Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters. Sometimes they strike land. When a hurricane reaches land, it pushes a wall of ocean water ashore. This wall of water is called a storm surge. Heavy rain and storm surge from a hurricane can cause flooding.

Once a hurricane forms, weather forecasters predict its path. They also predict how strong it will get. This information helps people get ready for the storm.

There are five types, or categories, of hurricanes. The scale of categories is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The categories are based on wind speed.

• Category 1: Winds 119-153 km/hr (74-95 mph) – faster than a cheetah
• Category 2: Winds 154-177 km/hr (96-110 mph) – as fast or faster than a baseball pitcher’s fastball
• Category 3: Winds 178-208 km/hr (111-129 mph) – similar, or close, to the serving speed of many professional tennis players
• Category 4: Winds 209-251 km/hr (130-156 mph) – faster than the world’s fastest rollercoaster
• Category 5: Winds more than 252 km/hr (157 mph) – similar, or close, to the speed of some high-speed trains

The summer solstice occurs during summer.This is the June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June) in the Northern hemisphere and the December solstice (usually 21 or 22 December) in the Southern.On the summer solstice, Earth’s maximum axial tilt toward the Sun is 23.44°. Likewise, the Sun’s declination from the celestial equator is 23.44°.

Since prehistory, the summer solstice has been seen as a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals. Traditionally, in many temperate regions (especially Europe), the summer solstice is seen as the middle of summer and referred to as “midsummer”; although today in some countries and calendars it is seen as the beginning of summer.

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For more Science related blogs and videos : https://experihub.com/did-you-know/

Global warming and the change in climate are topics that have been trending in the news for years now, and scientists are constantly researching and showcasing their rising concern over these issues. The rising temperature of the atmosphere is a phenomenon that is becoming alarming by the second. Over the years, the changes in the climate have affected society in disruptive ways. Scientists predict calamities like heat waves and large storms are likely to get more frequent due to climate change.

Weather and Climate

In definition, Climate is defined as weather conditions over a long period of time and space. Its average duration of being observed is 30 years. It describes larger areas like cities/countries, and its records are maintained by the concerned centers of a particular place. Different places have different climates, which depends on a variety of factors like rainfall, changing seasons, temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc.

On the other hand, weather refers to the short-term conditions of any place, any day or any time. It can vary over minutes, hours, and days according to the different places in the world. The troposphere is the closest to the ground, and that is where changes in the weather are normally observed. The weather of a particular place can be predicted through factors like direction, temperature, air pressure etc.

Weather and Climate are often used in the same conversation but can be a bit confusing too. Even though they are interrelated, the difference between the two is significant. In the simplest of terms, the main difference between the two phenomena is the duration. While Climate is more or less the average weather status of a specific place over a long period of time, the Weather refers to the short-term changes in the environment. It can be used in our day-to-day conversation about the atmosphere and how it is changing.

To understand better, we have come up with a list of important differences between the two terms. To better understand trending and alarming issues like Global Warming and Rising Temperatures, the foundation is to realise the difference between Climate and Weather.

What are they affected by?

The climate consists of factors like sunshine, wind, rain, humidity, temperature etc. More or less, the climate is made of long-term observations of the environment and atmosphere at a specific location.

The weather is affected by multiple ranges of factors like pressure, cloudiness, temperature, wind, flooding, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, and much more. While sometimes it can be just one of these factors, mostly it is a combination of all.

What do they affect? 

Climate has more long-term and deadly effects. Since climate change has been a concern for many years now, it has significantly affected people’s livelihood and will continue to affect even more in the future. Agriculture and Industries are two major sectors affected by climate.

Weather usually affects day-to-day routine and chores. Sometimes, we do not know till the very last what weather has in store for us. It can hamper transportation, daily plans, agriculture, public services etc.

Whom are they studied by?

The study of climate is known as climatology, and a reputable and recognised organisation known as the Climate Prediction Centre predicts climate.

