Wind shear can tilt a hurricane, push storms away from the center, and keep warm ocean energy from building a stronger cyclone.
Category - Environment
Akshay Dinesh
What PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Mean for Drinking Water
PFAS can persist in water and soil for years. Learn why these chemicals are hard to remove and how drinking water rules measure risk.
How the Gulf Loop Current Can Feed Stronger Hurricanes
The Gulf Loop Current can store deep ocean heat that helps some hurricanes strengthen quickly before landfall.
Why Fireworks Smoke Can Make Air Quality Drop Overnight
Fireworks can briefly raise PM2.5 pollution when calm overnight air traps smoke near the ground after big celebrations.
How Hailstones Grow Inside Thunderstorms
Hailstones grow when strong thunderstorm updrafts lift ice through supercooled water, adding frozen layers before they fall.
Why Hurricane Evacuation Zones Are Not the Same as the Forecast Cone
Evacuation zones show who may need to leave before storm surge arrives, while the forecast cone tracks the storm center.
Why Dew Point Tells You More Than Humidity in Summer
Dew point often explains muggy summer air better than relative humidity because it shows how much moisture is actually in the air.
What a Flash Flood Warning Means Before the Water Rises
A flash flood warning means dangerous water may rise fast. Learn how warnings work, why floods form quickly, and what actions matter most.
How El Niño Changes Weather Before It Reaches the Forecast
El Niño starts in the tropical Pacific, but its ocean and wind changes can reshape rainfall, storms, and seasonal forecasts far away.
What a Red Flag Warning Means Before a Wildfire Starts
A Red Flag Warning means weather and dry fuels can make fires start easily and spread fast, even before smoke appears.
How Blue Carbon Hides in Coastal Wetland Soils
Blue carbon is stored by salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrass meadows, mostly in wet soils where carbon can remain for centuries.
Why Hurricane Categories Measure Wind, Not the Whole Storm
Hurricane categories rank wind speed, but storm surge, rainfall, size, and track explain why lower-category storms can still be dangerous.
Why Wet-Bulb Temperature Changes How Heat Feels
Wet-bulb temperature and WBGT explain why humid, sunny heat can overwhelm the body faster than air temperature alone suggests.
Why Urban Heat Islands Make Cities Hotter After Sunset
Urban heat islands make city blocks stay warmer after sunset as pavement, roofs, traffic, and lost shade store heat through the day.
Why Derechos Can Leave Damage for Hundreds of Miles
Derechos are long-lived thunderstorm windstorms. Learn how they form, why they move so fast, and why their damage can stretch for hundreds of miles.
