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Should government recognize and legalize same-sex marriage?
07/03/2011 Wintery Knight	Leave a comment
Earlier in the week, I posted a case against same-sex marriage that was restricted to non-religious arguments. Here's an article written by famous Christian apologist J Warner Wallace that does the same thing, but it is packed with even more evidence than mine!
In his article, he considers the following questions:
What is the aim of the same-sex marriage movement?
What percentage of people are gay in the United States?
What is the role of government?
Why should government promote traditional marriage?
Are heterosexual and homosexual relationships the same with respect to domestic violence?
Are heterosexual and homosexual relationships the same with respect to healthiness?
Are heterosexual and homosexual relationships the same with respect to spousal fidelity?
Are heterosexual and homosexual relationships the same with respect to stability?
Does it matter to children whether their two biological parents raise them or not?
It's clear that that traditional heterosexual two parent family units are far more enduring, monogamous, non-abusive and healthy. On these standards alone, it's reasonable for us to value and promote traditional two parent marriages as the 'ideal' form of family in our culture. But as it turns out, a number of studies confirm that two 'biological' parents are actually required if we want to best assure success and well-being in our children.
Many studies come to this conclusion, including studies that are conducted by liberal advocacy groups who also recognize the fact that "children do best when raised by their two married biological parents…" (Mary Parke, "Are Married Parents Really Better for Children?", Center for Law and Social Policy Policy Brief, May 2003, p.1). This reality is confirmed by a number of additional studies demonstrating that "an extensive body of research tells us that children do best when they grow up with both biological parents…" (Kristin Anderson Moore, et al., "Marriage From a Child's Perspective: How Does Family Structure Affect Children, and What Can We Do about It?", Child Trends Research Brief, June 2002, p.1).
We know, for example, that children raised in two biological parent families are far less likely to become sexually active at a young age compared to every other form of family unit, including stepfamilies. (Dawn Upchurch, et al., "Neighborhood and Family Contexts of Adolescent Sexual Activity", Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 1999, 920-930). Children who are not living with both biological parents are 50 to 150% more likely to abuse drugs that kids who are raised in other types of family units, including stepfamilies like those formed in same sex unions. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "The Relationship Between Family Structure and Adolescent Substance Use", Rockville, MD, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, 1996).
In a similar way, studies indicate that "children residing in households with adults unrelated to them were 8 times more likely to die of maltreatment than children in households with 2 biological parents. Risk of maltreatment death was elevated for children residing with step, foster, or adoptive parents." (Michael Stiffman, et al., "Household Composition and Risk of Fatal Child Maltreatment," Pediatrics, 109, 2002, pp.615-621). Over and over again, studies confirm the same reality: children do better when raised not only in two parent family units, but in two biological parent family units!
This conclusion is not limited to heterosexual studies. Even those who advocate and support same sex parenting recognize that there are inherent difficulties for children raised n these settings. The homosexual parenting literature continues to recognize this:
"The Lesbian and Gay Parenting Handbook: Creating and Raising Our Families" (April Martin):
"Some children do express an intense longing for the other biological parent, talking about it frequently and emotionally…. Adolescents take particular interest in both their heredity and in gender-specific role models."
"The Lesbian Parenting Book: A Guide to Creating Families and Raising Children" (D. Merilee Clunis, G. Dorsey Green):
"It is very normal for children to long about and ask for a father…. It is natural to feel defensive when your child longs for a father. We encourage you to remain patient while she asks questions, sorts out information and comes to terms without knowing her father's identity, or not having her biological father in her life. She needs to do it…. [Artificially Inseminated] children of lesbian parents may grieve never knowing their biological father."
"Gay Men Choosing Parenthood" (Gerald P. Mallon):
"(The majority of children being raised in gay male households) sometimes verbalized a desire for a mother at one time or another."
"For Lesbian Parents: Your Guide to Helping Your Family Grow Up Happy, Healthy, and Proud" (Suzanne M. Johnson, Elizabeth O'Connor):
"(Lesbian mothers should ask their daughters) if it's hard sometimes not having a father. Let her know that you understand that sometimes it is hard."
Please consider giving this article a read. It is very comprehensive, and cites a huge number of sources. I think that this topic mattered a lot more to the author than it did to me. I grew up in a marriage home and my parents are still married. I only write about the issues of single motherhood, divorce and same-sex marriage because I have friends in these situations, and because I have read the research. But J Warner Wallace grew up in a single parent home. So he is writing about this topic based on his personal experience.
For a more academic case against SSM, see this peer-reviewed paper on traditional marriage and same-sex marriage, authored by two guys from Princeton University and one guy from the University of Notredame. One of those guys is the famous Robert P. George. For some simple, practical tips on defending traditional marriage, check out this tip sheet from the National Organization for Marriage.
You can also watch the videos from a formal academic debate on same-sex marriage held at the University of Central Florida, featuring Dr. Michael Brown. Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse also debated same-sex marriage at Columbia University in a formal academic debate. You can see her give a lecture on same-sex marriage at Houston Baptist University here, as well.
AdoptionAIDSBi-SexualBusinessChildChildrenChildren's RightsChristianityCivil SocietyCourtDivorceDonor-Conceived ChildrenEgg DonorFamilyFatherFemaleGayGay MarriageGLBTHealthHealth-careJennifer Roback MorseLectureLesbianLGBTMaleMarriageMarxismMenMotherNatural MarriageNew MexicoNo-Fault DivorceNorwayOut of Wedlock BirthsParentingPhotographerProp 8Proposition 8ResearchSame-Sex MarriageScandinavianSocialismStudySwedenTraditional MarriageWomen
A secular case against gay marriage
Note: this post has a twin! Its companion post on a secular case against abortion rights is here.
Roxeanne de Luca challenged socially conservative bloggers to write a non-religious case against same-sex marriage, so here's mine.
I can't possible cover everything, but I will make three arguments.
Same-sex marriage is bad for children
Same-sex marriage is bad for civil society and business
Same-sex marriage is bad for public health
Let's look at these in order.
1. SSM is bad for children
Traditional marriage is beneficial for children for 4 reasons:
traditional marriages last longer than same-sex unions
traditional marriages are more peaceful than same-sex unions
traditional marriages offer children male and female influences
traditional marriages model life-long love between men and women
Space permits me to only discuss the first two, using this paper from the Family Research Council, which cites data from mainstream sources like the Department of Justice, peer-reviewed studies, etc.
That research paper compares same-sex couples and heterosexual married couples, in the following ways:
relationship duration
monogamy vs. promiscuity
relationship commitment
number of children being raised
rates of intimate partner violence
It turns out that same-sex unions are not as good for children as traditional marriage, on those measures.
Claim: about 58% of traditional marriages last longer than 20 years.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001)
Claim: about 5% of same-sex unions last longer than 20 years.
Source: 2003-2004 Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census
Monogamy vs Promiscuity
Claim: 85% of married women and 75.5% of married men report being faithful to their spouses. For homosexual males, the number is 4.5%
Sources: Laumann, The Social Organization of Sexuality, 216; McWhirter and Mattison, The Male Couple: How Relationships Develop (1984): 252-253; Wiederman, "Extramarital Sex," 170.
Married men and women experience significantly less intimate partner violence than do homosexual men and women.
Sources: "Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence," U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Justice Programs: 30; "Intimate Partner Violence," Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report:11.
There is a lot more evidence cited in the research paper. Read the whole thing.
Consider this article by Dr. Trayce Hansen about which family configuration is best for children. The title is "Same-Sex Marriage: Not in the Best Interest of Children".
Only mother-father families afford children the opportunity to develop relationships with a parent of the same, as well as the opposite sex. Relationships with both sexes early in life make it easier and more comfortable for a child to relate to both sexes later in life. Overall, having a relationship with both a male and female parent increases the likelihood that a child will have successful social and romantic relationships during his or her life.(5)
Moreover, existing research on children reared by homosexuals is not only scientifically flawed and extremely limited (6,7,8) but some of it actually indicates that those children are at increased risk for a variety of negative outcomes.(6) Other studies find that homosexually parented children are more likely to experiment sexually, experience sexual confusion, and engage in homosexual and bisexual behavior themselves.(5,6,9) And for those children who later engage in non-heterosexual behavior, extensive research reveals they are more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders, abuse alcohol and drugs, (10) attempt suicide, (11) experience domestic violence and sexual assault, (12) and are at increased risk for chronic diseases, AIDS, and shortened life spans.(13,14,15)
It shouldn't be surprising that studies find children reared by homosexuals are more likely to engage in homosexual behavior themselves (16,9,17) since extensive worldwide research reveals homosexuality is primarily environmentally induced. Specifically, social and/or family factors, as well as permissive environments which affirm homosexuality, play major environmental roles in the development of homosexual behavior.(18,19,20,21)
The rest of the article, with references, is here.
Research from the Heritage Foundation shows that traditional marriage is the safest place for women and children – women and children are much less likely to be the victims of domestic violence or violent crime when they are in a married home. Another Heritage Foundation research paper shows that child poverty is greatly reduced when children grow up in a married home.
So what do we learn from this? The evidence is clear: traditional marriage is better for children than same-sex marriage.
