on February 1, 2024
The Threshold Event: Unraveling the Magnitude Required to Evoke a Prolonged Winter
WinterHow big an event does it take to trigger a long winter? As a geoscientist, I am often asked about the factors that can trigger a long winter and how significant an event would have to be to cause such a climatic shift. Winters are complex phenomena influenced by a variety of factors, including atmospheric
on December 1, 2023
The Science Behind Cracked Ice on Frozen Lakes: Unraveling the Winter Mystery
WinterUnderstanding cracked ice on frozen lakes: Causes and Implications The formation of ice on lakes Before considering the causes of ice cracking on frozen lakes, it is important to understand the formation of ice itself. When the temperature drops below the freezing point of water, the surface of a lake begins to cool. As the
on September 19, 2023
As small streams freeze solid, how can big rivers continue to carry water?
WinterWhy Small Streams Freeze Solid: Understanding the Science During the winter months, it is not uncommon for small streams to freeze solid, in stark contrast to the seemingly unaffected flow of larger rivers. This phenomenon can be attributed to several factors related to the size, depth, and flow dynamics of water bodies. To understand why
on June 2, 2023
Winter Urban Heat Islands: How Cities Stay Warm When Temperatures Drop
WinterThe urban heat island effect is a phenomenon that occurs when urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. This effect is caused by the concentration of buildings, roads, and other man-made structures that create a heat-absorbing surface that traps heat from the sun and human activity. While the urban heat island effect is
on September 30, 2022
Why does the frost depth increase when the surface temperature warms up?
WinterAsked by: Alyssa Lynn Why does frost go deeper when it warms up? That’s is due to the slow diffusion of heat into the ground. Unlike a liquid, pieces of soil can’t move around, therefore, in the absence of liquid water, heat can only be transferred by conduction, a process that follows the diffusion equations