TABLE OF CONTENTS Weather Can Become Extreme 4 A Thunderstorm Is an Electrical Storm 6 Tornado Winds Can Reach 300 Miles per Hour 8 Hurricanes Are Powerful Tropical Storms 10 Tsunamis Are as Fast as Jet Airplanes 12 Heat Waves Can Bake Fruit on Trees 14 Droughts Are Slow Killers 16 Dust Storms Can Move across Oceans 18 Wildfires Burn Large Areas Quickly 20 Blizzards White Out the Landscape 22 Ice Storms Take Out Power Lines 24 Cold Waves Can Freeze Water Supplies 26 Fact Sheet 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32
1 WEATHER CAN BECOME EXTREME Will it rain Will it be warm What should I wear Weather is often the first thing people think about every day Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place In most places the weather can change from season to season and day to day It may even change from hour to hour The National Weather Service NWS in the United States helps people prepare for the weather The NWS uses radar on the ground It has satellites in space to gather weather information It also uses weather balloons to measure air temperature pressure wind and humidity Together all this information gives them weather forecast reports Forecasts may predict sun and warm temperatures Or they might predict extreme weather The weather forecast lets drivers know about dangerous weather 4
THINK ABOUT IT What is your weather today Is it normal or extreme Use these pages definition of extreme weather to help you decide Give two examples of how your weather is normal or extreme The NWS also issues weather watches and warnings to alert people of dangerous weather A watch means conditions outdoors may possibly turn dangerous People should keep a watchful eye on the sky A weather warning means dangerous weather is occurring now ccurring now People should seek shelter and take other safety steps Weather warnings are very helpful in the case of extreme weather Extreme weather is weather that is more violent or different from normal Heat waves high h winds and extremely cold ld s winters are all examples of extreme weather Some me 1,000 Average number of weather watches the NWS issues each year Weather is the state of the atmosphere on a given day Weather can change from season to season day to day and hour to hour The National Weather Service provides forecasts Weather watches and warnings help people stay safe during extreme weather hurricanes may also be considered hurricanes may als extreme While extreme weather extreme While ex may not happen very often it may not happen causes damage to buildings and causes damage roads and puts people at risk roads and puts Heat waves can be harmful to human health 5