2. SSM is bad for civil society and business
SSM will increase the power of the state to regulate civil society and business. Let me quickly summarize the evidence for this to give you an idea how it would work, using Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse's testimony to the Rhode Island legislature.
Far from limiting the power of the state, your version of equality has become a tool for the hostile takeover of civil society by the state. Churches are already under attack for daring to dissent from the new state-imposed Orthodoxy that marriage is whatever the government says it is.7
Parents are losing the right to direct the education of their own children.8 Foster parents in the UK must submit to the state's views about marriage.9 Reputable adoption agencies have been put out of business.
And the pettiness of some of the complaints brought by same sex couples is simply staggering. Christian bed and breakfast owners have been sued for not allowing unmarried couples to stay in double rooms. They would have gladly rented them separate rooms, but that was not good enough for the thought police.10 Same sex couples have brought legal complaints against wedding photographers, as if there were a constitutional right to have your picture taken by the person of your choice.11
The details of the events she is describing can be found in the references for her speech.
Here are a few more examples of this infringement on civil society and business:
Gay manager at Cisco Systems gets Dr. Frank Turek fired
Law firm that agreed to defend marriage pressured by gay groups
California Democrats mandate gay history in public schools
Brown University students attack pro-marriage sign at demonstration
Queen's University feminist professor says that polygamy should be permitted
Christianity under fire from secular governments in San Francisco and Quebec
Christians forced to perform same-sex marriages
UK Equalities Minister introduces law allowing gays to marry in churches
Christian business owners found guilty for disagreeing with homosexuality
Belgian archbishop targeted by gay activists over AIDS remarks
Christian couple barred from having foster children
Christian student loses case with Eastern Michigan University
Ireland considers bill to criminalize dissent from same-sex civil unions
Catholic Charities closes adoption agency due to same-sex marriage law
The persecution of a Catholic Bishop (at Blazing Cat Fur)
The persecution of Rev. Stephen Boissoin (at Ezra Levant)
The persecution of Catholic Insight magazine (at Ezra Levant)
The persecution of Christian businessman Scott Brockie (at The Interim)
Notice how same-sex marriage impacts businesses, clergy, non-profits, etc. and even leads to polygamy. Once you decide that marriage is not about putting guidelines around sex and producing and nurturing the next generation, but about letting consenting adults do whatever they want, then there are no rules.
Now consider this article about how the breakdown of marriage changes society and government, written by Dr. Frank Turek.
The law is a great teacher, and same sex marriage will teach future generations that marriage is not about children but about coupling. When marriage becomes nothing more than coupling, fewer people will get married to have children.
So what? People will still have children, of course, but many more of them out-of wedlock. That's a disaster for everyone. Children will be hurt because illegitimate parents (there are no illegitimate children) often never form a family, and those that "shack up" break up at a rate two to three times that of married parents. Society will be hurt because illegitimacy starts a chain of negative effects that fall like dominoes—illegitimacy leads to poverty, crime, and higher welfare costs which lead to bigger government, higher taxes, and a slower economy.
Are these just the hysterical cries of an alarmist? No. We can see the connection between same-sex marriage and illegitimacy in Scandinavian countries. Norway, for example, has had de-facto same-sex marriage since the early nineties. In Nordland,the most liberal county of Norway, where they fly "gay" rainbow flags over their churches, out-of-wedlock births have soared—more than 80percent of women giving birth for the first time, and nearly 70 percent of all children, are born out of wedlock! Across all of Norway, illegitimacy rose from 39 percent to 50 percent in the first decade of same-sex marriage.
Anthropologist Stanley Kurtz writes,"When we look at Nordland and Nord-Troendelag — the Vermont and Massachusetts of Norway — we are peering as far as we can into the future of marriage in a world where gay marriage is almost totally accepted. What we see is a place where marriage itself has almost totally disappeared." He asserts that "Scandinavian gay marriage has driven home the message that marriage itself is outdated, and that virtually any family form, including out-of-wedlock parenthood, is acceptable." But it's not just Norway. Blankenhorn reports this same trend in other countries. International surveys show that same-sex marriage and the erosion of traditional marriage tend to go together. Traditional marriage is weakest and illegitimacy strongest wherever same-sex marriage is legal.
You might say, "Correlation doesn't always indicate causation!" Yes, but often it does. Is there any doubt that liberalizing marriage laws impacts society for the worse? You need look no further than the last 40 years of no-fault divorce laws in the United States (family disintegration destroys lives and now costs taxpayers $112 billion per year!).
No-fault divorce laws began in one state, California, and then spread to rest of the country. Those liberalized divorce laws helped change our attitudes and behaviors about the permanence of marriage. There's no question that liberalized marriage laws will help change our attitudes and behaviors about the purpose of marriage. The law is a great teacher, and if same-sex marriage advocates have their way, children will be expelled from the lesson on marriage.
So there are financial and social costs to the breakdown of marriage. The more government has to spend to deal with the problems SSM creates, the higher taxes will go, and the less money is left in the hands of working families to accomplish their own plans.
To be fair, I think that sex education and no-fault divorce are worse threats to marriage than same-sex marriage. I would like to see more research to persuade people that chastity before marriage is important, like this research , so that we could see our way clear to push for policies that encourage young people to wait longer before having sex. And I would like to see other measures taken to strengthen marriage from no-fault divorce, such as a shared parenting laws. But SSM is the current topic, so I'll stick with that here.
3. SSM is bad for public health
Now we come to the sensitive part. We should not be encouraging SSM because it normalizes homosexuality and the homosexual lifestyle is associated with harmful behaviors.
Consider this recent Centers for Disease Control study. Life Site News discusses the findings in this article.
Students who report being gay or bisexual are more likely than heterosexual students to engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual risk behaviors, suicidal behaviors, and violence, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The study reported: "the prevalence among gay or lesbian students was higher than the prevalence among heterosexual students for a median of 63.8% of all the risk behaviors measured, and the prevalence among bisexual students was higher than the prevalence among heterosexual students for a median of 76.0% of all the risk behaviors measured."
Specifically, gay or lesbian students had higher rates for seven of the 10 health risk categories (behaviors that contribute to violence, behaviors related to attempted suicide, tobacco use, alcohol use, other drug use, sexual behaviors, and weight management).
The study also found that only 1.3% of students self-identified as gay or lesbian at the eight sites where they were asked their "sexual identity." A median of 3.7% said they were bisexual.
Researchers analyzed data from Youth Risk Behavior Surveys conducted during 2001–2009 in seven states and six large urban school districts. These sites collected data on high school students' sexual identity (heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual, or unsure), sex of sexual contacts (sexual contact with the opposite sex only, with the same sex only, or with both sexes), or both.
The study, "Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9–12 in Selected Sites—Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, United States, 2001–2009," was published as a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary.
Dr. Trayce Hansen summarizes some of the previously published research on the health care effects of the gay lifestyle.
Non-heterosexual behavior leads to increased risk of psychological and physical disorders
Sadly, the research is also clear that individuals who adopt non-heterosexual lifestyles are more likely to suffer from a host of negative outcomes including psychiatric disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide attempts, domestic violence and sexual assault, and increased risk for chronic diseases, AIDS, and shortened lifespan. Schools should not affirm and thereby encourage young people to adopt lifestyles more likely to lead to such devastation. (To review these specific studies see references 5-10 below).
The footnotes she mentions are in the original article. That article also debunks the "gay gene" myth using identical twin studies, which show that only 10-11% of identical twins have the same sexual orientation.
Consider how society treats the practice of cigarette smoking. Certainly, we don't want to coerce people into not smoking – we want them to have the choice. But we should definitely not lie to people about the health effects of smoking. It does no good to tell people that dangerous things are not really dangerous. I would rather hurt someone's feelings gently by telling them the truth than see them suffer real harm after telling them lies.
In conclusion, we have seen three reasons why we should not legalize same-sex marriage:
Notice that there are no arguments in this post that require a religious worldview or belief in the inerrancy of the Bible.
For a more academic case against SSM, see this peer-reviewed paper on traditional marriage and same-sex marriage, authored by two guys from Princeton University and one guy from the University of Notredame. One of those guys is the famous Robert P. George. For some simple, practical tips on defending traditional marriage, check out this tip sheet from the National Organization for Marriage. Here's another good peer-reviewed paper in the Harvard University Journal of Law and Public Policy. And of course there are the two recent large-scale studies on gay parenting outcomes, and responses to the criticisms of those studies.
MUST-SEE: Jennifer Roback Morse lectures on marriage and family
04/06/2010 Wintery Knight	1 Comment
I am sure you will all LOVE this lecture delivered by Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse at Houston Baptist University. (60 minutes, start listening at 11:15 though!)
what is the purpose of marriage in society?
do children really need a mother and a father?
is each child entitled to a relationship with their 2 bio-parents?
how is the purpose of marriage being re-defined today?
how does same-sex marriage redefine traditional marriage?
should the state be able to determine who counts as a parent?
are mothers and fathers interchangeable?
how did no-fault divorce redefine marriage?
does the government provide an incentive to divorce?
are men interchangeable with women?
where did feminism come from? how did it start?
how does the Marxist worldview view marriage and family?
who do feminists believe should be raising the children?
how Christianity conflicts with Utopian views
what can a Christian university do to turn the tide?
