During a severe thunderstorm event, storm chasers and meteorologists will talk about the infamous back-sheared anvil. The clouds can produce hail, mammatus clouds, and even tornadoes.

Snow is already falling in many parts of the country. Whether you are driving in the winter, or tucked safely away at home, a winter storm can strike with little warning. Cold weather can cause deaths from exposure, exertion, and traffic accidents. You can become snowed in at home or in your vehicle. It is important to make an emergency weather kit specifically designed for the winter months. Learn the essential ingredients of a winter safety kit.

Scientists and researchers agree - Climate change is happening. According to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), 18 leading scientific organizations have sent a letter to members of the senate reaffirming the scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and that greenhouse gases from human activities are the primary driver. The letter, sent October 21, 2009 to the United States Senate, outlines the consensus among these leading scientific agencies. In June 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark, bi-partisan 1,200-page climate change bill. Read the full climate change support letter.

From December 2009 to February 2010, winter weather conditions are expected to be mild. The effects of an El Niño in the Pacific are causing temperatures to be at or above normal for much of the contiguous United States. Much of the Midwest and Northwest will likely experience higher than normal temperatures. Meanwhile, temperatures in the Southeast and in Hawaii are expected to be below normal.

Rainfall is also expected to increase along the Gulf Coast region and throughout the California coastal regions. While the increases in precipitation expected for Texas may help to alleviate the drought, tornado records suggest that there will also be an increased chance of winter tornado activity for the Gulf Coast region.

NASA is a leader in space exploration, but NASA also helps you to understand the weather. From satellite technology to research on upper atmospheric conditions, NASA is as central to understanding Earth's geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere as it is to understanding the exosphere or space. Go to the NASA iPhone App page for more information on the program.

Are you a fan of atmospheric and ocean sciences? Then you may want to follow Dr. Jane Lubchenco on Facebook. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration named Dr. Lubchenco the Ninth Administrator in NOAA history. On March 19, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed her as the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Her qualifications include being a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and a 10 year member of the Board of Directors for the National Science Foundation. She is especially skilled as a policy-maker and has advised Congress on issues such as global warming. Anyone interested can become her fan on Facebook.

Public opinion on global climate change is shifting. More and more people are beginning to doubt strong evidence in support of global climate change...Or are they?

My Gripe

A recent poll completed by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted a survey which reportedly shows a decrease in public belief in strong evidence for a rise in global temperatures due to climate change. A few of the quotes on the methodology for the survey and the results are listed below. Maybe you can see what I mean when I say I do not always trust statistics.

• "And fewer also see global warming as a very serious problem - 35% say that today, down from 44% in April 2008." Really? a 9% decrease is considered a sharp decline?
• "1,500 adults reached on cell phones and landlines," I would hardly call 1,500 people reached by phone an accurate survey no matter how the data is weighted.
• "Despite the growing public skepticism about global warming..." A survey conducted in just two years, with a decrease in the second year, is not conclusive evidence for growing public skepticism. The rates of public confidence did not change significantly from 2006 to 2008.
• "Just 14% say they have heard a lot about the so-called "cap and trade" policy that would set carbon dioxide emissions limits; another 30% say they have heard a little about the policy, while a majority (55%) has heard nothing at all." Who are these 1,500 people? If you have never heard of cap and trade policies, perhaps your beliefs in global climate change are only related to a feeling, and not facts (whether for or against climate change).
• "A majority (65%) of the public continues to view global warming as a very (35%) or somewhat (30%) serious problem. But in April 2008, 73% expressed this view, including 44% who thought it was a very serious problem." Again, why is an 8% decrease among 1,500 people considered significant?

While corrections were made and the survey was weighted to adjust for household size, age, ethnicity, willingness to answer phone surveys, and more, I still place doubt in this survey. Just another small side note-Apparently, more Democrats view global warming as a problem than Republicans. In fact, the survey indicates that Democrats are more than twice as likely to support global warming than Republicans.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments section below.

100 years ago, the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic may have been less than they are today according to one study by Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology. The cause? The study indicates climate change may be the culprit.

The analysis identifies three periods since 1900 during which the average number of hurricanes and tropical storms increased dramatically and then remained elevated. The first period, between 1900 and 1930, saw an average of six Atlantic tropical cyclones of which four were hurricanes and two were tropical storms. From 1930 to 1940, the annual average increased to 10, consisting of five hurricanes and five tropical storms. In the final study period, from 1995 to 2005, the average reached 15, of which eight were hurricanes and seven were tropical storms.

Why is global climate change to blame? The answer may be with sea surface temperatures. Globally, temperatures in the oceans have risen by about 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century. Many would argue that the increases are a result of a natural cycle in oceanic and atmospheric temperatures. Still others point out the fact that direct climate records do not extend far enough into the past. Even the study reports that increases in modern technology have some effect on the data, but the authors caution that enhanced observations in recent decades cannot account for all of the increases in hurricane frequency. Interestingly, to observe storms in the Atlantic more systematically, meteorologists began relying on data from aircraft flights in 1944 and weather satellites about 1970. The distinct transitions in hurricane activity noted by Holland and Webster occurred around both 1930 and 1995.

While the number of storms has steadily increased, the proportion of hurricanes to all Atlantic tropical cyclones has remained steady. Hurricanes have generally accounted for roughly 55 percent of all tropical cyclones. However, the proportion of major hurricanes to less intense hurricanes and tropical storms has oscillated irregularly, and has increased significantly in recent years.

Read more in the original report Heightened Tropical Cyclone Activity in the North Atlantic: Natural Variability or Climate Trend?

Yes, you read that correct. Women were persecuted during the Little Ice Age over the weather. If you were a woman at that time, and you predicted a storm, you could be called a witch. The Top 10 Ways Weather History is a look at the ways in which important historical events were drastically changed by the weather. Read more on the weather witches and other weather history.

Can you answer the following questions about tropical cyclones?

1. 97% of Atlantic hurricanes occur between the months of _____ and _____.
2. More Atlantic hurricanes occur in the month of _____ than any other month on average.
3. In the Indian Ocean, cyclone season extends from _____ to _____.
4. In the Northwest Pacific, the start of typhoon season is...read the answers.