The earthquake on the East Coast this past week may have been unusual if not large by California standards but it got me thinking about what are some of the most unusual or ‘freaky’ weather conditions Mother Nature has thrown at us? Everyone knows about hurricanes, blizzards, avalanches, forest fires, floods, tidal waves, and even thunderstorms. But if you thought Mother Nature didn't have many surprises up her sleeve, think again. Nature has a load of other powers that, while less well-known, can only be described as, well, freaky.
The Mother of All Tornadoes
The fastest wind speed ever recorded—318 miles an hour (511 kilometers an hour)—occurred during a tornado near Oklahoma City in 1999. Scientists classify tornadoes by the damage they can do. A tornado with wind speeds of 70 miles an hour can sweep away entire houses and hurl cars through the air like missiles. But a tornado with wind speeds of more than 300 miles an hour has the power to derail train cars, tear grass from the ground, and even rip pavement from the street.
It's Raining Frogs!
Small frogs rained on a town in Serbia, sending residents running for cover. "There were thousands of them," a villager told a local newspaper. "I thought maybe a plane carrying frogs had exploded in midair," said another resident. Had the town gone crazy? Probably not. Scientists believe that waterspouts and tornadoes can suck up the surfaces and lakes, marshes, and other bodies of water. When they do, they can take frogs and fish along for the ride. The tornadoes can then drop them miles away.
Flaming Twisters
As if tornadoes aren't dangerous enough, one kind is made of fire. Wildfires are so powerful they can create their own weather. As these fires burn, they consume huge quantities of oxygen. The intense heat causes the air to rise. When fresh air swoops in and replaces it, strong winds are produced. Sometimes this self-created weather, or micro-weather, causes swirling tornadoes of fire. These flame-throwing tornadoes, called fire whirls, can be 50 feet (15 meters) wide and grow as tall as a 40-story building.
Mystery Waves
Imagine you're on an ocean liner when a wall of water ten stories tall races toward you like an unstoppable freight train. It's not a tsunami, caused by an undersea earthquake. Tsunamis are tiny in the open ocean and become enormous—and deadly—as they approach the shore. No, what you're witnessing at sea is a rogue wave, also called a freak wave. Scientists aren't sure what causes these waves, but they do know they can appear without any warning in the open sea, even in the clearest of weather. As recently as 15 years ago these waves were thought to be a myth. But scientists now know they are very real—and very dangerous to even the largest ships.
Great Balls of Fire
During a thunderstorm, a glowing ball the size of your head suddenly appears. It hovers a few feet above the ground, drops down, dances across the yard, and then darts up into the air before it fades away. This freaky phenomenon is ball lightning. Sometimes it disappears with a small explosion. Some scientists think that when normal lightning strikes the ground, it vaporizes a mineral called silicon found in soil. They think this silicon forms a kind of bubble that burns in the oxygen around it.