This is a fun lecture to watch, because she's very articulate, informed, and passionate. She's an excellent speaker, because she taught economics at Yale University and George Mason University. You can't help but follow what she's saying because she keeps your attention. I am also a huge fan of women who are concerned about threats to the marriage, fathers and children. I like when women put marriage first. I like it when women think that fathers are important. I like it when women want to protect children. She's very funny in this video, as well.
I've learned a ton about marriage and economics by listening to Jennifer Roback Morse. I thought she was kind of slacking off lately, but this video more than makes up for it. I like to complain a lot about women today not thinking much about love, marriage and parenting. But Dr. J knows everything about those topics. Everything! I remember chastising her once by e-mail that she had never taken clear sides on no-fault divorce and she MAILED ME a hardcover book of essays where she wrote an essay on that very topic! Naturally she took the pro-marriage, pro-father, pro-children side.
ChildChildrenChildren's RightsChristianityCourtDivorceDonor-Conceived ChildrenEgg DonorFamilyFatherFemaleJennifer Roback MorseLectureMaleMarriageMarxismMenMotherNatural MarriageNo-Fault DivorceParentingPrentProp 8Proposition 8Sperm DonorTraditional MarriageWomen


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Week 2 was an interesting one. We finished up interviews of the various tourism related stakeholders and began to frame up our recommendations.
The team agrees that Huizhou has some beautiful 'scenic spots', clean air and much culture and history to share. While most of the tourists today are local, Huizhou is facing stiff competition from other local cities and provinces. They have a desire to attract more national and international tourists. An admirable goal, we're trying to augment their current actions with an approach to gt them on a big data and analytics foundation. This will be critical for them to understand more about their tourists, and what they need to do to make Huizhou more attractive to other tourist market segments.
Today some of the team made a visit to Luofu Mountain, which is their only 5A rated (top rating) attraction in Huizhou. The mountain is lovely, with many natural features (caves, water falls, greenery) as well monuments and plaques to commemorate legends, reflect on horrible atrocities, and share historical artifacts such as buildings to house top Generals or other military figures in history. There are also some wonderful culturally rich temples on the mountain. There are supposed to be over 1000 medicinal herbs on the mountain, so it is a very popular place for the Chinese people. It was an extremely hot and SWEATY day, : )) but one we enjoyed greatly and agree was necessary so we could have the true tourist experience first hand.
The river drifting as it is referred to in China or white water rafting as many of us know, is a good picture to depict what is happening in tourism. Adventure, dangerous waters, exciting times, thrilling and rewarding – if you push hard enough and make it happen!
So, what is the change sweeping through tourism destinations of the world? Is it a global phenomena? Our client Huizhou city spurred us on this thought process by making a complex demand, which was that smarter tourism can not be separated from a city. Arguing on, the city leader's executive delegate felt that there is a need to create an interlock between a city's informative storyline and the shape tourism takes.
I could not agree less with the client. It is easy to understand that a great tourist destination gridlocked by political chaos or mind wracking traffic or dirty residential quarters do not go together. However, how does IBM SCC team crack such a assignment which addresses tourism while adding value to the city's Smarter City quest?? Looks interesting?
SCC@Huizhou Shows Dedication To Deliver!!
Our first weekend in Huizhou did not go quite as planned, but that did not stop the SCC Huizhou "Fantastic Five" (Kaaren, Ravi, Susan, Joe and myself) from making the most of our time in Huizhou. We awoke Saturday morning to rain in the form of heavy and consistent downpours!! Clearly our trip to Luofo Mountain needed to be rescheduled. Undeterred, the team members set off to take advantage of the opportunity to explore more local cultural sites including a visit to the East River Antique Fold Custom Museum and the Yiwu market.
We had hopes for a better Sunday, but mother nature did not agree. We'd put aside a couple hours for work on Sunday to organize our findings from the prior weeks activities and begin to prepare for a validation meeting on Monday with Ms Zhou ( Deputy Secretary-general of Huizhou Municipal Government) and Ms Huang (Tourism Bureau). Our Sunday workday extended into 6 hours as we identified, condensed and prioritized our "emerging ideas" from over 20 down to a core 12. Our ideas seemed to organize themselves into different tourism related areas or domains. We began to construct these into a framework we might use to deliver our recommendations, as well as recognize key tourism related initiatives already underway in the Huizhou Tourism Bureau.
We closed up for the day realizing how much we had discovered in our first week, and thankful we spent the extra time paring down our focus for the start of week 2.
Comments Off on SCC@Huizhou Shows Dedication To Deliver!!
First, let me introduce the team, Claudia, Kaaren, Susan, Xie Hong(Joe) and me. We landed in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong in South China and arrived into Huizhou by road. We had an orientation session with Ms. Zhou, the Huizhou's Executive Delegate of the Mayor and Ms. Huang, Tourism Director. This was a good F2F interaction, where we could gauge stakeholder priorities, gather their suggestions and seek all the missing pieces of information, we needed. We had a magnificent kickoff of the SCC Huizhou project with the Mayor Mai Jiaomeng presiding over the function. IBM and Huizhou city leadership team emphasised the phenomenal importance of this project, the key leverage the SCC project holds in preparing the vision, Blueprint and Strategic Initiatives roadmap for Huizhou's Smart Tourism. The Mayor offered his entire team's cooperation and assured access for IBM to all resources they may need.
Ms. Huang, Tourism Bureau Director was extremely gracious in accompanying us on a visit to the famous Huizhou West Lake. We traveled in the comfort of a luxury boat to the key attractions of West Lake. The life size dragon statue is a good photo opportunity. West Lake is good for half a day.
We were also thrilled with the visit to Red Flower Lake scenic spot. Lake is misnomer, as it is much more than a lake. It is the ONLY drive in the world(which I have seen) where the road stays even(no ups or downs, except for the first and last two hundred meters) of 18 Kms, set on a connected series of hills on one side and the lake on the other side. The huge setting can absorb a few thousand tourists, without even seeming to be crowded. I do think this stands out as a unique attraction, where you could rent even a single family bike for two adults and a child to ride together or jog your way through the park. It is blessing, the automobiles are not allowed. Buggies do take visitors through the attraction in about an hour.
We have done a deep-dive in gaining understanding of the tourism economy at Huizhou, have started deliberations on the pain points to resolve, the aspirations of the city that need to be enabled, potential models which could integrate the tourism ecosystem and make Huizhou the 'Smart Tourist destination'. Have great expectation and we are top on confidence, should be able to finish this on a HIGH!
Yesterday we had a very useful day meeting with the Development and Reform Bureau in the morning and the Transportation Bureau and the Housing and Construction Bureau in the afternoon. These were all very useful meetings to try to ascertain what data is available as well as the planning strategy that is currently in place.
There was a lot of useful discussion and we could identify a number of areas in which data collection would be useful to identify trends, identify when and which types of infrastructure need to be invested in. We are getting a good sense of where the gaps in the current strategy might be, and how Huizhou could use data and some marketing techniques to significantly improve their tourism industry.
In the late afternoon we were treated to a tour of Red Flower Lake which was a most beautiful location with rainforests, a gorgeous lake, look out areas and a lovely winding road filled with cyclists and walkers. It was a free parkland and so we were all thinking of ways of capturing information about visitors – where they are from, how many visitors there were, what they liked and didn't like and whether they would come again – lots of items for further thought and discussion!
We are looking forward to our meeting with the Science and Technology Bureau and the Tourism Associations later today and will update after that!
6 pm Friday evening: We just completed our last set of interviews of our first exciting week in Huizhou. Today we were able to have more in depth discussions with leaders of 3 of the main tourist attractions: Huizhou West Lake, Luofo Mountain and Xuliao Bay. These attractions highlight many beautiful aspects of the city, but are run and operated independently. They each have their own ways of assessing tourist experiences and/or soliciting feedback. As with any seasonal type of attraction, they have to deal with peaks and valleys of attendance, not only at the attraction itself, but the affects of which are felt in supporting infrastructure (roads, eateries, rest room facilities etc). Significant enough as standalone issues, we also discovered throughout the week (and verified again today) that there is a lack of organized data collection, aggregation, analysis and sharing.
It will be an interesting next two weeks as we grapple to pull together a set of recommendations and use cases in a way that will be easy to understand, feasible to implement while at the same time putting Huizhou tourism on a solid path of growth driven by new and innovative ideas.
Tomorrow morning bright and early it's off to Luofo Mountain!! Cheers!
It was a great start when we met with Ms. Zhou Haiyang, the Dy. Secretary General and executive delegate of the Mayor of Huizhou, along with Ms. Huang Xihua, Director of Tourism on August 10. The SCC Huizhou team presented their credentials and sought opinions about their interests and expectations on the challenge. It is interesting that Huzhou's characteristics make it stand out. It is a treasure chest of rejuvenating ecological marvels.
Help them visualise and set up a bottoms up comprehensive measurement framework, which can over time provide valuable analytics and actionable insights, which can make Huizhou, a well managed tourist destination.
The hosts have shown so much warmth and attention to detail in planning the discovery phase, we are gaining in confidence and are looking forward to every new meeting with greater eagerness.
Am sure, all of us will have a lot to write about how we progress.


