NSSL Video: Weather Briefly
Weather Briefly is a short-form video series highlighting the many types of severe weather along with research being done by NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory.
These videos are just video and music, so there is no captioning on them.
Weather Briefly: Tornadoes
Weather Briefly: Tornadoes. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Much about tornadoes remains a mystery. They are rare, deadly, and difficult to predict, and they can deal out millions or even billions of dollars in property damage per year. The U.S. typically has more tornadoes than anywhere else in the world, though they can occur almost anywhere. NSSL's tornado research targets ways to better understand how they form, and use that understanding to improve tornado forecasts and warnings to help save lives. Learn more about NSSL's tornado research →
Weather Briefly: Hail
Weather Briefly: Hail. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Hail occurs when updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere where they freeze into ice. Hail can cause billions of dollars of damage to structures, crops and livestock. NSSL focuses research efforts towards the prediction and detection of hail and hailstorms to give those in the path of the storm enough time to seek shelter and protect their property. Learn more about NSSL's hail research →
Weather Briefly: Lightning
Weather Briefly: Lightning. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Lightning is one of the oldest observed natural phenomena on earth. It can be seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, heavy snowstorms, in large hurricanes, and, obviously, thunderstorms. NSSL researchers study lightning structure and behavior to develop methods to use lightning data to improve severe weather forecasts and warnings. Learn more about NSSL's lightning research →
Weather Briefly: Flooding
Weather Briefly: Flooding. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Floods are the most common and widespread of all weather-related natural disasters. Floods can happen during heavy rains, when ocean waves come on shore, when snow melts quickly, or when dams or levees break. Damaging flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. Floods can occur within minutes or over a long period, and may last days, weeks, or longer. Learn more about NSSL's flooding research →
Weather Briefly: Damaging Winds
Weather Briefly: Damaging Winds. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Winds at speeds higher than 50–60 mph are classified as "damaging winds." Although rotating winds within a tornado draw a lot of attention, straight-line winds are significantly more widespread. Severe straight-line winds, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph, can cause the same amount of damage to structures and trees as a weak tornado and produce damage paths extending for hundreds of miles. NSSL scientists conduct field experiments and develop new radar tools that detect and notify forecasters of potential damaging wind events. Learn more about NSSL's research into damaging winds →
Weather Briefly: Winter Storms
Weather Briefly: Winter Storms. Watch on the NOAA Weather Partners YouTube Channel»
Just like any other storm, the right combination of ingredients is necessary for a winter storm to develop. Small variations in temperature determine whether precipitation will fall as sleet, snow, or freezing rain, making forecasting these events very difficult. NSSL was a pioneer in dual-polarization radar technology, now installed on NWS radars across the U.S., which helps forecasters clearly identify different types of winter precipitation, and NSSL researchers are working on more ways to better forecast potentially dangerous winter weather to cut down on the impact of winter weather hazards on travelers. Learn more about NSSL's research into winter weather →