Summer

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Hail

(via Bad Newspaper)

Lāhainā Noon

 

This is a real thing, but I prefer the levitation theory.

Cummulus & Nimbus

Every gag about clouds you can fit into a 45-second video is here in this cute animation from German producers we think things. (via Laughing Squid)

Raining Alligators

From 1843. (via Undine)

Spring

(via She Who Seeks)

Meteorologist

I had wondered for some time what makes a meteorologist. Wikipedia tells us that they are scientists who have specialized knowledge in meteorology or other atmospheric science. A degree in such science will do, but is not required. The American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association both have certification procedures to give you some bona fides. The weather forecasters on TV may or may not be meteorologists, but who knows what background each really has. There's nothing that says a mathematician or a linguist cannot gain the specialized training for such a designation. And there's nothing that says you have to be a meteorologist to give the weather forecast. I did it all the time in radio, with no specialized knowledge whatsoever. This comic is from Randall Munroe at xkcd.  
 

Spring

(via Fark)

Daylight Sving Time

(via Fark)

Kindergarten Weather Report

Carden Corts got a kindergarten assignment to make a weather forecast video. His dad, Charlie Corts, who works in video production, helped a little. It's adorable, but wait until the subject shifts to spring break for things to really heat up! Kindergarten teachers don't grade on a curve, do they? Even without the awesome video effects, six-year-old Carden does a great job doing the weather. That kid is going places. Like reddit, where his uncle posted this video. 

Snow Sculpture

(Thanks, WTM!)

An Irish Horror Story

American humorists are expected to produce biting satire, point out the absurdities of life, or at least give us a few puns or pratfalls. Across the pond, sketch comedy is a bit dryer. The Irish comedy troupe Foil Arms and Hog have no real jokes in this sketch; its humor comes from the elevation of an everyday situation into a dramatic tragedy. We all know someone who does this (teenagers are good at it), but rarely is it a group thing. 

The Dangers of an Icy Hill

This happened in Texas some years ago. Kristy Boyd of Longview, Texas, recorded vehicles trying to make it up an icy hill, with some having more success than others. Then a big rig tried it. It had the speed going up, but couldn't quite make it over the top. That's when things went downhill, so to speak. First, gravity wins, then inertia. The real winner is the smaller car that didn't even try the hill. I bet that driver's life flashed before his eyes. (via Digg)

As If They Didn't have Enough Problems

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Watch Out For Ice

DHS told FEMA not to talk about ice when they issue warnings about the coming winter storm. Why? Because people will hear ICE and make memes out of it. They are supposed to use terms like "freezing rain" instead. What snowflakes. Oops, that word will be banned next. 

Of course, it has already happened, but since the news got out, it only encouraged the production of more memes, many of which you can see at Fark. 

Meanwhile, I hope everyone in the storm's path is as prepared as can be. I have the supplies I need, and nowhere I have to go. I live in town, so I can walk out if I need to, and I have Yaktraks. My phone is fully charged. I will leave my favorite games loaded on an extra window on my desktop, because the cable is pretty much guaranteed to go out. The worst that could happen to me is the electricity going down, which will affect heating. If that happens, and the house gets cold, the problem is finding out how widespread the outage is, because there's no use in walking out if there's nowhere warm to go. And my area will stay below freezing for a week after the storm. However, if worst comes to worst, I have gas logs in one fireplace. I don't know where the key to turn them on is, but a socket wrench will work. 

Snow in the South

(via reddit)

How Do You Survive the Winter?

I hate to admit it, but the squirrel's strategy is pretty close to mine. Considering all the sugar and fat laden treats that are common this time of year, I suspect that's a humanity thing. This comic is from Sarah Andersen. 

Canadian Vandalism

(via Fark)

Cold Cat

(via Fark)

American Autumn

Laurence Brown contrasts autumn in America and Britain by taking audience questions. Yes, there's a difference, and it's mainly that America is big on autumn. The US is a big country, with an awful lot of beautiful trees. We are an agricultural nation, with a big harvest and a lot of delicious native crops. And we are Americans, so we relish making a big deal out of everything. 

But the real difference is that Britain is small, and rainy, and autumn doesn't signify all that much change from summer. Brown calls this season the last hurrah before the misery of winter sets in, because he lives in Chicago. Here in the South, we love autumn because it's a reprieve from the misery of a torrid summer. There's a one-minute skippable ad at 2:45.