Category: weather

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North Carolina’s Allergy Sufferers are Being Terrorized by a “Pollenpocalypse”

As someone who dreads the coming of spring every year because of my seasonal allergies, I can’t even imagine how terrifying this “pollenpocalypse” must be to allergy-suffering residents of North Carolina.

Seriously, these photos look like still shots from a science fiction movie where an evil yellow dust coats the Earth and monsters grow out of the ground…or something like that.

Facebook user Jeremy Gilchrist shared the following pics from Durham, NC, to show just how extreme the pollenpocalypse is right now. He said, “No tricks here. Yes you are looking at a green haze made up of tree pollen from the pines of central NC! This is Durham: #ThePollening #Pollen #Pollmageddon.”

Posted by Jeremy Gilchrist on Monday, April 8, 2019

Posted by Jeremy Gilchrist on Monday, April 8, 2019

The high pollen counts in North Carolina are a result of trees mating because of the warmer weather. On the day Gilchrist posted these photos, the pollen count for nearby Raleigh was more than 2,500 pollen grains per cubic meter.

Peak pollen season in North Carolina usually sees a rate of between 1,000-1,500 grains per cubic meter, so the recent counts have truly been off the charts.

Posted by Jeremy Gilchrist on Monday, April 8, 2019

Some researchers believe that climate change plays a role in this kind of extreme pollen episode, as warmer weather last longer and plants have more time to give off pollen.

If you’re an allergy sufferer, you might have a long spring and summer (and maybe fall) in store for you.

Bless you!

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NASA Just Made it Possible For You to Check the Weather on Mars

Modern living has given us a lot of great things – smartphones, the internet, DoorDash. But this next one might be one of the best examples of humanity’s greatness and ingenuity. You see, you can now check the daily weather on another planet!

The reports are a part of NASA’s InSight Lander’s – short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport – mission, which is to give Mars a “checkup” of sorts. The robot is set to report temperature, wind, and pressure readings for the foreseeable future.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL

Mission lead Don Banfield reminds us that the lander “is close to the Martian equator – just north of the equator – so it is experiencing Martian winter.”

And Martian winter will have you saying prayers of thanks for the polar vortex you might be experiencing Earthside.

“I didn’t think we’d see any evidence of the storms that are 60-degrees north latitude, but we’re already seeing evidence of the high and low pressure-signal waves that create weather on Mars,” Banfield continues. “We can see those waves all the way down near the equator, as the waves are big enough that they have a signature. That was a surprise.”

Compared to the systems we see here on Earth, the high and low pressures on Mars are far less chaotic, but the coldest temperatures on the red planet average around -139 degrees at 5am. The sunrise heats it to around a balmy 23 degrees, though, so you know. Livable.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL

If you could breathe the air.

InSight will also be recording tectonic activity and meteorite impacts in real time, and monitoring the planet’s crust, mantle, and core.

If you’re one of those people who think colonizing another planet would be super fun, you might want to log on and start gathering your own data on what kind of clothes you’ll need to bring along.

But, you know. Warm stuff for sure.

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10 Fast Facts to Take a Look at Right NOW!

We get it, we’re all in a rush to get things done these days. So here are some fast facts that you can squeeze into your day at any time, then get back to it!

1. The law of urination

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2. Nothing to prove

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3. Get moving!

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4. Glad they changed that

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5. That is terrifying

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6. The scent of snow

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7. It’s okay to look away

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8. Whoa!

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9. What a story

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10. Not a good look

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FAST! And informative…

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Interactive Maps Show How Climate Change Could Affect Your City

While there are still a decent amount of folks in government and civilian life who believe climate change isn’t real (or that it’s “not that bad”), the facts are undeniable: our planet is changing at an alarming pace.

Two interactive maps, one from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and one from the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, show how climate change might affect every part of the U.S. in 80 years and 60 years, respectively.

Photo Credit: Public Domain Pictures

You can explore the maps for yourself HERE and HERE, but let’s break down some of the findings from the maps.

This overview image is particularly telling. It shows what the climate of different cities might look like in 2080 based on current emissions trend-lines. As you can see, in only 60 years (within your lifetime?) Minneapolis will likely feel more like Oklahoma, assuming no successful action is taken to curb greenhouse gases.

According to the research, here’s what what it might feel like Los Angeles in 60 years.

Here is a snapshot of the Southeastern United States, focusing on Charlotte, North Carolina.

How will the Big Apple fare in 2080? Take a look.

NYC’s temperature will feel more like that of Jonesboro, Arkansas, which is more than 9 degrees warmer and 20% drier during the summer than the people of New York currently experience. And if you’ve ever been through a summer in New York, you know that if it got 9 degrees hotter…well, it’s pretty horrific to imagine.

Chicago has been in the news lately for its extreme cold weather, but in 60 years the weather in the Windy City might feel more like northeast Kansas.

As if Dallas wasn’t hot and sticky enough in the summertime, in 2080 the climate might feel more like that of New Orleans.

A final example from the 2080 map, from Miami, Florida:

The map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is a little more difficult to figure out, allows you to explore how climate change might affect cities and towns in the U.S. from 2010 to 2100 and also offers historical climate data from 1950 to 2010.  Here is an example.

The average daily maximum temperature in for Cook County, Illinois (which includes Chicago).

Photo Credit: NOAA

As you can see, it’s already warmed up, and it’ll just keep on getting hotter and hotter.

Look, the more we know about climate change, the better – and that means politicians, scientists, and normal citizens like you and me. It’s no longer an excuse to say “I’m not a scientist,” cause the scientists have made maps that do all the work for you. We’re not gonna solve this problem on a small individual scale. It’s time to pull together folks!

