Snow is white...right? Well, not always. Snow can come in a variety of colors from iridescent and white, to black, brown, red, and yellow. If you are looking forward to a white Christmas, there is a reason snow is white predominantly. And yes, although the proverbial yellow snow sounds like something slightly perverse, it is indeed a real meteorological occurrence. In fact, in 2006, South Korea had an eventful yellow snow. What color snow will you see for the holidays?

Looking for a present for the holidays that will please the tough-to-buy-for person in your life? Typically, I like to purchase presents for family that they would probably like to have, but would never purchase themselves. Bring in the weather radio. Everyone should have one in the event of severe weather, but not everyone does. While this gift may stay stuck in a closet until needed, that is the very purpose of having a weather radio. You never know when you will need one because weather can be so unpredictable. Here are 10 weather radios to check out. Every price and option are available on the radios from portability, to flashlights, to an AM/FM radio tuner.

A few tips to keep in mind when buying a weather radio will save you time and money.

1. First, it is a good idea to get a NOAA All Hazards Radio which sounds an alert when critical news needs to be relayed. 'All Hazards' means you are not just getting weather information, you are getting warnings of other potentially dangerous situations as well. This includes, chemical spills, train derailments, biological disasters, terrorist attacks, and more. Also included are AMBER alerts for missing children.
2. Next, be sure your radio has SAME (Specific Alert Message Encoding) technology which allows you to specify the particular area for which you wish to receive alerts.
3. If you routinely lack cell phone service, you may also be in an area that needs another external antenna. That means you will need the (often optional) external antenna jack.
4. If you, or someone in your family has special needs, you need to investigate the optional equipment available for weather radios. For example, strobe lights are available for the hearing-impaired.
5. Don't even bother with a radio that does not have battery back-up. Power is one of the first things to go out in a storm.

Resources

• NOAA Weather Radios Brochure
• FEMA National Response Framework
• Streaming audio of the All Hazards network online

New Evidence on the origin of Earth's atmosphere is emerging as a result of a study completed by University of Manchester and University of Houston scientists. In a paper, published in Science magazine, Dr. Greg Holland, Dr. Martin Cassidy and Professor Chris Ballentine have shown that the Earth's atmosphere may not have started as a result of out gassing by volcanoes. Traditionally, from elementary school to college, many have been taught that the origin of the atmospheric gases began from volcanic activity.

'Meteorite Kr in Earth's Mantle Suggests a Late Accretionary Source for the Atmosphere' is the name of the paper that was published (viewing the paper will require a subscription). In the paper, the team describe the distinct meteorite markers found in volcanic gases which would suggest an extraterrestrial origin for the gases in the atmosphere. Was your teacher wrong? More studies may prove he or she was indeed wrong.

Some of the most beautiful ice photos can be of objects with a coating of glaze ice over them, such as in the photo of glazed trees to the right. The image is beautiful, but if the camera could pan back, you might end up seeing some of the destructive nature of freezing rain. In the same ice storm photo gallery, you can see some of the problems associated with freezing rain including power outages, fallen trees, and car accidents. Get more ice storm facts.

Winter weather is here for many parts of the country. With the snow and ice comes the dangers of avalanches. As fresh snow accumulates on slopes, the potential for a deadly avalanche grows. Many parts of the country have warning signs and educational programs offered to citizens to help protect them from this often ignored weather-related hazard.

Why are avalanches so scary? A typical avalanche can release 100,000 tons of snow. The leading state in avalanche-related deaths is Colorado. Clearly, public safety is a number one concern for any state with a potential for a deadly avalanche. Skiers, snowboarders, and backcountry hikers should all be aware of the causes of avalanches.

Every year, I get tons of email on hurricanes. Citizens preparing for a hurricane warning, students working on school hurricane projects, and weather hobbyists always ask wonderful questions. There is so much that can be learned about hurricanes that I created the Hurricane FAQ that lists some of your top questions on hurricane formation, evacuations, history, and more. If you have a question you would like answered on hurricanes that I can add to this list, please email me. I will be sure to include your question in the ever-expanding list. My goal is to get your top 100 questions answered!

When it comes to holiday dinners, many give thanks for beautiful and mild weather. Others give thanks to a blanket of snow on the ground. Still others dare to ask the often debated question about whether having a white Christmas is good or bad. Statistically speaking, depending on which state you live in, you may have a better (or worse) chance than you think to have snow appear near your home on Christmas Day. Check the statistics for your home state now to see if you will have a white Christmas. Just think about it, even Las Vegas gets snow as you can see in the image.

Weather history is an interesting subject. In fact, some people have deicated their lives to showing how weather changes history. From the Salem Witch Trials, to slave revolts in the South, and to the appearance of a winter tornado, storms can and do change lives, if not history altogether. The 10 Deadliest Tornadoes describes some of the worst tornadic storms in US History. Each storm resulted in multiple deaths and millions in damages.

In preparation for the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen December 7-18, 2009, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has opened a photograph exhibit showing climate change around the world. Photographs from the book "Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World," by Gary Braasch will be on display from November 18, 2009 to March 15, 2010. The location is at the AAAS gallery at 12th and H Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. Admission to the public is free.

What is the purpose of the photo collection? The idea is to show the effects of climate change around the world in a series of photos. The images really do speak louder than any words that are spoken on global warming issues. Globally, there is already evidence for a warming planet. You can visit the online climate change photo gallery at the Earth Under Fire website. The photos are truly stunning, in my opinion. Children and teachers are also invited to participate in the event by checking out the "How We Know What We Know About Climate Change" book online.

Ida was a late-season storm, but her severity was not indicative of a typical late-season tropical storm activity. By November 9th, Ida was reduced to a tropical storm. Wind shear had caused the storm to weaken significantly, but not before causing major damages in Central America. Ida officially made landfall in the United States northwest of Bon Secour, Alabama on November 10, 2009.

The storm later moved on to create a Nor'easter as the remnants of Ida fueled the storm. The result was major flooding along portions of the East coast. According to Dr. Jeff Masters, in some locations record-breaking storm surges were higher than they have been in more than 80 years. Particularly hard-hit were Virginia and northeastern North Carolina with some locations getting over 12 inches of rain.