
Weatherthings
Water Smart: The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate - Condensation
The Sun, Water Cycle, & Climate shows us how the sun produces heat to drive the water cycle. It's made clear that the water cycle continues in the absence of sunlight or heat. We learn how the two components of climate- temperature and...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Tornado Formation
Over a thousand tornadoes happen every year in the United States but only few dozen take lives. Most tornadoes are brief and weak but the tornadoes that are large and powerful can wipe homes off their foundations. Tornadoes only come...
Weatherthings
Storms: rain, floods, flash floods
Children on a playground use creativity and their imaginations to simulate the many different types of storms found on Earth. From thunderstorms to wind storms, to snow storms and rain storms, to hurricanes and tornadoes, the children...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Hurricane Safety
For their size and impact, hurricanes are often called the greatest storms on Earth. They expend a tremendous amount of energy through the water cycle, and through wind, to maintain the balance of the atmosphere. Known by different names...
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Weather Things: Climate Defined
Climate is the average type of weather that a region has. It is defined by temperature and moisture. Proximity to oceans and large mountain ranges defines climate too, depending upon the prevailing wind. While climates change over...
Weatherthings
Weather Things: Basic Weather Instruments
Weather forecasting requires observation. Beyond the things we can see, hear and sense, meteorologists need detailed data to observe distant weather, whether that is distant along the ground, or distant up into the sky. Weather...