How The Weather Works

    Even though I learned this quite a while ago, it recently came to my attention that many people do not understand the basics of how the weather works. So, I'll tell you about Wind, Rain, Snow, Lightning, and Tornadoes today.
    Wind is the movement of our air from high pressure systems to low pressure systems. Imagine a baloon. When you fill up that balloon with air and then let go, it flies through the air because the pressure inside of it is pushing it. That is also how wind works. Imagine a "High Pressure System" as a full balloon. The air from that system wants to spread out so it is not so concentrated. Logically, the only place it can move is where there is less air, a "Low Pressure System."
    It Rains when water vapor, the gaseous form of our liquid water, condenses in the air. When there is enough vapor in the atmosphere, and particles like dust for it to cling to, the vapor becomes more dense, and closer together. When there is enough collected vapor, it becomes so heavy that it falls from the sky. Here you can imagine your cooking. When you out your hand over the steam from boiling water, your hand gets moist. If you hold it there long enough, it gets wet. The dust and other particles in the air are like your hand, and the water vapor is the steam.
    Snow is just like rain, except that the vapor doesn't condense too much. When a fraction of vapor needed to form a rain drop gathers in a freezing environment (less than 0ºC or 32ºF), the water crystalizes and falls in the form of snow.
    Lightning is an odd thing. It is also quite simple to understand. Here I want you to imagine, or get yourself a full balloon. If you remember rubbing balloons against your head as a kid, you'll remember static electricity. Lightning is caused by the same thing as the Zap-Finger you had as a kid. It is a build up of static electricity that leads up to a discharge. That is why when there is a large fire or a volcanic eruption, lightning storms often follow. The dust and ash collide in the atmosphere and cause a static electrical buildup.
    Tornados are some of the worst anomalies in the world. They occur when a warm, high pressure system and a cold, low pressure system meet in close proximity. The two systems exchange air in a rapid fashion, never reaching a neutral point. If you have ever seen Newton's Cradle, this is just like that. The air is swapped so fast that it never stops. Because this is the world we're talking about, the pressure does not travel in a straight line, but rather in a 3D world. The air rotates, and when a sufficient speed is reached, a tornado is created out of the rapidly circulating air.

    There You Go! The Weather's Secrets Unveiled.