 |
| Weather Chicago |
For nearly every hazard, according to Marc Austin, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oklahoma, meteorologists use a Doppler radar to measure almost every aspect from wind to rotation speed.
The Doppler radar allows meteorologists to see beyond the sight line of that of the naked eye. Using this tool, they assess how fast raindrops are moving, thus giving the wind speed.
Another common term that is misconstrued is thunderstorm or tornado watch.
“People often confuse watches to be warnings,” Austin said. “But what they don’t know is that a watch just means that the weather conditions are favorable for a tornado or severe thunderstorm to develop.”
A warning, on the other hand, means a severe storm or tornado has been observed either by the Doppler radar or a meteorologist, and proper precautions should be taken immediately.
A more popular hazard among Chicago weather is what is called a “derecho,” defined as a thunderstorm with severe winds. Derechos are most popular in late spring and summer, and consist of a long lived, violent straight-line windstorms.
As for hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and tropical storms, the likelihood that area residents’ houses will be affected is minimal.