presents sculptures, installations, drawings, prints and collages by a group of young artists - Blagica Zdravkovska, Valentina Sciarra, Galya Blagoeva, Darena Georgieva, Elina Simeonova, Iliya Vladimirov, Nicola Tsvetanov, Hristina Drenska - Tita, Hristo Antonov, Svetlin Demirev, Teodor Dobrev, Yana Karamandzhukova. Their works are distinguished as a concept, structure, form, and their combination of materials (plaster, metal, concrete, stone, wood, resins or paper). They allow to be traced the process of creating an artwork – from designed, through the transformation of the material and the creation in object. Directed towards the abstract, the young artists, cross over the border and break the "classic" view of the form. Different in temperament, aesthetic and plastic searches with minimal handling and clear expressions, the authors make their provocation to the viewer, affecting the various levels of sensory perception and imagination. The sculptures, conceived as conceptual projects, reflect a variety of creative interpretations. They cover a wide range of physical and spiritual quests, about the purity and synthesis, putting questions to the unexplainable, initial of creation for the immutable link with nature... The (Un)known young artists looking for field for the realization of their projects with the idea that they should be fulfilled in scale and exposed outside of the gallery and museum spaces where the "objects"- will be in symbiosis with the surrounding urban and park environment. With this exhibition they show something new and different, highlighting the possible alternatives and provide a new direction for understanding of the trends in contemporary Bulgarian sculpture.


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Home Campus Drive BYJU's Off Campus Drive 2022 | Freshers
Bsc/Msc/BCA/MCA/BS/MS/BCS
BYJU's Off Campus Drive 2022 | Freshers
Source: https://byjus.com/
BYJU's Off Campus Drive 2022 | Freshers | Business Development Associates | 895 Posts | BE/ B.Tech/ Graduates | 2018 – 2021 Batch | PAN India
Company: Think and Learn Pvt Ltd
BYJU's Off Campus Drive 2022 :- Think & Learn Pvt Ltd is India's largest technology based education provider. Founded in 2008, Think & Learn provides test preparation services and supplemental content for K-12 segment through technology enabled channels like VSAT, Internet and Tablet. The Bangalore based company runs the iconic brand BYJU's Classes which has over 93 test prep centers for exams like CAT, IAS, JEE, GMAT, GRE across India.
Think & Learn provides educational offerings for a lifetime with teaching skills that give students a crucial competitive advantage in learning to strengthen their basics for examinations and life not just through the app world but also through its training division -BYJU's Classes.
Company Website: www.byjus.com
Positions: Business Development Associate
Salary: 10 LPA
Job Location: Across India
BYJU's Off Campus Drive 2022
BE/ B.Tech/ Graduates
Eligibility Criteria for BYJU'S Off Campus Drive 2022:
Should be a graduate (any graduate is okay).
Performance driven: Productive resources who can actively contribute to revenue generation.
Process driven: Process driven people who adhere to the guidelines set by the organization (Example- Number of conductions and sales done/revenue generated/ call time/ call audits.etc)
Behaviourally aligned: Resources whose behavioral aspects are aligned with the company's culture (Example- Ability to Follow Instructions, Attention to Details, Discipline, Punctuality, Accessibility of Resource during working hours, Code of Conduct in office/Virtually)
ATP is an Applicant Training Program where selected applicants will be a part of a 6 weeks training program and on successful completion of this training program, applicants will be given an opportunity to join as a Business Development Associate with BYJUs.
Structure of ATP:
The 6 weeks of ATP is divided into 2 phases, 2 weeks of Class Room Training(CRT) and 4 weeks of On the Job Training(OJT).
(A) Phase 1: Classroom Training (CRT)
1st 2 weeks of the CRT Phase will be conducted in the training location where we will cover the theoretical aspect of BYJU'S sales process.
You will be involved in various activities during this phase which will be rigorously evaluated by the end of 2 weeks of the CRT program.
Only the candidates who satisfactorily complete the CRT phase will be given an opportunity to start with the next phase of the training program.
(B) Phase 2 : On-the-Job Training (OJT)
The 2nd stage (OJT Phase) starts from the 3rd week of training for candidates who have successfully cleared the 1st phase.
Candidates will be expected to generate revenue by implementing the theoretical knowledge acquired during the first phase into practice during the final 4 weeks of the OJT phase.
Following the completion of the ATP, all input and output numbers will be closely monitored and reviewed to evaluate your eligibility to apply for the Business Development Associate (BDA) position at BYJU'S.
Note: You will be given an opportunity to join as a Business Development Associate – Direct Sales after successfully completing the Applicant Training Program. The CTC will be revised to 10 LPA i.e., 7 LPA Fixed Component + 3 LPA Variable Component. (Stipend for the total 6 weeks of the training program is Rs. 37,500.)
Hiring Locations:
Amritsar, Aligarh, Kurnool,Bhilai Nagar, Bikaner, Bilaspur, Kadapa, Anand, Ajmer, Jamshedpur, Karnal, Nellore, Rudrapur, Rajahmundry, Muzaffarpur, Mathura, Allahabad, Ambala, Rohtak, Margao, Nanded Waghala, Kharagpur, Barddhaman, Vellore, Tirunelveli, Amravati, Moradabad, Bathinda, Bokaro Steel City, Ujjain, Srinagar, Cuttack, Dhanbad, Jhansi.
How to Apply for BYJU'S Off Campus Drive 2022?
Interested candidates may apply for the posts of Business Development Associate through online mode.
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Archive for derek kilmer
March 13th, 2017 Meeting: Derek Kilmer
Derek Kilmer | United States Representative
Derek Kilmer serves as the United States Representative of Washington's 6th Congressional District. With over a decade of experience working in economic development in the Puget Sound region, Derek is focused on getting our economy and our Congress back to work. Born and raised in Port Angeles, Derek saw firsthand how the region's economy has struggled, and the impact that has had on families and communities. Derek put his education into practice right here in Washington, first as a business consultant for McKinsey & Company, where he helped businesses, non-profits, and government agencies run more efficiently. He then served in the Washington state House from 2005 to 2007 and the state Senate from 2007 until his election to the US House in 2012.
While in Olympia, Derek was the principal writer of the state's capital budget, and helped author a bipartisan infrastructure package that has been credited with creating 18,000 jobs.
Derek was recently reelected to a third term in in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and chosen by his Democratic colleagues to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, one of only four 'exclusive' committees in the House. Derek serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee and Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. Derek and his wife Jennifer live in Gig Harbor with their daughters Sophie and Tess and their Australian Shepherd Truman.
Also for our March meeting is the Carla Martin Drive for Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, so be sure to bring your donations of non-toxic play-doh and latex free bandages!
April 5th – Joint Meeting in Seattle
May 8th – Rick Bingle, REI


Granite countertops are prized for their natural beauty and durability. They can give your kitchen a rich and unique look, and add to the value of your home. But there are also drawbacks to granite countertops. So as you plan your new or remodeled kitchen, consider both the pros and the cons of granite.
The most disconcerting is the radiation issue, which was addressed in detail in a New York Times article on July 24, 2008. Certain types of granite have been found to emit moderate levels of radon and radiation, because they contain uranium, thorium, and other radiation sources. The solution is to have the granite you select tested and only use granite with low radiation levels.
Also, since granite is porous, it is imperative to have your granite countertops chemically sealed to prevent stains. There are a number of commercial sealant products on the market that work quite well, but it is important to seal the granite before stains occur, or you could seal the stain permanently into the surface.
To prevent cracking or chipping, always protect your granite countertop with a cutting board when chopping with a knife or cleaver.
Finally, if your sense of aesthetics requires a uniform look throughout your kitchen, or if you like to change the look periodically, then granite may not be for you.
Granite countertops can give your kitchen years of beauty and utility. If you are doing a kitchen remodel and have decided on granite, you have two options. You can tear the tops off your old cabinets and replace them, or you can have prefabricated granite countertops made to fit over your old countertops. Specialized contractors are available to provide either option.


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Severe Weather Glossary
View the U.S. Severe Weather Map.
A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P R S T U V W
All definitions are courtesy of the National Weather Service:
Accessory Cloud - A cloud which is dependent on a larger cloud system for development and continuance. Roll clouds, shelf clouds, and wall clouds are examples of accessory clouds.
Air Mass Thunderstorm - Generally, a thunderstorm not associated with a front or other type of synoptic-scale forcing mechanism. Air mass thunderstorms typically are associated with warm, humid air in the summer months; they develop during the afternoon in response to insolation, and dissipate rather quickly after sunset. They generally are less likely to be severe than other types of thunderstorms, but they still are capable of producing downbursts, brief heavy rain, and (in extreme cases) hail over 3/4 inch in diameter.
Anvil - The flat, spreading top of a cumulonimbus cloud, often shaped like an anvil. Thunderstorm anvils may spread hundreds of miles downwind from the thunderstorm itself, and sometimes may spread upwind.
Anvil Crawler - [Slang], a lightning discharge occurring within the anvil of a thunderstorm, characterized by one or more channels that appear to crawl along the underside of the anvil. They typically appear during the weakening or dissipating stage of the parent thunderstorm, or during an active MCS.
Back-Building Thunderstorm - A thunderstorm in which new development takes place on the upwind side (usually the west or southwest side), such that the storm seems to remain stationary or propagate in a backward direction.
