BLIZARDS

A blizzard is a severe storm condition characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, and
heavy snow. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the
wind. Ground blizzards are a variation on the traditional blizzard, in that ground blizzards
require high winds to stir up snow that has already fallen, rather than fresh snowfall. Regardless
of the variety of blizzard, they can bring near-whiteout conditions, which restrict visibility to
near zero. Blizzards have a negative impact on local economies and can paralyze regions for
days at a time, particularly where snowfall is unusual or rare. The 1972 Iran blizzard, which
caused approximately 4000 deaths, was the deadliest in recorded history.

Definition

In the United States, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as sustained winds or
frequent gusts reaching or exceeding 35 mph (56 km/h) which lead to blowing snow and cause
visibilities of ¼ mile (or 400 m) or less, lasting for at least 3 hours. Temperature is not taken into
consideration when issuing a blizzard warning, but the nature of these storms is such that cold
air is often present when the other criteria are met.[1] Temperatures are generally below 32 °F
(0 °C).

According to Environment Canada, a winter storm must have winds of 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more, have snow or blowing snow, visibility less than 500 feet (150 m), a wind chill of less than
−25 °C (−15 °F), and all of these conditions must last for 3 hours or more before the storm can
be properly called a blizzard.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
An eruption begins when pressure on a magma chamber forces magma up through the conduit
and out the volcano's vents. When the magma chamber has been completely filled, the type of
eruption partly depends on the amount of gases and silica in the magma. The amount of silica
determines how sticky (level of viscosity) the magma is and water provides the explosive
potential of steam.

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1. low water, low silica - runny lava flows (not
viscous)

2. low water, high silica (very viscous) - pasty

lava - often building domes

3. high water, low silica(not viscous) - fountain of

runny lava

4. high water, high silica (very viscous) - explosion

Obstacles also influence the type of eruption. When the pipe is blocked by a stopple or an
accumulation of pumice, the pressure in the pipe will build up very high resulting in an
explosion.

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 When magma reaches earth's surface it is called lava. It may pour out in gentle streams
called lava flows or erupt violently into the air. Rocks ripped loose from the inside of the
volcano or torn apart by the gas may be shot into the air with the lava. These rocks blown out of
a volcano are called pyroclastic rocks. The rock fragments fall back to earth in many different
shapes and sizes:

 Dust - particles less than 1/100 inch in diameter Dust particles may be carried great
distances. In a powerful eruption they may be carried around the earth several times.
 Ash - fragments less than 1/5 inch in diameter Most volcanic ash falls to the surface and
cemented together by water to form a rock called volcanic tuff.
 Bomb - A rounded piece of newly hardened lava which takes shape while flying through the
air.
 Block - A piece of lava that has sharp corners.
 Cinder - Bubbly rock formed by liquid lava cooling in the air.
 Pumice - Cinder so bubbly that it floats in water.

Volcanic activity is classified by how often a volcano erupts. A volcano may be active,
intermittent, dormant, or extinct. Active volcanoes erupt constantly. Intermittent volcanoes
erupt fairly regularly. Dormant volcanoes are inactive, but not long enough to determine
whether they will erupt again or not. Extinct volcanoes have been inactive since the beginning
of recorded history.

Flood

A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. [1] The EU Floods directive
[2]
defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the
sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may
result from the volume of water within a body of water, such as a river or lake, which overflows
or breaks levees, with the result that some of the water escapes its usual boundaries. [3] While the
size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow
melt, it is not a significant flood unless such escapes of water endanger land areas used by man
like a village, city or other inhabited area.

Floods can also occur in rivers, when flow exceeds the capacity of the river channel,
particularly at bends or meanders. Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they
are placed in natural flood plains of rivers. While flood damage can be virtually eliminated by

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moving away from rivers and other bodies of water, since time out of mind, people have lived
and worked by the water to seek sustenance and capitalize on the gains of cheap and easy travel
and commerce by being near water. That humans continue to inhabit areas threatened by flood
damage is evidence that the perceived value of living near the water exceeds the cost of repeated
periodic flooding.

The word "flood" comes from the Old English flod, a word common to Germanic languages
(compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float; also compare
with Latin fluctus, flumen). Deluge myths are mythical stories of a great flood sent by a deity or
deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution, and are featured in the mythology of
many cultures.

Tornado

A tornado (often referred to as a twister or, erroneously, a cyclone) is a violent, dangerous,

rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus
cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes,
but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the
earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris and dust. Most tornadoes have wind speeds less
than 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (80 m) across, and travel a few
miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. The most extreme can attain wind speeds of more
than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than two miles (3 km) across, and stay on the ground for
dozens of miles (more than 100 km).[1][2][3]

Various types of tornadoes include the landspout, multiple vortex tornado, and waterspout.
Waterspouts are characterized by a spiraling funnel-shaped wind current, connecting to a large
cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud. They are generally classified as non-supercellular tornadoes
that develop over bodies of water.[4] These spiraling columns of air frequently develop in tropical
areas close to the equator, and are less common at high latitudes.[5] Other tornado-like
phenomena that exist in nature include the gustnado, dust devil, fire whirls, and steam devil.