How weather satellites work.

A Satellite is an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth or moon or another planet in order to collect information or for communication. Weather satellites observe many types of data sets such as: clouds and cloud systems,  City lights, fires, effects of pollution, auroras, sand and dust storms, snow cover, ice mapping, boundaries of ocean currents, energy flows, etc., and other types of environmental information. There are two main types of satellites: geostationary and polar orbiting. Polar orbiting satellites cover the whole earth by constantly circling the Earth in an almost north-south orbit, passing close to both poles. Geostationary, or GOES, satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. They circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit, which means they orbit the equatorial plane of the Earth at a speed matching the Earth's rotation. This allows them to hover continuously over one position on the surface. Weather satellites carry instruments called radiometers (not cameras) that scan the Earth to form images. These instruments usually have some sort of small telescope or antenna, a scanning mechanism, and one or more detectors that detect either visible, infrared, or microwave radiation for the purpose of monitoring weather systems around the world. The measurements these instruments make are in the form of electrical voltages, which are digitized and then transmitted to receiving stations on the ground. The data are then relayed to various weather forecast centers around the world, and are made available over the internet in the form of images.

Quaternary Ice Age

The Quaternary Ice Age was a time period when the worlds temperature dropped and weather was terrible. We are still suffering from the Quaternary Ice Age and some of its effects because Antarctica is still completely frozen over. There were many different ice age epochs during the Quaternary and they all had a different effect. The ice ages led to extinction of animals, exposure of lands, death of vegetation and I'm pretty sure it caused many lives as well. All areas that this took place were effected greatly and animals such as the mammoth were affected tremendously by this ice age because of the destruction of the mammoth steppe. Citizens had to adjust to their lands being frozen over completely and ice shelves floating in their waters. Lakes and rivers freezing and also water not being allowed to exit because of the ice shelves blocking the river drainage ways. The Quaternary had such a huge affect on us that we are still feeling the effects of it today because the temperatures of our waters are colder than they were before the ice age happened. We are also still in it and edging towards leaving the ice age because Antarctica is still alive and as icy as can be.

The European Heatwave of 2003

The European Heatwave of 2003 was a period of time where some parts of Europe suffered extreme temperatures for a period of weeks. Many people were effected by this but mostly the elderly. There was a total of about 70,000 deaths recorded. The area that suffered the most was France with a total death count of 14,802. Many homes in Europe didn't have air conditioning like we have now, which is why so many people were effected. The month of August in 2003 was recorded the hottest August in the history of Europe. The hottest temperature recorded in London was 37 degrees Celcius (100.2 degrees Fahrenheit), so imagine having the same type of temperature for a whole month, not many people would be able to handle it. Europe has now learned from this heatwave and found ways to deal with it if it every happens again.

Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew wiped out communities south of Miami killing 15 people when it struck in 1992. Dozens more died from injuries stemming from the storm and its aftermath. The storms wind speeds were estimated at more than 160 miles per hour; it broke the gauges that were used to collect data. Hurricane Andrew was a small and fast-moving hurricane, they compared to slow giants like the more recent storms like Katrina and Rita. In Florida almost 8 inches of rain came down in Broward and Miami Dade counties. The most rainfall from hurricane Andrew was in Hammond, LA, with almost 1 foot of rain. The Hurricane damaged or destroyed 9,500 traffic signs and signals, 3,300 miles of power lines 3,000 water mains, 59 health facilities, 31 public schools, 32,900 acres of farmland and 82,000 businesses.  Winds at landfall 165mph, gusts to 180mph, 10 miles wide eye, 16.9ft storm surge, 922mb. Highest unofficial gust 178mph, Briefly hit winds of 170mph just east of Eleuthero Island(Recon).

May 31,2013 El Reno Tornado


On Friday May 31,2013 developed in El Reno,Oklahoma at an intersection of roads.It began to expand in size southwest of El Reno Municipal Air Park. Previously El Reno was hit by 2 tornadoes both EF-5.As the tornado passed by the airport, two small tornadoes formed and began to orbit the large the tornado.This tornado claimed the lives of 8 people and 151 injuries.Even though a radar measured wind speeds of 295 mph it was rated an EF-3 based on destruction.The smaller tornadoes measured wind speeds of 180 mph.It wasn't just El Reno that got affected, Oklahoma City experienced historical flash flooding which cause 13 people to lose their lives in the metro because they couldn't get out.This tornado destroyed houses,cars,and pretty much anything it came across.The cities experienced horrible loses and the tornado left people without homes and loved ones.This storm was the largest to ever hit in history and it will forever stay in peoples memories.