Understanding it all

[Pebbles]

Following the weather the past week has been really fun. Last night turned out to fairly settled in our neck of the woods(only hail, lightening, and a brief nondamaging tornado in the 'burbs') compared to the wording I picked up from noaa site.

Thing is I read all the stuff I can on NOAA but many of the terms I really don't understand or know what it means for the weather. (caps, certain cloud formation and different fronts/dry lines). Is there somewhere on the net that's good to read up on these things (that will treat me like the weather newbie I am)? Some things I feel better then the average person at understanding and other things I haven't the faintest (how to read them dang prediction mezo map thinga-ma-jiggies) and look the utter newb.

[Derecho]

Well, I mainly follow tropical weather; it's MUCH simpler.

Severe Wx/Tornado stuff is IMMENSELY complex. A category 5 hurricane is far simpler organizationally and it what goes in to forming one than a Category 5 tornado. I'm pretty lost regarding most aspects of svr, particularly jet stream influence, etc. Also I'm used to shear being bad, not shear being good .

The terminology is more complicated, and confusing ("CAPE" and "The Cap" are two entirely different things, for example.)


There's really no simple way to explain things, this site is fairly good, though I haven't worked through the whole thing:

http://www.theweatherprediction.com/severe/

[Pebbles]

That's it exactly! Feel as if I have a pretty good handle on tropics but severe weather throws me for a TOTAL loop.

P.S. thanks for the site..it's great!

[wx247]

I am pretty much the exact opposite. I tell you what... experience is the best teacher. Keep hangin' around... reading... and researching... and you will surprise yourself by how much you will learn. Good luck on your quest!