p. 328 Severe
Weather
Severe Weather USA
This site is designed to help people understand and follow severe weather systems. Click on the photos of severe weather, then look at the link about severe weather safety. What can be done to protect yourself from severe weather? Look at the U.S. map on the front page. Where are severe weather systems currently found?
Supercells
Go
to this University of Nebraska site to find out everything you wanted to know
about supercells, cumulonimbus clouds with rotating updrafts. The rotating updraft
of a supercell can be so intense that it is visible on radar. Scroll down and
click on supercell radar signatures to see what these supercells look like on
radar. This is a very interesting site with lots of graphics.
Savage
Planet
In
June, 2000, the Public Broadcasting System aired a series on our savage planet.
Episodes 2 and 3 were on storms and lightning, respectively. Click on storms
of the century to read about extratropical storms. Then scroll down to learn
more about the storm of the century in March, 1993. You can explore this site
to read about volcanoes, avalanches, and tracking near-Earth objects as well.
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Thunderstorms
About
Thunderstorms
Visit
this site by the Dutch Storm Chase Team for a good overview of thunderstorms.
Scroll down to facts about thunderstorms. What is the diameter of a typical
thunderstorm?
National
Hurricane Center: Tropical Prediction Center
Go
to this site to learn more about tropical cyclones. The National Hurricane Center
(NHC) maintains a continuous watch on tropical cyclones over the Atlantic, Carribbean,
Gulf of Mexico, and eastern Pacific oceans from May through November each year.
The menu to the left shows links to may subjects within the site. Click on tropical
cyclone FAQ. Scroll down to find out the relationship between hurricanes and
typhoons.
Thunderstorms
This site gives a general description of thunderstorms, how they are formed, and how they dissipate. Visit this site and click on the links to look at examples of the different stages of thunderstorm activity.
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Lightning
National
Lightning Safety Institute
Visit this site for information on lightning accidents and safety
precautions. Click on Personal Lightning Safety to educate yourself
about the risks of being struck by lightning and tips on how to protect
yourself during a thunderstorm. Click on personal lightning safety tips.
Is it safe to talk on the telephone during a thunderstorm?
Lightning:
The Shocking Story
At
this National Geographic Society site you can explore the science of lightning,
see photographs of lightning strikes, and read survivors’ stories. Click on
flash landing, then click on when lightning strikes to find out how lightning
works.
Fact
Sheet: Thunderstorms and Lightning
At
this Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) site you can learn to recognize
when a thunderstorm is approaching and how you can protect yourself and your
family from the effects of severe thunderstorms. What items do you need to have
on hand to survive a disaster?
