Weather Wiz Kids weather information for kids

Thunderstorms What is a thunderstorm? A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder. Its produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually producing gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail. What causes a thunderstorm?The basic ingredients used to make a thunderstorm are moisture, unstable air and lift. You need moisture to form clouds and rain. When are thunderstorms most likely to occur? How many thunderstorms are there every day? What is lightning? What causes lightning? Have you ever rubbed your feet across carpet and then touched a metal door handle? Click Here to see where lightning is currently striking across the U.S.What causes thunder? How far away can you see lightning and hear thunder? What is hail? What causes the wind to blow? What is a gust front? Know the Lingo SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - A severe thunderstorm (damaging winds of 58 miles per hour or more, or 1" hail in diameter or greater) is likely to develop in your area. Know the Facts Thunderstorm Safety Tips

Why Was the Destruction So Severe? | Inside Disaster: Haiti Six weeks after the Haiti shock, Chile was struck by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake. It was 500 times more powerful than the Haiti quake, yet killed less than 1% of the Haitian total. In this section, we explore answers to the question: why was the Haiti earthquake so destructive? This Flash piece is 525 x 372. <script type="text/javascript"> var file="destruction_slideshow.swf"; var width = 525; var height = 372; </script><script type="text/javascript" src=" Too wide? Click on images below to launch related videos. Building Codes “The poverty in Haiti lends itself to people building where they want, how they can … not everybody’s going to be able to build to the exacting standards that a building code requires.” Unlike in other countries located on or near fault lines, very few of Haiti’s buildings were constructed for earthquake resistance. Construction Materials “Better buildings would have saved lives.” Fault Lines Learn More

Natural Disasters - Earth Facts and Information Introduction- What is a natural disaster? The definition of natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The severity of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild. Events that occur in unpopulated areas are not considered disasters. So a flood on an uninhabited island would not count as a disaster, but a flood in a populated area is called a natural disaster. All natural disasters cause loss in some way. Then there is loss of property, which affects people’s living quarters, transportation, livelihood, and means to live. The natural disasters that really affect people worldwide tend to become more intense as the years go on. Scientists, geologists, and storm watchers work hard to predict major disasters and avert as much damage as possible. Flood- Natural disaster However, despite the many natural disasters the world over, mankind has shown amazing resilience.

Videos for Kids -- National Geographic Kids Chris P. Bacon's Wheels More Farley the Red Panda Amazing Animals Red-Bellied Piranha Frogfish Bottlenose Dolphin African Elephant Harpy Eagle Shrimp Tiger Animals & Pets Raccoons Emperor Penguin Families Searching for the Spirit Bear Manta Ray Elephants Play Soccer Halloween Crabs! Sugar Glider Natural Disasters 1. Most natural disasters are caused by weather. Weather disasters can be caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, tsunamis, thunderstorms, wind storms, wildfires, avalanches, and blizzards. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

National severe weather Step into the wild world of weather! What is a wall cloud? What's the difference between a watch and a warning? Is it ever “too cold to snow”? Learn all about thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, lightning, floods, damaging winds and severe winter weather. Thunderstorms There can be as many as 40,000 thunderstorms each day around the world. Learn more → Tornadoes Much about tornadoes remains a mystery. Learn more → Floods Except for heat-related fatalities, more deaths occur from flooding than any other weather-related hazard. Learn more → Lightning Lightning is one of the oldest observed natural phenomena on earth. Learn more → Hail Hail can cause billions of dollars of damage to structures, crops and livestock. Learn more → Damaging Winds Straight-line winds are responsible for most thunderstorm damage. Learn more → Winter Weather Forecasting winter weather accurately is very difficult because a degree or two of temperature change can mean the difference between snow or freezing rain. Learn more →