Weather Facts

Bring together the strangest and most useful weather science.

About Weather Facts

Weather is powered by the Sun, shaped by Earth's rotation, and moved around the planet by air and water. Tiny cloud droplets can grow into giant thunderstorms, while pressure differences across continents can organize storms thousands of kilometers wide.

Visual learning: These pages use real Wikimedia Commons and scientific weather imagery. Final image URLs should be browser-tested before deployment.

Thunderstorm — ThunderstormThunderstorms form when warm moist air rises into an unstable atmosphere.

Tornado — TornadoTornadoes are rapidly rotating columns of air connected to thunderstorms.

Hurricane — HurricaneTropical cyclones are organized rotating storm systems fueled by warm ocean water.

Snowstorm — SnowstormWinter storms can combine snow, wind, cold, and low visibility.

Lightning Is Extremely Hot

A lightning channel can briefly heat air to temperatures hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Raindrops Are Not Tear-Shaped

Small falling raindrops are nearly spherical.

Snow Is Mostly Air

Fresh snow contains a great deal of trapped air.

Air Pressure Is Powerful

The atmosphere pushes on every surface.

Wind Has Many Scales

Wind ranges from tiny turbulent eddies to global jet streams.

Hurricanes Need Warm Oceans

Warm water supplies heat and moisture.

Forecasts Have Improved Greatly

Modern forecasts are far more accurate than those of past decades.

Weather Is Chaotic

Small differences in atmospheric conditions can grow over time.

Lightning Is Extremely Hot

The rapid heating creates thunder.

Raindrops Are Not Tear-Shaped

Larger drops flatten underneath and can break apart.

Snow Is Mostly Air

That is why its depth can be many times greater than the water left after melting.

Air Pressure Is Powerful

Our bodies do not collapse because internal pressure balances the surrounding air.

Wind Has Many Scales

The same physical laws connect local breezes and planetary circulation.

Hurricanes Need Warm Oceans

They weaken over land or cold water when that energy source is reduced.

Forecasts Have Improved Greatly

Satellites, radar, computing, models, and better observations drove major gains.

Weather Is Chaotic

This is why exact forecasts become less reliable farther into the future.