Back-Sheared Anvil - [Slang], a thunderstorm anvil which spreads upwind, against the flow aloft. A back-sheared anvil often implies a very strong updraft and a high severe weather potential.
Backing - A counterclockwise shift in wind direction (for example, south winds shifting to the east).
Bear's Cage - [Slang], a region of storm-scale rotation, in a thunderstorm, which is wrapped in heavy precipitation. This area often coincides with a radar hook echo and/or mesocyclone, especially one associated with an HP storm. The term reflects the danger involved in observing such an area visually, which must be done at close range in low visibility.
Beaver's Tail - [Slang], a particular type of inflow band with a relatively broad, flat appearance suggestive of a beaver's tail. It is attached to a supercell's general updraft and is oriented roughly parallel to the pseudo-warm front, i.e., usually east to west or southeast to northwest. As with any inflow band, cloud elements move toward the updraft, i.e., toward the west or northwest. Its size and shape change as the strength of the inflow changes. See also inflow stinger.
Bounded Weak Echo Region (BWER) - (Also known as a vault.) Radar signature within a thunderstorm characterized by a local minimum in radar reflectivity at low levels which extends upward into, and is surrounded by, higher reflectivities aloft. This feature is associated with a strong updraft and is almost always found in the inflow region of a thunderstorm. It cannot be seen visually.
Bow Echo - A radar echo which is linear but bent outward in a bow shape. Damaging straight-line winds often occur near the "crest" or center of a bow echo. Areas of circulation also can develop at either end of a bow echo, which sometimes can lead to tornado formation - especially in the left (usually northern) end, where the circulation exhibits cyclonic rotation.
Bulk Richardson Number - A non-dimensional (i.e., no units) number relating vertical stability to vertical shear (generally, stability divided by shear). High values indicate unstable and/or weakly-sheared environments; low values indicate weak instability and/or strong vertical shear. Generally, values in the range of around 50 to 100 suggest environmental conditions favorable for supercell development.
Cap - (also called "Lid") A layer of relatively warm air aloft, usually several thousand feet above the ground, which suppresses or delays the development of thunderstorms. Air parcels rising into this layer become cooler than the surrounding air, which inhibits their ability to rise further and produce thunderstorms. As such, the cap often prevents or delays thunderstorm development even in the presence of extreme instability. However, if the cap is removed or weakened, then explosive thunderstorm development can occur. The cap is an important ingredient in most severe thunderstorm episodes, as it serves to separate warm, moist air below and cooler, drier air above. With the cap in place, air below it can continue to warm and/or moisten, thus increasing the amount of potential instability. Or, air above it can cool, which also increases potential instability. But without a cap, either process (warming/moistening at low levels or cooling aloft) results in a faster release of available instability - often before instability levels become large enough to support severe weather development.
Clear Slot - With respect to severe thunderstorms, a local region of clearing skies or reduced cloud cover, indicating an intrusion of drier air; often seen as a bright area with higher cloud bases on the west or southwest side of a wall cloud. A clear slot is believed to be a visual indication of a rear flank downdraft.
Collar Cloud - A generally circular ring of cloud that may be observed on rare occasions surrounding the upper part of a wall cloud. This term sometimes is used (incorrectly) as a synonym for wall cloud.
Comma Echo - A thunderstorm radar echo which has a comma-like shape. It often appears during latter stages in the life cycle of a bow echo.
Convection - In meteorology, the term is used specifically to describe vertical transport of heat and moisture in the atmosphere, especially by updrafts and downdrafts in an unstable atmosphere. The terms "convection" and "thunderstorms" often are used interchangeably, although thunderstorms are only one form of convection. Cbs, towering cumulus clouds, and ACCAS clouds all are visible forms of convection. However, convection is not always made visible by clouds. Convection which occurs without cloud formation is called dry convection, while the visible convection processes referred to above are forms of moist convection.
Convective Boundary Layer - The unstable boundary layer that forms at the surface and grows upward through the day as the ground is heated by the sun and convective currents transfer heat upwards into the atmosphere.
Convective Outlook - A forecast containing the area(s) of expected thunderstorm occurrence and expected severity over the contiguous United States, issued several times daily by the SPC. The terms approaching, slight risk, moderate risk, and high risk are used to describe severe thunderstorm potential. Local versions sometimes are prepared by local NWS offices.
Couplet - Adjacent maxima of radial velocities of opposite signs.
Cyclic Storm - A thunderstorm that undergoes cycles of intensification and weakening (pulses) while maintaining its individuality. Cyclic supercells are capable of producing multiple tornadoes (i.e., a tornado family) and/or several bursts of severe weather.
Debris Cloud - A rotating "cloud" of dust or debris, near or on the ground, often appearing beneath a condensation funnel and surrounding the base of a tornado. This term is similar to dust whirl, although the latter typically refers to a circulation which contains dust but not necessarily any debris. A dust plume, on the other hand, does not rotate. Note that a debris cloud appearing beneath a thunderstorm will confirm the presence of a tornado, even in the absence of a condensation funnel.
Derecho - (Pronounced day-RAY-cho), a widespread and usually fast-moving windstorm associated with convection. Derechos include any family of downburst clusters produced by an extratropical MCS, and can produce damaging straight-line winds over areas hundreds of miles long and more than 100 miles across.
Dew Point - A measure of atmospheric moisture. It is the temperature to which air must be cooled in order to reach saturation (assuming air pressure and moisture content are constant). A higher dew point indicates more moisture present in the air. It is sometimes referred to as Dew Point Temperature, and sometimes written as one word (Dewpoint).
Directional Shear - The component of wind shear which is due to a change in wind direction with height, e.g., southeasterly winds at the surface and southwesterly winds aloft. A veering wind with height in the lower part of the atmosphere is a type of directional shear often considered important for tornado development.
Doppler Radar - Radar that can measure radial velocity, the instantaneous component of motion parallel to the radar beam (i.e., toward or away from the radar antenna).
Downburst - A strong downdraft current of air from a cumulonimbus cloud, often associated with intense thunderstorms. Downdrafts may produce damaging winds at the surface.
Downdraft - A small-scale column of air that rapidly sinks toward the ground, usually accompanied by precipitation as in a shower or thunderstorm. A downburst is the result of a strong downdraft.
Dry Line - A boundary separating moist and dry air masses, and an important factor in severe weather frequency in the Great Plains. It typically lies north-south across the central and southern high Plains states during the spring and early summer, where it separates moist air from the Gulf of Mexico (to the east) and dry desert air from the southwestern states (to the west). The dry line typically advances eastward during the afternoon and retreats westward at night. However, a strong storm system can sweep the dry line eastward into the Mississippi Valley, or even further east, regardless of the time of day. A typical dry line passage results in a sharp drop in humidity (hence the name), clearing skies, and a wind shift from south or southeasterly to west or southwesterly. (Blowing dust and rising temperatures also may follow, especially if the dry line passes during the daytime. These changes occur in reverse order when the dry line retreats westward. Severe and sometimes tornadic thunderstorms often develop along a dry line or in the moist air just to the east of it, especially when it begins moving eastward.
Dry Line Storm - Any thunderstorm that develops on or near a dry line.
Dry Microburst - A microburst with little or no precipitation reaching the ground; most common in semi-arid regions. They may or may not produce lightning. Dry microbursts may develop in an otherwise fair-weather pattern; visible signs may include a cumulus cloud or small Cb with a high base and high-level virga, or perhaps only an orphan anvil from a dying rain shower. At the ground, the only visible sign might be a dust plume or a ring of blowing dust beneath a local area of virga.
Echo - Energy back scattered from a target (precipitation, clouds, etc.) and received by and displayed on a radar screen.
Enhanced Fujita Scale - A scale of tornado intensity in which wind speeds are inferred from an analysis of wind damage.
Flanking Line - A line of cumulus or towering cumulus clouds connected to and extending outward from the most active part of a supercell, normally on the southwest side. The line normally has a stair-step appearance, with the tallest clouds closest to the main storm.
Flash Flood - A rapid and extreme flow of high water into a normally dry area, or a rapid water level rise in a stream or creek above a predetermined flood level, beginning within six hours of the causative event (e.g., intense rainfall, dam failure, ice jam). However, the actual time threshold may vary in different parts of the country. Ongoing flooding can intensify to flash flooding in cases where intense rainfall results in a rapid surge of rising flood waters.
Flash Flood Warning - Issued to inform the public, emergency management, and other cooperating agencies that flash flooding is in progress, imminent, or highly likely.
Flash Flood Watch - Issued to indicate current or developing hydrologic conditions that are favorable for flash flooding in and close to the watch area, but the occurrence is neither certain or imminent.
Flood - Any high flow, overflow, or inundation by water which causes or threatens damage.
Forward Flank Downdraft - The main region of downdraft in the forward, or leading, part of a supercell, where most of the heavy precipitation is.
Funnel Cloud - A condensation funnel extending from the base of a towering cumulus or Cb, associated with a rotating column of air that is not in contact with the ground (and hence different from a tornado). A condensation funnel is a tornado, not a funnel cloud, if either a) it is in contact with the ground or b) a debris cloud or dust whirl is visible beneath it.
