America Under One Sky: Why the Weather Can Be So Wild!
The primary research for this episode comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), National Hurricane Center (NHC), and Fifth National Climate Assessment. Key researched claims used in the episode include: NOAA distinguishes weather as short-term atmospheric conditions from climate as long-term patterns, commonly measured using 30-year climate normals. NOAA explains that mountains and topography can produce major differences in rainfall and temperature over short distances. The jet stream helps move weather systems across the United States and influences temperature and precipitation patterns. Atmospheric rivers can stretch more than 1,000 miles, and an average atmospheric river transports water vapor roughly comparable to the average flow at the mouth of the Mississippi River. The United States experiences roughly 100,000 thunderstorms per year. Lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times annually. Approximately 1,200 tornadoes occur in the United States annually, although the number varies from year to year. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30. The 1991–2020 average is 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Lake-effect snow bands can produce snowfall rates of two to three inches per hour or more. Hawaii’s mountains and prevailing trade winds create major differences between wetter windward areas and generally drier leeward areas. The Fifth National Climate Assessment reports observed warming across U.S. regions and increases in heavy precipitation across most regions over the period studied.