Dangerous meteorological phenomena with the capability to cause damage, disruption or death are often referred to under the blanket term of severe weather. Severe weather is also part of the larger umbrella term of natural disasters, which includes land, water, fire, health and space disasters.
These phenomena can occur over a vast swathe or in a relatively small area. High winds are a major cause of severe weather; they may take the form of tornadoes, downbursts, waterspouts, cyclones, etc. Other forms of severe weather include lightning, precipitation (e.g., snow, rain, sleet, hail), lack of preciptation (i.e., drought), extreme heat and extreme cold.
Excluding flash floods, the U.S. National Weather Service issues a warning across media whenever a severe weather event occurs. The photo here depicts a waterspout with lightning near a city. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Photographer Pete Maier captured this incredible time lapse of a microburst over a glacial lake in the Central Eastern Alps.
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June 19, 2018, 8:18 a.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick
Tropical cyclones may make more headlines, but extratropical cyclones in the Arctic are on the rise.
How coral reefs can help us endure climate change
June 13, 2018, 10:57 a.m. by Russell McLendon
Not only can coral reefs buffer humans from disasters, but protecting them is 15 times cheaper than building sea walls.
Are hurricanes linked to global warming?
June 7, 2018, 12:25 p.m. by Russell McLendon
Climate change doesn't cause tropical storms, scientists say, but it can be an increasingly significant factor in how they unfold.
Tornadoes are wreaking havoc — and not just in 'Tornado Alley'
June 2, 2018, 1:55 p.m. by Starre Vartan
Twisters can happen just about any time, anywhere.
Kilauea's blue flames spark fear of explosions
May 25, 2018, 11:34 a.m. by Jacqueline Gulledge
The flames are caused by methane gas from underground.
Brace yourself for a busy 2018 hurricane season
May 25, 2018, 9:50 a.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick
Early projections from Colorado State University call for a more active than usual 2018 hurricane season.
This tornado warning system listens for the telltale sound of a twister's birth
May 9, 2018, 8:23 a.m. by Michael d'Estries
Using specialized microphones that decode a tornado's infrasound, communities could gain as much as an hour of warning that a violent storm is approaching.
Dogs in hot cars: Where is it legal to help them?
May 7, 2018, 10:25 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo
State laws vary about who can rescue dogs trapped in cars during the summer.
What is winter fatigue?
March 21, 2018, 4:07 p.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick
It's when you're sick and tired of being sick and tired of snow.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is deeper than Earth's oceans and growing taller
March 14, 2018, 10:29 a.m. by Christian Cotroneo
The images are in — and this is just the beginning.
What is cloud seeding, and does it really work?
March 10, 2018, 3:54 p.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick
We've been trying to bring down the rain for years, but the science is tricky.
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