Questions tagged [weather]

The state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy.

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Is drinking hot water more beneficial during hot weather?

I heard from various sources since I was growing up that during hot weather one should drink warm or hot drinks and during cold weather one should rather drink cold drinks, but a quick google found no satisfying expert(ish) answer. Edit: To clarify,…
Sebastian Godelet
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Do more people drown in deserts than die of thirst?

I had first heard about the claim that more people drown in deserts than die of thirst in school maybe 30 years ago. The explanation is that sudden rains can create dangerous flooding in normally dry valleys (e.g. wadis). In the Internet, the claim…
user22213
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Can we smell coming rain?

I read in a book that apparently a 'sea salt' or sailor could smell the rain and then predict oncoming weather. Is this true, can people smell rain?
Thursagen
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Is there existing technology to make it rain or to dissipate clouds?

I heard (example article) that the Chinese government caused it to rain before and during the Olympics to reduce pollution levels. Does reliable technology currently exist that could trigger rain within a reasonable area and does technology exist…
going
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Has weather been weaponised?

A letter in The Guardian makes the following claims: While seemingly fantastical, weather has been weaponised. At least four countries – the US, Russia, China and Israel – possess the technology and organisation to regularly alter weather and…
Tom77
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Does clean air transmit significantly more UV?

The following claim on a German weather forecasting site caught my eye: Der Himmel ist wieder einmal blitzblank geputzt, die Sonne scheint von früh bis spät, die Luft ist angenehm warm – da sollten die Alarmglocken schrillen: Sonnenbrandgefahr! Was…
TypeIA
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Do wind farms have a significant impact on weather patterns in the US?

On my way in to work today there was a guest on the radio claiming that the "Heat Dome" was the result of the disturbance of natural wind patterns by the windfarms that have proliferated the midwestern US in the last decade. He also said that it…
Chad
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Did January 2014 American snowfall char and burn when exposed to fire?

This site, ‘Fake Snow’: Videos In Multiple States Show Strange Snow That Doesn’t Melt Normal, Burns, Smells of ‘Plastic’, shows several videos and images of people burning snow they collect from outside after recent snowfall. They claim that it…
ssb
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Does the Mount Washington wind speed record have scientific validity?

A record wind gust of 231 miles/hour was recorded in 1934, according to http://www.mountwashington.org/about/visitor/recordwind.php Wind speeds of this magnitude are commonly known to damage or destroy structures as well as most mechanical…
Paul
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Could bread be baked in a mailbox when the temperature is 100°F (37°C)?

Texan journalist John-Carlos Estrada recently reported on Twitter How hot is in Texas?? This woman BAKED BREAD IN HER MAILBOX!! Roberta Wright, who lives in a suburb of Houston, posted these photos on Facebook to show just how hot it is! She truly…
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Do trees shed their leaves in autumn?

Growing up, we were regularly taught in geography about the different seasons and how most trees would shed their leaves in autumn, while evergreen trees do not shed their leaves. However, I live in India (at about 28° N), and I saw that many trees…
apoorv020
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Does US law leave walk-shoveling homeowners open to lawsuit more than those who don't shovel at all?

The argument is that by trying (and failing) to maintain your walkways, you're responsible for accidents that happen there, while if you don't make any attempt at all, any accident or injury is an Act of God. It's possibly state-to-state, but is…
Dave Rutledge
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Lightning never strikes in the same place twice?

Is it possible during the same storm for lightning to hit the same place twice? Say hitting a large tree twice or within a reasonable area?
going
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Are fossil fuels making the world greener?

The popular understanding (at least among those who are not climate skeptics) of global warming is that it is likely to create environmental catastrophe for reasons such as spreading deserts and environmental degradation (for example, the following…
matt_black
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Can a cup of coffee be used as a barometer?

A recent Instructable was picked up by Lifehacker. It states: When you pour the coffee into your cup, watch the bubbles. If the bubbles move to the edge of the cup rather quickly, that's a good sign. Expect clear skies for the next 12 hours. If the…
fredley
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