Gust - A rapid fluctuation of wind speed with variations of 10 knots or more between peaks and lulls.
Gust Front - The leading edge of gusty surface winds from thunderstorm downdrafts; sometimes associated with a shelf cloud or roll cloud. See also gustnado or outflow boundary.
Gustnado - A gustnado is a small, whirlwind which forms as an eddy in thunderstorm outflows. They do not connect with any cloud-base rotation and are not tornadoes. Since their origin is associated with cumuliform clouds, gustnadoes will be classified as Thunderstorm Wind events. Like dust devils, some stronger gustnadoes can cause damage.
Hail - Showery precipitation in the form of irregular pellets or balls of ice more than 5 mm in diameter, falling from a cumulonimbus cloud.
Hook Echo - A radar reflectivity pattern characterized by a hook-shaped extension of a thunderstorm echo, usually in the right-rear part of the storm (relative to its direction of motion). A hook often is associated with a mesocyclone, and indicates favorable conditions for tornado development.
HP Supercell - High-Precipitation storm (or High-Precipitation supercell). A supercell thunderstorm in which heavy precipitation (often including hail) falls on the trailing side of the mesocyclone. Precipitation often totally envelops the region of rotation, making visual identification of any embedded tornadoes difficult and very dangerous. Unlike most classic supercells, the region of rotation in many HP storms develops in the front-flank region of the storm (i.e., usually in the eastern portion). HP storms often produce extreme and prolonged downburst events, serious flash flooding, and very large damaging hail events.
Ice Crystals - A barely visible crystalline form of ice that has the shape of needles, columns or plates. Ice crystals are so small that they seem to be suspended in air. Ice crystals occur at very low temperatures in a stable atmosphere.
In-Cloud Lightning - Lightning that takes place within the cloud.
Inflow Bands - Bands of low clouds, arranged parallel to the low-level winds and moving into or toward a thunderstorm. They may indicate the strength of the inflow of moist air into the storm, and, hence, its potential severity. Spotters should be especially wary of inflow bands that are curved in a manner suggesting cyclonic rotation; this pattern may indicate the presence of a mesocyclone.
Inflow Jets - Local jets of air near the ground flowing inward toward the base of a tornado.
Inflow Notch - A radar signature characterized by an indentation in the reflectivity pattern on the inflow side of the storm. The indentation often is V-shaped, but this term should not be confused with V-notch. Supercell thunderstorms often exhibit inflow notches, usually in the right quadrant of a classic supercell, but sometimes in the eastern part of an HP storm or in the rear part of a storm (rear inflow notch).
Instability - The tendency for air parcels to accelerate when they are displaced from their original position; especially, the tendency to accelerate upward after being lifted. Instability is a prerequisite for severe weather - the greater the instability, the greater the potential for severe thunderstorms.
Jet Stream - Relatively strong winds concentrated in a narrow stream in the atmosphere, normally referring to horizontal, high-altitude winds. The position and orientation of jet streams vary from day to day. General weather patterns (hot/cold, wet/dry) are related closely to the position, strength and orientation of the jet stream (or jet streams). A jet stream at low levels is known as a low-level jet.
Landspout - [Slang], a tornado that does not arise from organized storm-scale rotation and therefore is not associated with a wall cloud (visually) or a mesocyclone (on radar). Landspouts typically are observed beneath Cbs or towering cumulus clouds (often as no more than a dust whirl), and essentially are the land-based equivalents of waterspouts.
Lifted Index (LI) - Lifted Index. A common measure of atmospheric instability. Its value is obtained by computing the temperature that air near the ground would have if it were lifted to some higher level (around 18,000 feet, usually) and comparing that temperature to the actual temperature at that level. Negative values indicate instability - the more negative, the more unstable the air is, and the stronger the updrafts are likely to be with any developing thunderstorms. However there are no "magic numbers" or threshold LI values below which severe weather becomes imminent.
Lightning - A visible electrical discharge produced by a thunderstorm. The discharge may occur within or between clouds, between the cloud and air, between a cloud and the ground or between the ground and a cloud.
Lightning Channel - The irregular path through the air along which a lightning discharge occurs. A typical discharge of flash between the ground and the cloud is actually a composite flash which is composed of several sequential lightning strokes, each of which is initiated by a leader and terminated by a return streamer.
Line Echo Wave Pattern (LEWP) - A radar echo pattern formed when a segment of a line of thunderstorms surges forward at an accelerated rate.
Loaded Gun Sounding - [Slang], a sounding characterized by extreme instability but containing a cap, such that explosive thunderstorm development can be expected if the cap can be weakened or the air below it heated sufficiently to overcome it.
Low Level Jet (LLJ) - A region of relatively strong winds in the lower part of the atmosphere. Specifically, it often refers to a southerly wind maximum in the boundary layer, common over the Plains states at night during the warm season (spring and summer). The term also may be used to describe a narrow zone of strong winds above the boundary layer, but in this sense the more proper term would be low-level jet stream.
LP Supercell - Low-Precipitation storm (or Low-Precipitation supercell). A supercell thunderstorm characterized by a relative lack of visible precipitation. Visually similar to a classic supercell, except without the heavy precipitation core. LP storms often exhibit a striking visual appearance; the main tower often is bell-shaped, with a corkscrew appearance suggesting rotation. They are capable of producing tornadoes and very large hail. Radar identification often is difficult relative to other types of supercells, so visual reports are very important. LP storms almost always occur on or near the dry line, and thus are sometimes referred to as dry line storms.
Macroburst - A convective downdraft with an affected outflow area of at least 2.5 miles wide and peak winds lasting between 5 and 20 minutes. Intense macrobursts may cause tornado-force damage of up to F3 intensity.
Mammatus Clouds - Rounded, smooth, sack-like protrusions hanging from the underside of a cloud (usually a thunderstorm anvil). Mammatus clouds often accompany severe thunderstorms, but do not produce severe weather; they may accompany non-severe storms as well.
Mesocyclone (or Meso) - A storm-scale region of rotation, typically around 2-6 miles in diameter and often found in the right rear flank of a supercell (or often on the eastern, or front, flank of an HP storm). The circulation of a mesocyclone covers an area much larger than the tornado that may develop within it. Properly used, mesocyclone is a radar term; it is defined as a rotation signature appearing on Doppler radar that meets specific criteria for magnitude, vertical depth, and duration. It will appear as a yellow solid circle on the Doppler velocity products. Therefore, a mesocyclone should not be considered a visually-observable phenomenon (although visual evidence of rotation, such as curved inflow bands, may imply the presence of a mesocyclone)
Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC) - A large Mesoscale Convective System (MCS), generally round or oval-shaped, which normally reaches peak intensity at night. The formal definition includes specific minimum criteria for size, duration, and eccentricity (i.e., "roundness"), based on the cloud shield as seen on infrared satellite photographs: * Size: Area of cloud top -32 degrees C or less: 100,000 square kilometers or more (slightly smaller than the state of Ohio), and area of cloud top -52 degrees C or less: 50,000 square kilometers or more. * Duration: Size criteria must be met for at least 6 hours. * Eccentricity: Minor/major axis at least 0.7. MCCs typically form during the afternoon and evening in the form of several isolated thunderstorms, during which time the potential for severe weather is greatest. During peak intensity, the primary threat shifts toward heavy rain and flooding.
Mescoscale Convective System (MCS) - A complex of thunderstorms which becomes organized on a scale larger than the individual thunderstorms, and normally persists for several hours or more. MCSs may be round or linear in shape, and include systems such as tropical cyclones, squall lines, and MCCs (among others). MCS often is used to describe a cluster of thunderstorms that does not satisfy the size, shape, or duration criteria of an MCC.
Microburst - A convective downdraft with an affected outflow area of less than 2.5 miles wide and peak winds lasting less than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal/vertical wind shears, which can adversely affect aircraft performance and cause property damage.
Multicell Thunderstorm - These thunderstorms are organized in clusters of at least 2-4 short-lived cells. Each cell generates a cold air outflow and these individual outflows combine to form a large gust front. Convergence along the gust front causes new cells to develop every 5 to 15 minutes. The cells move roughly with the mean wind. However, the area (storm) motion usually deviates significantly from the mean wind due to discrete propagation (new cell development) along the gust front. The multicellular nature of the storm is usually apparent on radar with multiple reflectivity cores and maximum tops.
Multiple Vortex Tornado - A tornado in which two or more condensation funnels or debris clouds are present at the same time, often rotating about a common center or about each other. Multiple-vortex tornadoes can be especially damaging.
National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) - One of NOAA's internationally known Environmental Research Laboratories, leading the way in investigations of all aspects of severe weather. Headquartered in Norman OK with staff in Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Utah, and Wisconsin, the people of NSSL, in partnership with the National Weather Service, are dedicated to improving severe weather warnings and forecasts in order to save lives and reduce property damage.
NOAA Weather Radio - NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day. It is provided as a public service by NOAA. The NOAA Weather Radio network has more than 480 stations in the 50 states and near adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and U.S. Pacific Territories.
