Recent research has concluded that strong volcanic plumes exhibit cyclonic, storm-like rotation, which helps explain why volcanic thunderstorms occur. The article indicates that the volcanic plume from Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 exhibited anticlockwise rotation, which I infer to be consistent with the rotation of a low-pressure system in the northern hemisphere. My question: Will the rotational direction of these volcanic mesocyclones be governed by the Coriolis Effect, local atmospheric conditions, compositional characteristics of the plume, or some combination of these factors?
posted by baphomet on Mar 29, 2009 - 6 answers

How accurate is Punxsutawney Phil? [more inside]
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood on Feb 2, 2009 - 9 answers

Please reccommend books of all kinds about weather forecasting and meteorology . . . [more inside]
posted by protorp on Dec 29, 2008 - 9 answers

Comment on the current academic job market, and the likelihood of scoring a tenure-track position in the Earth Sciences. [more inside]
posted by capitalist.pig on Dec 5, 2008 - 13 answers

I miss Tom Skilling. I'm looking for some good regional weather blogs, specifically for Los Angeles. [more inside]
posted by hwyengr on Nov 25, 2008 - 4 answers

You are not my meteorologist but . . . There are clouds and there are clouds, I'd never seen one like this before, what kind was it? [more inside]
posted by MasonDixon on Apr 18, 2008 - 12 answers

Where can I find "legal experts?" Specifically for meteorology? [more inside]
posted by nushustu on Dec 27, 2007 - 8 answers

i'm looking for recommendations for good brands or distributors of home weather station equipment. [more inside]
posted by klanawa on Oct 4, 2007 - 8 answers

Handy people: What's a good way to make lots of small, Stevenson Screen type things on the cheap and easy? [more inside]
posted by Jimbob on Sep 13, 2007 - 10 answers

To what degree to private weather forecasting companies (like Accuweather) rely on US government data in creating their forecasts? [more inside]
posted by Brian James on Aug 19, 2007 - 9 answers

Advice for an aspiring broadcast meteorologist. [more inside]
posted by richter_x on Jul 15, 2006 - 10 answers

Who do you trust for weather in the UK? [more inside]
posted by medium format on Nov 24, 2005 - 16 answers

What makes clouds form where they form, and how? [more inside]
posted by Rothko on Aug 30, 2005 - 6 answers

Could anyone point me to an online resource that would let me look up the weather forecast for a date in the past? Failing that, could someone tell me what the weather was like in NYC yesterday?
posted by vers on Nov 13, 2004 - 6 answers

The son of Hurricane Ivan ?. Apparently the forces which generated Ivan respawned a tropical storm near Texas. To mefi meteoreologist, is this a first time event or there's some precedent ?
posted by elpapacito on Sep 23, 2004 - 7 answers

Scientists, sailors, meteorologists: I need a buoy! I'm looking for a small buoy hull for some scientific instrumentation. [more inside] [more inside]
posted by Nothing on Aug 18, 2004 - 6 answers