Weather Woes for Wednesday #30

I came across this on the Weather Network and thought I'd share it. Now I'll actually know what I'm talking about if I decide to spout off about Nor'easters, Alberta Clippers or Lake Effect when weather is the topic of conversation. And who of you knew what a Pineapple Express was? I think I'll try to sneak it into conversation as often as possible just because it's such a cool-sounding term! Haha.

Windchill
Windchill is a derived number that we use, and we calculate it using the current wind speed and the current temperature. And it really tells us what it feels like in the winter. Every province in Canada and every territory is susceptible to windchill.

Lake Effect
Lake Effect is the term that we use when we refer to precipitation that occurs over the lakes. What you need is cold air moving over relatively warm waters. The difference between the air and the water temperatures has to be at least 13 degrees, and then we get precipitation formation. Normally we see this towards the end of fall and throughout the winter season. The main regions in Canada that are affected by this are southern Ontario and northern Ontario with the Great Lakes, as well as through Manitoba.

Alberta Clipper 
An Alberta Clipper is a low pressure system that forms off the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and it moves very quickly - that's why it's called a clipper - across the provinces. It can affect anyone from Alberta right to Newfoundland depending on the current storm tracks. Generally, Alberta Clippers don't drop very much snow, but they are notorious for dropping temperatures.

The aftermath of an Alberta Clipping meeting a low-pressure moisture system traveling up from Texas

Nor'easter 
The Nor'easter is a large low pressure system that affects the eastern seaboard of North America. Generally they occur in the fall and winter. It causes a prevailing wind direction from the north east, to affect the Atlantic provinces. And when these occur we get strong winds, and anything from rain to freezing rain to snow.

Pineapple Express 
The Pineapple Express is a non-meteorological term given to the moisture that originates near the Hawaiian Islands, hence the term pineapple, and travels along the jet stream towards the west coast of North America. Generally British Columbia is the most affected by these systems, in the form of rain or snow and strong winds.

*from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=Fall_weather_refresher_27_09_2012