Weather Myths

Written by: Mike DeNora

Sometimes, it may be difficult to differentiate what is a truth and what is a myth when dealing with weather. Here are 3 common weather myths:
Myth 1. Raindrops are teardrop shaped.
Small raindrops (less than 1mm across) start out as spherical. As they grow in size, they flatten out like a pancake, not like a teardrop that many people are accustomed to.

Myth 2. No two snowflakes are alike.
This is pretty much impossible. If you think about it, billions of snowflakes fall in a snowstorm. They are all very small and they all come from the same growing process, whatever it may be for the region. This many snowflakes falling in an area will force some to look identical. Even though scientists rarely find 2 snowflakes that look alike, it is mainly because not enough snowflakes are actually collected for observation.

Myth 3. In hot weather, the air gets thicker and harder to breath.
Hot air has more energy than cool air. This causes the molecules to spread out more in the atmosphere. With warmer temperatures we are actually seeing the air get thinner due this spreading, and not thicker.


For more information and more weather myths, including one about tornadoes like in the picture above, you can go to http://www.mythbusters.com/the-truth-behind-six-persistent-weather-myths-part-ii.html.