Ready or not, winter weather is here. What can we expect? Meteorologist Tawana Andrew explains in the latest Science Behind the Forecast with LPM News’ Bill Burton.
This transcript was edited for clarity and length.
Bill Burton: It's time for us to take a look at Science Behind the Forecast with WAVE 3 meteorologist Tawana Andrew. Good morning, Tawana.
Tawana Andrew: Good morning. We're talking about a season that we're not even fully into yet.
BB: Winter is on the way, yet it already feels like it's here. So that's our topic today, winter and all the glorious things that it can bring.
TA: We're talking about winter storms. The National Weather Service has a definition of what a winter storm is. That is a combination of heavy snow, blowing snow and or dangerous wind chills. Of course, a winter storm can be life threatening, and there's several impacts as to why.
First, the potential for traffic accidents, the potential for even heart attacks while shoveling a lot of snow and hypothermia due to exposure to cold temperatures, among several other scenarios.
According to the National Weather Service data, approximately 70% of injuries related to ice and snow happen inside vehicles, and about 25% of that were because these people were caught inside the storm itself. So traveling while it's in the heaviest snow or ice or things along that nature. Notably, the majority of these injuries involve men over the age of 40.
BB: Men over the age of 40. Well, I fit that category, so I guess I need to file that bit of info away.
TA: You are the exception, not the rule.
BB: You’re exceedingly kind.
TA: Also, the National Weather Service data shows that 50% of cold exposure related injuries affected individuals over the age of 60. 75% of those injured by the cold were also men. So apparently, men need to bundle up and stay inside.
BB: That's good advice.
TA: I think so, right? Also, 20% of exposure related injuries actually occurred inside the home. Which is an important reminder to make sure that we are checking our neighbors or friends as we deal with more of the winter weather, as we see some more of the frigid air moving into our area. You want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible.
Of course, winter storms need certain ingredients to form. You need cold air, you need lift and you need moisture. This time of the year, below freezing temperatures are common, and you need that near the ground and in the clouds for snow and ice to form. Lift is absolutely necessary, because that pushes moist air higher into the atmosphere, creating the clouds, creating precipitation. You can get that lift from a warm front to a cold front, a hill, a mountain range, in some cases, localized, even a building can be enough to push that air higher up in the atmosphere to help with the formation of precipitation. Which is why you can see active wintry weather downstream of a city or even, in some cases, even a power plant.
And speaking of power plants, sometimes they push out just enough extra moisture to help with the creation of snow or wintry weather downstream. Moisture, of course, is a big part of a winter storm, and that can come from lakes, oceans, or even, in some cases, a river.
BB: This is about as timely as it gets with Science Behind the Forecast with winter weather here, even though winter itself isn't here just yet. We understand all the stuff that could be coming our way a little bit better, though, thanks to this edition of Science Behind the Forecast with WAVE 3 meteorologist Tawana Andrew. Thanks for the knowledge, Tawana.
TA: Of course.
