How Storms Work
The science: formation, wind shear, rapid intensification.
What is Wind Shear?
Wind shear — a change in wind speed or direction with height — is one of the biggest forces deciding whether a storm strengthens or falls apart. Here's what it is, why hurricanes need low shear to grow, and how forecasters use it.
intermediateUnderstanding Rapid Intensification
Rapid intensification is when a storm's winds spike at least 35 mph in 24 hours, turning a modest system dangerous with little warning. Here's why it happens, why it's so hard to forecast, and what it means for your preparations.
advancedUnderstanding Tropical Cyclone Forecasting
How do forecasters predict where a hurricane will go and how strong it will get? Here's a plain-language look at how tropical-cyclone forecasting works — the models, the data, the cone — and why track forecasts have improved far more than intensity ones.
intermediate