storms
5 questions tagged storms — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
What is a derecho?
A derecho is a long-lived, widespread windstorm produced by a fast-moving line of thunderstorms, with damage running in a straight path.
Why do some thunderstorms produce hail instead of only rain?
Hail forms when powerful updrafts in thunderstorms keep raindrops aloft long enough to freeze and grow in layers of ice. When the stones become too heavy for the updraft, they fall.
What is a nor'easter?
A nor'easter is a powerful coastal storm that affects the northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada, named for the strong northeasterly winds it brings. These storms can cause heavy snow, rain, flooding, and coastal erosion.
Why do some tropical storms spin in opposite directions in different hemispheres?
Earth’s rotation creates the Coriolis effect, which deflects moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. That is why storms rotate counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of it.
Which tropical cyclone was the largest ever recorded by diameter?
Typhoon Tip in 1979 is generally regarded as the largest tropical cyclone on record, with a storm diameter of about 2,200 km.