watching winter weather

cold front by iansand on flickr

Cold fronts are exciting. The boys love them for the cathartic rain (since there is a shortage of that where we live) and the thunder, when it comes (which is never, in northern California). Their enthusiasm peaks when they are exposed to rainfall and puddles and mud; my fascination peaks as I watch the fronts roll in.

Maybe it’s the product of living for a spell in Dallas, with a weather radio on the bedside table, chasing tornadoes home from the YMCA with a baby in the backseat. Maybe it’s hurricane shellshock. Growing up in Texas, I guess I became more aware of the sky, over time.

It really gets dramatic up there when hot and cold mash it up.
A mass of cooler, drier, denser air pushes in from the northwest, usually (here in the northern hemisphere). This frontal “edge” lifts up the wet, warm air, causing lower pressure beneath the mass, creating thunderstorms or showers in the process.

On an afternoon recently, my dad and his buddy went kayak fishing in Texas and witnessed a beautiful shift in the weather:

Phil and I were fishing Oyster Lake for redfish and had paddled our kayaks to the other side of the lake about a mile away against a strong south wind. We fished that side of the lake for a hour or so and had planned to ride the south wind back in comfort (I had my shirt off it was so warm), When I looked north and saw this front coming off in the distance. So we started back across the lake with a tail wind, but a bout halfway the wind changed quickly from the north, blowing like hell. The temperature dropped over 20 degrees in no time (I quickly put my shirt back on, and wanted more clothing). It was a hard paddle back to the north side of the lake for protection, but we got there and quickly loaded up the truck to head back home.

The frontal boundary was spectacular, though. Interesting clouds and drafts pulling the clouds out on the lower edge.

Now, I know this isn’t snow.
What you have here is a herald for winter, though. Winter storms begin just like this, where you can actually witness chemistry in action, and they are among nature’s most impressive spectacles. Nothing is quite as dramatic (nor potentially as dangerous!) as being right out there in the middle of it, all alone, snow or no snow. If you have a camera to record the storm’s front sequence, like you see above, you can pocket the drama and take it home with you. You can save it for a sunny day.

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Here are some useful weather-watching links:

Weather Wiz Kids: Winter Storms:
Q&A for weather terminology and lingo.
Scholastic: Online Activities: Weather Watch weather-watching activities for teachers and educators.
The Weather Channel Kids: Winter Weather describes winter weather in detail.
Weather Channel Kids: Weather Lessons for Kids and Classrooms weather-related lesson plans.