Cornfields in Mid-Missouri can add up to 13.8 billion gallons of water to the atmosphere each day, leading to local microclimates that can increase the heat index by up to 15 degrees.
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You can blame it on changing regulations, better players, or different fields, but all baseball fans know that home runs have become a more frequent aspect of the game over the years. There have been decades of debates on why home runs are increasing, and studies have shown that a warmer climate is driving more
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As we roll our way into late July, many people might have vacation time on their mind ahead of the upcoming school year. One of the most important factors in a successful vacation during the late summer months is the weather. We are taking a look at the sub-seasonal forecast lasting from late July through
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An ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Alert Day has come to an end early Saturday morning after a line of strong to severe storms tracked through the area. Severe storms were most widespread in western Missouri, where 70+ mph wind gusts were reported near Kansas City. The line of storms weakened as it rolled through Mid-MO
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After the lightning always comes the thunder, right? Sometimes, we aren’t able to hear the clap of thunder after we see a strike. The term people use to identify this effect is “heat lightning.” However, this has nothing to do with heat at all. Sure, lightning itself is incredibly hot, about five times hotter than
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With the threat of strong to severe storms causing northern portions of Mid-Missouri to be in a threat level 2 /5, you might be wondering what exactly do those numbers mean? When the value increases on the threat level maps, that typically means we see increased coverage and the intensity of showers and storms. Five
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In the next month or so, many whitetail hunters could be gearing up with the hopes to start scouting for this upcoming deer season. The months of June and July are very important as we’ll see bucks go from nothing, to a full rack which we’ll see this upcoming fall for the hunting season. Jason
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If you’ve been out in recent days, you might have seen some strange sights in the skies among the fireworks. Photos shared with ABC 17 News by Kathy Zumwalt in Jefferson City displayed smoke rings on back-to-back evenings on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. They might look a bit spooky, but this isn’t an Independence
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It’s a sound most of Missouri is all too familiar with – the constant chirping of crickets. Some find it a nuisance, others find it peaceful. Did you know that a cricket’s chirping could also come in handy? Tonight, by using a simple formula, you could calculate the temperature outside just through the song of
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Summer is heating up, and not just when you’d think. As daytime temperatures continue to warm with climate change, nights are getting even hotter. Nighttime temperatures are warming faster than at any other time, extending the risks of heat through all hours of the day. In Columbia, overnight temperatures have warmed by over 3 degrees
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Every year, Missourians race to nearby firework business to purchase droves of fun surprises. Some large, some small. Either way, all fireworks use the same science to achieve the different color effects. Different elements are added to each firework. These different elements are the primary catalyst for the different colors of fire seen as they
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Summer is here and has brought its typical steamy feel as moisture in the air increases. There are several terms used by meteorologists to discuss atmospheric moisture and how it feels outside. Humidity is a common word that can be measured in different ways, and most people are familiar with relative humidity, expressed as a
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Your typical summer day is pretty hot. You know the drill, air temperatures mixed with higher humidity percentages is going to yield a pretty hefty heat index – and an uncomfortable day. One of the dangers that comes with heat is the deadly threat of rising car temperatures. It only takes a matter of minutes
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The Northern Snakehead, an invasive fish species, has been found in Missouri waterways and is capable of surviving out of water for up to 7 days, posing a threat to local ecosystems due to its ability to thrive in suitable temperatures and capitalize on flooding.
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There’s good news across much of the Midwest as we compare drought conditions with the last several years for this time in June. Looking back to 2023, a multi-year long standing drought was in full swing for much of the Midwest. The region saw severe and extreme drought across central portions of Mid- Missouri and
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It’s no surprise that it’s been hot and sunny ever since last Thursday, and that trend looks to continue as we head throughout the next several days for the most part. You might be asking yourself, “Why is it that we’re seeing so much sunshine and heat in such a long span of time?” Well,
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With this upcoming heat wave affecting most of mid-Missouri, heat index temperatures are expected to reach 90s and above. However, some areas will be heating up more than others. The urban heat island effect refers to cities and other landscapes that are considered a “built environment.” These areas have more concrete and asphalt compared to
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Friday marks the official start of astronomical summer, and the summer heat is barreling in for much of the country. Much of Mid-Missouri will reach 90 degrees for the first time this year at the same time the heat index breaches triple digits. 90-degree temperatures are above average for central Missouri for late June, and
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You might’ve heard the phrase “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” However, when it comes to calculating the heat index, you need both values. As temperatures begin to climb towards the lower 90s this week, that heat index value will also experience some changes. The heat index is a measure of how hot it
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While droughts are often attributed to a lack of rainfall, another aspect of the water cycle has been largely overlooked. The supply of rainfall is just one part of the process, and new studies examining water demand are revealing alarming signs. A study published in the journal Nature suggests that the atmosphere’s demand for water
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