Outflow Boundary - A storm-scale or mesoscale boundary separating thunderstorm-cooled air (outflow) from the surrounding air; similar in effect to a cold front, with passage marked by a wind shift and usually a drop in temperature. Outflow boundaries may persist for 24 hours or more after the thunderstorms that generated them dissipate, and may travel hundreds of miles from their area of origin. New thunderstorms often develop along outflow boundaries, especially near the point of intersection with another boundary (cold front, dry line, another outflow boundary, etc.; see triple point).
Overshooting Top - A dome-like protrusion above a thunderstorm anvil, representing a very strong updraft and hence a higher potential for severe weather with that storm. A persistent and/or large overshooting top (anvil dome) often is present on a supercell. A short-lived overshooting top, or one that forms and dissipates in cycles, may indicate the presence of a pulse storm.
Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) - Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) wording is used in rare situations when long-lived, strong and violent tornadoes are possible. This enhanced wording may also accompany severe thunderstorm watches for intense convective wind storms.
PDS Watch - The Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) wording is used in rare situations when long-lived, strong and violent tornadoes are possible. This enhanced wording may also accompany severe thunderstorm watches for intense convective wind storms.
Pendant Echo - Radar signature generally similar to a hook echo, except that the hook shape is not as well defined.
Popcorn Convection - Slang for showers and thunderstorms that form on a scattered basis with little or no apparent organization, usually during the afternoon in response to diurnal heating. Individual thunderstorms typically are of the type sometimes referred to as air-mass thunderstorms: they are small, short-lived, very rarely severe, and they almost always dissipate near or just after sunset.
Positive Cloud to Ground Lightning - A CG flash that delivers positive charge to the ground, as opposed to the more common negative charge. Positive CGs have been found to occur more frequently in some severe thunderstorms. Their occurrence is detectable by most lightning detection networks, but visually it is not considered possible to distinguish between a positive CG and a negative CG. (Some claim to have observed a relationship between staccato lightning and positive CGs, but this relationship is as yet unproven.)
Pre-Frontal Squall Line - A line of thunderstorms that precedes an advancing cold front.
Public Severe Weather Outlook - These are issued when the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma anticipates an especially significant and/or widespread outbreak of severe weather. This outlook will stress the seriousness of the situation, defines the threat area, and provides information on the timing of the outbreak. The lead time on this outlook is normally less than 36 hours prior to the severe weather event.
Pulse Storm - A thunderstorm within which a brief period (pulse) of strong updraft occurs, during and immediately after which the storm produces a short episode of severe weather. These storms generally are not tornado producers, but often produce large hail and/or damaging winds. See also overshooting top.
Radar Reflectivity - The sum of all backscattering cross-sections (e.g., precipitation particles) in a pulse resolution volume divided by that volume. The radar reflectivity can be related to the radar reflectivity factor through the dielectric constant term |K|^2, and the radar wavelength.
Radial Velocity - Component of motion toward or away from a given location. As "seen" by Doppler radar, it is the component of motion parallel to the radar beam. (The component of motion perpendicular to the beam cannot be seen by the radar. Therefore, strong winds blowing strictly from left to right or from right to left, relative to the radar, can not be detected.)
Rain Foot - Slang for a horizontal bulging near the surface in a precipitation shaft, forming a foot-shaped prominence. It is a visual indication of a wet microburst.
Rear Flank Downdraft - A region of dry air subsiding on the back side of, and wrapping around, a mesocyclone. It often is visible as a clear slot wrapping around the wall cloud. Scattered large precipitation particles (rain and hail) at the interface between the clear slot and wall cloud may show up on radar as a hook or pendant; thus the presence of a hook or pendant may indicate the presence of an RFD.
Ribbon Lightning - Appears to be a broad stream of fire. A succession of strokes, each blown a bit to the side of the previous strokes by wind, but striking so fast that all the strokes are seen at once as a ribbon-like flash.
Right Mover - A thunderstorm that moves appreciably to the right relative to the main steering winds and to other nearby thunderstorms. Right movers typically are associated with a high potential for severe weather. (Supercells often are right movers).
Roll Cloud - A low, horizontal tube-shaped arcus cloud associated with a thunderstorm gust front (or sometimes with a cold front). Roll clouds are relatively rare; they are completely detached from the thunderstorm base or other cloud features, thus differentiating them from the more familiar shelf clouds. Roll clouds usually appear to be "rolling" about a horizontal axis, but should not be confused with funnel clouds.
Rope (Funnel or Tornado) - A narrow, often contorted condensation funnel usually associated with the decaying stage of a tornado. See rope stage.
SCUD (Scattered Cumulus Under Downdraft) - Small, ragged, low cloud fragments that are unattached to a larger cloud base and often seen with and behind cold fronts and thunderstorm gust fronts. Such clouds generally are associated with cool moist air, such as thunderstorm outflow.
Severe Thunderstorm - A thunderstorm that produces a tornado, winds of at least 58 mph (50 knots), and/or hail at least 0.75" in diameter. Structural wind damage may imply the occurrence of a severe thunderstorm. A thunderstorm wind equal to or greater than 40 mph (35 knots) and/or hail of at least 0.50" is defined as approaching severe.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning - This is issued when either a severe thunderstorm is indicated by the WSR-88D radar or a spotter reports a thunderstorm producing hail 3/4 inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour; therefore, people in the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately. Severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes with little or no advance warning. Lightning frequency is not a criteria for issuing a severe thunderstorm warning. They are usually issued for a duration of one hour. They can be issued without a Severe Thunderstorm Watch being already in effect. Like a Tornado Warning, the Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued by your National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWFO). Severe Thunderstorm Warnings will include where the storm was located, what towns will be affected by the severe thunderstorm, and the primary threat associated with the severe thunderstorm warning. If the severe thunderstorm will affect the nearshore or coastal waters, it will be issued as the combined product--Severe Thunderstorm Warning and Special Marine Warning. If the severe thunderstorm is also causing torrential rains, this warning may also be combined with a Flash Flood Warning. If there is an ampersand (&) symbol at the bottom of the warning, it indicates that the warning was issued as a result of a severe weather report. After it has been issued, the affected NWFO will follow it up periodically with Severe Weather Statements. These statements will contain updated information on the severe thunderstorm and they will also let the public know when the warning is no longer in effect.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch - This is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. A severe thunderstorm by definition is a thunderstorm that produces 3/4 inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. The size of the watch can vary depending on the weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours. They are normally issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review severe thunderstorm safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Prior to the issuance of a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, SPC will usually contact the affected local National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWFO) and they will discuss what their current thinking is on the weather situation. Afterwards, SPC will issue a preliminary Severe Thunderstorm Watch and then the affected NWFO will then adjust the watch (adding or eliminating counties/parishes) and then issue it to the public by way of a Watch Redefining Statement. During the watch, the NWFO will keep the public informed on what is happening in the watch area and also let the public know when the watch has expired or been cancelled.
Shear - Variation in wind speed (speed shear) and/or direction (directional shear) over a short distance within the atmosphere. Shear usually refers to vertical wind shear, i.e., the change in wind with height, but the term also is used in Doppler radar to describe changes in radial velocity over short horizontal distances.
Shelf Cloud - A low, horizontal wedge-shaped arcus cloud, associated with a thunderstorm gust front (or occasionally with a cold front, even in the absence of thunderstorms). Unlike the roll cloud, the shelf cloud is attached to the base of the parent cloud above it (usually a thunderstorm). Rising cloud motion often can be seen in the leading (outer) part of the shelf cloud, while the underside often appears turbulent, boiling, and wind-torn.
Single Cell Thunderstorm - This type of thunderstorm develops in weak vertical wind shear environments. On a hodograph, this would appear as a closely grouped set of random dots around the center of the graph. They are characterized by a single updraft core and a single downdraft that descends into the same area as the updraft. The downdraft and its outflow boundary then cut off the thunderstorm inflow. This causes the updraft and the thunderstorm to dissipate. Single cell thunderstorms are short-lived. They only last about 1/2 hour to an hour. These thunderstorms will occasionally become severe (3/4 inch hail, wind gusts in the excess of 58 miles an hour, or a tornado), but only briefly. In this case, they are called Pulse Severe Thunderstorms.
SKYWARN - A nationwide network of volunteer weather spotters who report to and are trained by the National Weather Service. These spotters report many forms of significant or severe weather such as Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Hail, Heavy Snow, or Flooding. Contact your local National Weather Service Forecast Office to learn about SKYWARN activities in your area.
Spearhead Echo - A radar echo associated with a downburst with a pointed appendage extending toward the direction of the echo motion. The appendage moves much faster than the parent echo, which is drawn into the appendage. During it's mature stage, the appendage turns into a major echo and the parent echo loses its identity.
Speed Shear - The component of wind shear which is due to a change in wind speed with height, e.g., southwesterly winds of 20 mph at 10,000 feet increasing to 50 mph at 20,000 feet. Speed shear is an important factor in severe weather development, especially in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere.
Squall - A strong wind characterized by a sudden onset in which the wind speed increases at least 16 knots and is sustained at 22 knots or more for at least one minute. 2. In nautical use, a severe local storm considered as a whole, that is, winds and cloud mass and (if any) precipitation, thunder and lightning.
Squall Line - A line of active thunderstorms, either continuous or with breaks, including contiguous precipitation areas resulting from the existence of the thunderstorms.
Steering Winds - A prevailing synoptic scale flow which governs the movement of smaller features embedded within it.