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Here’s Why You Should Reconsider Heating up Your Car in Cold Weather

For those of us in the United States, this year has been a particularly cold, wet winter. As I write this, there’s a major snowstorm blanketing the East Coast, and seasoned natives of these cold parts know that warming up your car is an important step for keeping your car running smoothly throughout the winter. A 2009 study showed that most Americans believe that, when temperatures drop to below freezing, you should let your car idle for at least 4 minutes before driving off.

Unfortunately, it turns out there are several reasons why starting your car up and letting it run isn’t the best idea. Read on to find out why you shouldn’t make it a habit.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

According to Stephen Ciatti (whose credentials include drag racing and a PhD in mechanical engineering), newer model cars don’t need to idle to “warm up,” and the practice can actually lead to a shorter lifespan for your engine.

Older car models relied on carburetors, and frigid weather did pose a threat to their performance because the cold temperatures made the gasoline less likely to evaporate. That could lead to carburetors failing to get the right mixture of air and fuel to the engine, which could cause cars to stall out.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Since the 1980s, however, most cars have been made with electronic fuel injection. That means your car is aware of the colder temperatures and can adjust automatically by introducing more gasoline to compensate. So if you let your newer engine idle, you’re subjecting your engine to more gasoline-rich fuel than necessary. That could lead to trouble, says Ciatti.

“Gasoline is an outstanding solvent and it can actually wash oil off the combustion chamber’s walls if you run it in the cold idle conditions for an extended period of time and can have a detrimental effect on the lubrication and life of things like piston rings and cylinder liners.”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Once your engine reaches a temperature of around 40 degrees, the car switches back to its usual fuel mixture, but “warming it up” doesn’t help it reach that point any faster. The fastest way to heat up your engine is to just drive.

Bundle up, though, because it will take your engine between 5 and 15 minutes to climb to a normal temperature from the time you hit the gas.

Spring is coming though, y’all. The groundhog says so.

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During a particularly cold spell…

During a particularly cold spell in the town of Snag (Yukon) where the temp reached -83f (-63.9c) you could clearly hear people speaking 4 miles away along with other phenomenon such as peoples breath turning to powder and falling straight to the ground & river ice booming like gunshots.

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On January 22, 1943 in Spearfish…

On January 22, 1943 in Spearfish, South Dakota, the temperature rose from -4 at 7:32 a.m. to 45 degrees–a rise of 49 degrees—in just two minutes. A couple of hours later, it plunged from 54 back to -4 degrees–a change of 58 degrees in 27 minutes.

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10+ Facts About Climate Change That’ll Light a Fire Under Your A**

Climate change is REAL! Seriously.  I know some people like to claim it isn’t, but the science is pretty damning. We need to take drastic action, collectively as a species, and we need to do it fast. Hopefully, these alarming facts will make you pay more attention to the issue.

1. Virus

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2. The Pole is moving

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3. Renewable

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4. Fascinating

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5. Brilliant girls

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6. Recycle!

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7. A major event

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8. Let’s do it!

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9. A good example

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10. Achieve that goal!

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11. With his own eyes

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12. WOW

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13. Ecocapsule

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14. Hopefully things have changed in the past few years

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15. Terrible

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Wake up, people! And do your part!

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This IKEA Store Is Opening Its Doors to Give Stray Dogs a Warm Place to Sleep

As Old Man Winter tightens his icy grip around the world, one IKEA store in Italy has decided to go above and beyond in considering the plight of our furry friends during this time.

The store, located in Catania, Italy, has been letting stray dogs relax and sleep in the warm comfort of the store, giving them a crucial chance to survive winter by avoiding frigid overnight temperatures.

Photo Credit: Instagram,gscalone82

An IKEA customer who happened upon a group of dogs snoozing near a living room display said, “My reaction was pure amazement. It’s not a common thing.”

The dogs are also fed at the store, and some have even been adopted by IKEA customers who just couldn’t resist those adorable puppy dog eyes.

Photo Credit: Instagram,dakot.photo

Another customer said, “I felt a feeling of deep tenderness and great happiness in seeing dogs crouched in the exhibition space at the entrance of the IKEA. If all the stores that had the space would make a place of refuge for strays, I would be really happy.”

Here’s a couple more photos because you know you need this.

Photo Credit: Instagram,noahromley

Does that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, or what?

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This Small Town in Alaska Won’t See The Sun Again Until Late January

Alaska is a place of extremes. There are some of the most beautiful vistas you’ll ever see there, but all that beauty is accompanied by harsh, unforgiving weather that takes no prisoners. It’s definitely not a place for the faint of heart.

Photo Credit: YouTube

The intense Alaskan winters attract a specific type of person – you need to be rugged and tough to make it out here. And there is one town that has it extremely tough, even by Alaskan standards. The town of Utqiaġvik (formerly called Barrow) was plunged into darkness on November 18, and the sun won’t rise again there until January 23.

That’s 65 days without sunlight for the northernmost town in America.

Photo Credit: Twitter, weatherchannel

The period of constant darkness is known as “polar night.” Weather.com describes the phenomenon like this: “From mid-November through late January, the sun doesn’t rise north of the Arctic Circle due to the tilt of the Earth away from the sun’s most direct radiation.” Utqiaġvik is north of the Arctic Circle and has a population of just over 4,000 residents.

Photo Credit: Twitter, Brimshack

Let’s just hope we don’t have some kind of 30 Days of Night situation.

Think you’d be able to hack it in Utqiaġvik?

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