The study of weather is known as Meteorology and is observed by the Meteorological Department in short spans of time. Different locations have different departments.

How are the changes in both observed?

The climate takes a long time to change, and even though the departments are at work around the clock, its changes come to notice after a longer period of time. Even though the climate is constantly changing, significant observations take time.

The weather condition changes frequently and so can be observed over short spans of time. In fact, sometimes, it can just be a matter of minutes before you observe a new change.

In conclusion, the weather has its effect for a few minutes/hours, whereas climate change lasts for a longer time and has more long-lasting effects.

Today, scientists worldwide are trying to understand both of these phenomena better and  wrap their heads around what the Earth has in store for the future. Unfortunately, the studies show a wide variety of predictions, and it will take a while before scientists and researchers reach a common consensus.

Now that you have understood how both Climate and Weather work, you are ready to understand, research, and deep dive into major issues like climate change, rising temperatures, global warming etc.

At ExperiHub, we teach Science and Mathematics by bringing concepts from the real world into the classroom. We conduct science experiments and have myriad science projects for better learning and understanding of concepts. If you want to learn more about Experiential Learning and cool home experiments, browse through our Online Sessions and Youtube Channel!  

References- 

1. “Difference between weather and climate” Rachna C., June 30th, 2019. https://biodifferences.com/difference-between-weather-and-climate.html#KeyDifferences
2. NASA – What’s the Difference Between Weather and Climate? NASA, February 1st, 2005. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/climate/climate_weather.html

Currently, the most talked about issue in this field is about 2020 being the second hottest year on record since the 1880s! 

While we may feel that comparing temperatures from different years and concluding about the year that ranks the hottest is easy and might follow a simple, specific process, there is much more to this research than we can fathom. 

Now, the question that arises is; why is it so important to have knowledge about the year that turned out to be the hottest? 

Clearly, temperatures play a major role and matter enough for scientists to measure and report about it every other year. The announcement of the average temperatures is a default annual event and is followed by a collection of data from around 4,600 weather stations around the Globe. Media coverage is a must, and organisations like NASA and The Met Office play a major role every year. While some organisations share their results, others participate for the sake of debate and putting forth views that are not yet popular. 

Since giving reports about a single year does not give a clear picture of what the future holds, a comparison is drawn between the top 3 years. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2020 is officially the 2nd hottest year on record, after 2016 since the 1880s. In fact, 2020 turned out to be just two-hundredths of a degree cooler than 2016! 

After analysis, NOAA scientists found out that the average land and ocean surface temperature across the globe was 1.76 degrees F above average in 2020. Statistically, this means that the year 2020 was just 0.004 F of a degree cooler in comparison with 2016. To top it all off, 2020 was also the Earth`s 44th consecutive year with Global land and ocean temperatures way above the 20th century average. 

All the data that has been gathered from various centres and organisations shows that the coming years will without a doubt, be hotter and more problematic. 

It is time for all of us to ask ourselves; what are we doing about this alarming situation?

The governments, corporations, and individuals are deciding how to tackle the situation. As data suggests, there have already been more than 15 climate related disasters in the last 10 years and the damage they have caused has resulted in heavy damage to the economy of different countries. Hurricanes, wildfires, less ice and longer heat waves are some of the long lasting effects that the earth will face as a consequence of 2020 being the second hottest year.

It is no surprise that the condition of the earth is slowly deteriorating, and climate change seems to worsen by the year. Scientists say that the data is alarming and it is time that we move towards a more permanent solution to save the Earth. After 2020 being the hottest year on record, governments are in discussion to take measures and precautions that will turn out positive for the future of the earth. 

All we can do from our side is to stay updated, spread awareness, and do our part as citizens in saving the Earth where us, and our future generations are ultimately going to live in! 

At ExperiHub, we teach Science and Mathematics by bringing concepts from the real world into the classroom. We conduct science experiments and have myriad science projects for better learning and understanding of concepts. If you want to learn more about Experiential Learning and cool home experiments, browse through our Online Sessions and Youtube Channel!