Stepped Leader - A faint, negatively charged channel that emerges from the base of a thunderstorm and propagates toward the ground in a series of steps of about 1 microsecond duration and 50-100 meters in length, initiating a lightning stroke.
Storm Motion - The speed at which a thunderstorm travels.
Storm Relative - Measured relative to a moving thunderstorm, usually referring to winds, wind shear, or helicity.
Supercell Thunderstorm - Potentially the most dangerous of the convective storm types. Storms possessing this structure have been observed to generate the vast majority of long-lived strong and violent (F2-F5) tornadoes, as well as downburst damage and large hail. It is defined as a thunderstorm consisting of one quasi-steady to rotating updraft which may exist for several hours. Supercells usually move to the right of the mean wind. These are called "Right Movers" and they are favored with veering winds. Occasionally, these thunderstorms will move to the left of the mean wind. These thunderstorms are called "Left Movers". These supercells typically don't last as long as their "Right Mover" cousins and they usually only produce large hail (greater than 3/4 inch in diameter) and severe wind gusts in the excess of 58 miles an hour. Left Movers are favored when you have backing winds. Radar will observe essentially one long-lived cell, but small perturbations to the cell structure may be evident. The stronger the updraft, the better the chance that the supercell will produce severe (hail greater than 3/4 inch in diameter, wind gusts greater than 58 miles an hour, and possibly a tornado) weather. Severe supercell development is most likely in an environment possessing great buoyancy (CAPE) and large vertical wind shear. A Bulk Richardson Number of between 15 and 35 favor supercell development. Typically, the hodograph will look like a horse shoe. This is due to the wind speed increasing rapidly with height and the wind direction either veering or backing rapidly with height.
SWEAT Index - Severe Weather ThrEAT index; a stability index developed by the Air Force which incorporates instability, wind shear, and wind speeds as follows: SWEAT=(12 Td 850 ) + (20 [TT-49]) +( 2 f 850) + f 500 + (125 [s+0.2]) where Td 850 is the dew point temperature at 850 mb, TT is the total-totals index, f 850 is the 850-mb wind speed (in knots), f 500 is the 500-mb wind speed (in knots), and s is the sine of the angle between the wind directions at 500 mb and 850 mb (thus representing the directional shear in this layer). SWEAT values of about 250-300 or more indicate a greater potential for severe weather, but as with all stability indices, there are no magic numbers. The SWEAT index has the advantage (and disadvantage) of using only mandatory-level data (i.e., 500 mb and 850 mb), but has fallen into relative disuse with the advent of more detailed upper air sounding analysis programs.
Tail-End Charlie - Slang for the thunderstorm at the southernmost end of a squall line or other line or band of thunderstorms. Since low-level southerly inflow of warm, moist air into this storm is relatively unimpeded, such a storm often has a higher probability of strengthening to severe levels than the other storms in the line.
Thunder - The sound caused by rapidly expanding gases in a lightning discharge.
Thunderstorm - A local storm produced by a cumulonimbus cloud and accompanied by lightning and thunder.
Tilted Storm - A thunderstorm or cloud tower which is not purely vertical but instead exhibits a slanted or tilted character. It is a sign of vertical wind shear, a favorable condition for severe storm development.
Tilted Updraft - A thunderstorm updraft which is not purely vertical but instead exhibits a slanted or tilted character. It is a sign of vertical wind shear, a favorable condition for severe storm development.
Tornado - A violently rotating column of air, usually pendant to a cumulonimbus, with circulation reaching the ground. It nearly always starts as a funnel cloud and may be accompanied by a loud roaring noise. On a local scale, it is the most destructive of all atmospheric phenomena.
Tornado Emergency - An exceedingly rare tornado warning issued when there is a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage from an imminent or ongoing tornado. This tornado warning is reserved for situations when a reliable source confirms a tornado, or there is clear radar evidence of the existence of a damaging tornado, such as the observation of debris.
Tornado Family - A series of tornadoes produced by a single supercell, resulting in damage path segments along the same general line.
Tornado Vortex Signature - An image of a tornado on the Doppler radar screen that shows up as a small region of rapidly changing wind speeds inside a mesocyclone. The following velocity criteria is normally required for recognition: velocity difference between maximum inbound and outbound (shear) is greater than or equal to 90 knots at less than 30 nmi and is greater than or equal to 70 knots between 30 and 55 nmi. It shows up as a red upside down triangle on the Storm Relative Velocity Display. Existence of a TVS strongly increases the probability of tornado occurrence, but does not guarantee it; therefore, the feature triggering it must be examined closely by the radar operator. A TVS is not a visually observable feature.
Tornado Warning - This is issued when a tornado is indicated by the WSR-88D radar or sighted by spotters; therefore, people in the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately. They can be issued without a Tornado Watch being already in effect. They are usually issued for a duration of around 30 minutes. A Tornado Warning is issued by your local National Weather Service office (NWFO). It will include where the tornado was located and what towns will be in its path. If the tornado will affect the nearshore or coastal waters, it will be issued as the combined product--Tornado Warning and Special Marine Warning. If the thunderstorm which is causing the tornado is also producing torrential rains, this warning may also be combined with a Flash Flood Warning. If there is an ampersand (&) symbol at the bottom of the warning, it indicates that the warning was issued as a result of a severe weather report. After it has been issued, the affected NWFO will followed it up periodically with Severe Weather Statements. These statements will contain updated information on the tornado and they will also let the public know when warning is no longer in effect.
Tornado Watch - This is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. Their size can vary depending on the weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours. They normally are issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review tornado safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches. A Tornado Watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma. Prior to the issuance of a Tornado Watch, SPC will usually contact the affected local National Weather Forecast Office (NWFO) and they will discuss what their current thinking is on the weather situation. Afterwards, SPC will issue a preliminary Tornado Watch and then the affected NWFO will then adjust the watch (adding or eliminating counties/parishes) and then issue it to the public. After adjusting the watch, the NWFO will let the public know which counties are included by way of a Watch Redefining Statement. During the watch, the NWFO will keep the public informed on what is happening in the watch area and also let the public know when the watch has expired or been cancelled.
Total-Totals Index - A stability index and severe weather forecast tool, equal to the temperature at 850 mb plus the dew point at 850 mb, minus twice the temperature at 500 mb. The total-totals index is the arithmetic sum of two other indices: the Vertical Totals Index (temperature at 850 mb minus temperature at 500 mb) and the Cross Totals Index (dew point at 850 mb minus temperature at 500 mb). As with all stability indices there are no magic threshold values, but in general, values of less than 50 or greater than 55 are considered weak and strong indicators, respectively, of potential severe storm development.
Updraft - A small-scale current of rising air. If the air is sufficiently moist, then the moisture condenses to become a cumulus cloud or an individual tower of a towering cumulus or Cb.
Veering - A clockwise shift in wind direction (for example, south winds shifting to the west).
Wall Cloud - A localized, persistent, often abrupt lowering from a rain-free base. Wall clouds can range from a fraction of a mile up to nearly five miles in diameter, and normally are found on the south or southwest (inflow) side of the thunderstorm. When seen from within several miles, many wall clouds exhibit rapid upward motion and cyclonic rotation. However, not all wall clouds rotate. Rotating wall clouds usually develop before strong or violent tornadoes, by anywhere from a few minutes up to nearly an hour. Wall clouds should be monitored visually for signs of persistent, sustained rotation and/or rapid vertical motion. "Wall cloud" also is used occasionally in tropical meteorology to describe the inner cloud wall surrounding the eye of a tropical cyclone, but the proper term for this feature is eyewall.
Warm Sector - A region of warm surface air between a cold front and a warm front.
Waterspout - In general, a tornado occurring over water. Specifically, it normally refers to a small, relatively weak rotating column of air over water beneath a Cb or towering cumulus cloud. Waterspouts are most common over tropical or subtropical waters. The exact definition of waterspout is debatable. In most cases the term is reserved for small vortices over water that are not associated with storm-scale rotation (i.e., they are the water-based equivalent of landspouts). But there is sufficient justification for calling virtually any rotating column of air a waterspout if it is in contact with a water surface.
Wedge Tornado - Slang for a large tornado with a condensation funnel that is at least as wide (horizontally) at the ground as it is tall (vertically) from the ground to cloud base. The term "wedge" often is used somewhat loosely to describe any large tornado. However, not every large tornado is a wedge. A true wedge tornado, with a funnel at least as wide at the ground as it is tall, is very rare. Wedges often appear with violent tornadoes (F4 or F5 on the Fujita Scale), but many documented wedges have been rated lower. And some violent tornadoes may not appear as wedges (e.g., Xenia, OH on 3 April 1974, which was rated F5 but appeared only as a series of suction vortices without a central condensation funnel). Whether or not a tornado achieves "wedge" status depends on several factors other than intensity - in particular, the height of the environmental cloud base and the availability of moisture below cloud base. Therefore, spotters should not estimate wind speeds or F-scale ratings based on visual appearance alone. However, it generally is safe to assume that most (if not all) wedges have the potential to produce strong (F2/F3) or violent (F4/F5) damage.
Wet Microburst - A microburst accompanied by heavy precipitation at the surface. A rain foot may be a visible sign of a wet microburst.
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