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Weather Explainers

Nature’s Severe Weather Recipe: Here Are The Ingredients
June 13, 2026, 11:59 am EDT
Ever wondered exactly what makes severe weather possible? There are four key ingredients that, when they come together, cause meteorologists to watch the forecast closely. Meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser breaks down the characteristics of the atmosphere that indicate damaging winds, hail and tornadoes could be on the way.
One Of The Most Notoriously Wet Places On Earth
June 13, 2026, 9:25 pm EDT
In 1966, La Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean received 71.8 inches of rain in just one day, setting a world record. That’s more rainfall than Miami receives in an entire year. The island's unique geography makes it Earth's rainfall champion: Volcanic peaks force humid tropical air upward where it condenses and releases massive amounts of precipitation. Combined with three to four cyclones hitting the region every season, La Réunion has become a rain-making machine and one of the most notoriously wet places on Earth.
El Niño is here: What does that mean?
June 11, 2026, 2:28 pm EDT
El Niño is officially here. This climatological phenomenon impacts weather across the globe, and right now, we have our eyes on hurricane season. El Niño will likely bring significant impacts to both the Atlantic and Pacific hurricane seasons. Meteorologist Rob Shackelford breaks it down here.
Midnight Became Noon: The Solar Storm That Lit Up Florida
June 11, 2026, 10:29 pm EDT
August 1859. Floridians saw bright red and green auroras and thought the swamps were on fire. Days later, astronomer Richard Carrington spotted a massive white flash from the Sun at 11 AM. Seventeen hours later, the sky lit up so bright at 1 AM that gold miners made breakfast thinking it was morning. Telegraph systems surged with electricity, shocking operators unconscious. The Carrington Event: the biggest solar storm ever recorded. The Sun vomited electrified gas at 2 million mph, slamming Earth's magnetic field. If it happened today, satellites, power grids, and GPS could be fried for months. NOAA's GOES satellites now watch the Sun 24/7, wearing literal "sunglasses" to survive outside Earth's protective magnetic field.
Weather gone wild: Bermuda Triangle mystery solved?
June 7, 2026, 7:35 am EDT
The Bermuda Triangle disappearances between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico may have resulted from extreme weather such as redirected hurricanes, rogue waves and Gulf Stream-fueled explosive storms.
Houston interstates help form clouds overhead
June 4, 2026, 11:07 am EDT
Satellite imagery picked up Houston’s interstates creating their own clouds. These clouds remained lined up over these roads before eventually moving on. Meteorologist Rob Shackelford breaks down the why.
Does Rain Smell Differently In Summer Than Winter?
June 2, 2026, 12:18 pm EDT
Most of us have noticed a certain scent as it begins to rain, but did you know that the scent you smell changes with the seasons? Watch this video to learn why.
Ever Heard Of Sand Dunes That Sing?
June 1, 2026, 1:23 am EDT
At Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Colorado, visitors can experience one of nature's most unusual acoustic phenomena: Sand that literally sings. This remarkable example of nature's acoustic engineering demonstrates how precise scientific conditions can create an otherworldly musical experience in the Colorado wilderness.
Hurricane Michael Turns St. Petersburg Sky Eerie Purple
May 31, 2026, 8:41 am EDT
On October 10, 2018, residents of St. Petersburg, Florida witnessed a stunning and eerie natural phenomenon as Hurricane Michael approached Florida's panhandle. The Category 5 hurricane created an otherworldly purple sky over the city through a rare atmospheric event. When the storm began to leave the area, it left behind extraordinary amounts of moisture in the air. Combined with the right cloud cover conditions, this created a spectacular purple sky.
The Omega Block: Minneapolis Warmer Than Atlanta?
May 28, 2026, 9:01 am EDT
The Omega block pattern is bringing stubborn warmth across the upper Midwest. Minneapolis is expected to be warmer than Atlanta. Meteorologist Rob Shackelford breaks it all down and explains how long this will last.

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