Latest news with #JenniferGray
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Universal Orlando's ‘Epic Universe' Is Opening – Here Are Our Top Weather Survival Tips For Any Theme Park Visit
Universal Orlando's fourth theme park - Epic Universe - opens Thursday (May 22). It's being called one of the largest, most expensive theme parks in the world. It's also the first new theme park in Florida in more than 20 years, so you can bet crowds will be flocking to check it out. Do you know what else you can bet on? The weather will test your mettle, from scorching heat to drenching thunderstorms. meteorologist Jennifer Gray explains, 'Summer is the rainy season in Florida. You can bet on afternoon thunderstorms to pop up somewhere in the vicinity of the park most days. These not only can drench your Universal crew but there is a risk of lightning as well that you need to be mindful of. Also, keep in mind that temperatures will be extremely hot! Highs will be in the 90s… heat indices in the triple digits aren't uncommon.' (MORE: Scenic Secrets: The Most Vibrant Pink In Nature) So what's the best way to prep for the weather and still wring every moment of enjoyment from your theme park visit? Instead of turning to a single expert, I consulted our team here at to get some tried and true tips from our theme park veterans. Topping everyone's list: Our Senior Product Manager, Michael Cohen, said bring your own reusable water bottle from home. Universal allows you to take empty, reusable bottles that you can fill at water stations throughout the park. You're also allowed a sealed water bottle, once it's under 2 litres. Stephanie Quick, Lead Performance Marketing Manager, added, 'Dehydration is real, especially for those who don't live in the South.' This one may seem obvious, but if you're spending all day at a theme park, the key is to remember to reapply your favorite sunscreen every couple of hours. Don't know which sunscreen is best for you? Stephanie Quick has the ultimate guide and our top 10 picks here. It's tough to make a poncho cute, Kristin Amico, one of our Engagement Editors, shared this memory: 'Somewhere in a pile in my parents' house is a picture of me in a poncho riding Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls. Sad vibes for real.' But, the alternative is trudging around and sitting on a ride in wet clothes after you've been drenched by that pop-up thunderstorm. Although our managing editor, Sean Breslin, said: 'I'd rather be wet than baking in the Florida humidity trapped in a poncho.' Pick your poison, people. Senior Digital Meteorologist Jonathan Belles has this one covered: 'As somebody who has done everything from 100 degrees to a foot of rain in one visit, the best summer advice for a new park goer would be to pick out several dark rides and water rides to take breaks at.' He went on the explain that summer storms usually only last 20 to 60 minutes (outside of hurricanes, of course), so 'that's when you dip into the dark ride or the food break. And something I probably shouldn't advocate, but something I personally do, if you get lucky and get a shower without lightning, some outdoor rides and roller coasters are completely different in the rain and lines are almost always shorter. Just check the lightning app before you jump in line.' Now that you have these insider tips, we wish you all the best at wrangling the excited, then extremely fatigued, kids (and kids at heart) and long lines. No really! Cheers to a great summer filled with some theme park magic. MORE ON - What To Know About Navigating National Parks This Summer - These Travel Hacks Can Help You Navigate Any Weather
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weather Words: Saharan Air Layer
It's wild to think that dust from an African desert can not only impact everything from our air quality to sunsets in the U.S., but also suppress hurricane activity across the Atlantic and Gulf. It's called the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) and you'll hear meteorologists talk about it quite frequently during hurricane season. SAL is a mass of extremely dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert and travels westward over the tropical Atlantic Ocean, usually during the late spring through early fall. The SAL can extend from about 5,000 to 20,000 feet in altitude and stretch across thousands of miles. It's often carried by strong easterly winds known as the African Easterly Jet, which acts like an atmospheric conveyor belt transporting the dust-laden air far from its desert origins. One of the most striking effects of the Saharan Air Layer is the visible dust it carries across the ocean and sometimes even into the Americas, including the Caribbean and southern U.S. states like Texas and Florida. This dust can lead to hazy skies, vibrant sunrises and sunsets, and degraded air quality. The most significant role this dusty air can play is its ability to suppress tropical systems. The dry air, strong winds, and warm temperatures hinder the development of tropical storms and hurricanes by limiting thunderstorm formation and creating wind shear. This 'tears apart' tropical systems, so that they don't have much of a fighting chance when faced with the warm, desert dust. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Weather Words: Manhattanhenge
Most people might not even notice that the sun doesn't set in the exact same spot each night. Instead, it shifts slightly north or south along the horizon as the seasons change. This gradual drift usually goes unnoticed, until it lines up with something spectacular. Twice a year in New York City, that something spectacular is Manhattanhenge. During this phenomenon, the setting sun aligns perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan's grid, creating a stunning canyon of light between the skyscrapers. It typically occurs in late May and mid-July, drawing crowds of photographers and sunset-chasers eager to witness this urban spectacle. If you are lucky enough to be in the city on May 28th and 29th, you can catch Manhattanhenge between 8:10 and 8:15 p.m. The term 'Manhattanhenge' was coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, a nod to Stonehenge in England, where the rising or setting sun aligns with the ancient stones during solstices. What makes Manhattanhenge especially unique is that it's a marriage of natural rhythm and human design. Manhattan's street grid, established in 1811, is tilted slightly off true east-west, making this alignment possible. And for just a few minutes, the city's concrete jungle becomes a perfectly framed homage to the cosmos. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Weather Words: Agulhas Rings
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the image below was 'The Starry Night' by Vincent van Gogh. The tiny swirls off the coast of Africa are not only beautiful, but they also remind us of just how complex and incredible our world is. They are called Agulhas Rings, and while similar phenomena occur all over the world, these in particular form off the coast of southern Africa. They are formed by the Agulhas current, which originates along the equator in the Indian Ocean. From there, this warm, salty current travels southward along the west coast of Africa, where it sheds these 'swirling vortices of water' called Agulhas rings. satellite image showing Earth According to NASA, these rings can last for years as they travel across the Atlantic Ocean westward toward South America. They are an important transport system that carry fish, larvae and other microorganisms across the ocean. The Agulhas current originates along the equator in the Indian Ocean, travels down the western coast of Africa, and spawns swirling Agulhas rings that travel across the Atlantic toward South America. Currently like the Agulhas current, as well as other currents around the globe work in tandem as they influence weather and climate all over the world. Much like a conveyor belt, they transport warm water and precipitation from the equator to the poles and cold water from the poles back to the equator. This helps regulate global temperatures and solar radiation. Without these currents, temperatures would be much more extreme. So Agulhas Rings aren't just incredible to look at, they play a critical role in keeping our world in balance. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Long-Term Drying Could Impact Water Availability, Study Finds
Scientists from Mississippi State and around the world are sounding the alarm when it comes to drought. This is not just temporary drought conditions, but rather long-term, intense drying known as aridification. Aridification is believed to now impact 2.3 billion people worldwide, which covers 40% of the planet's land. This is a significant concern for the world's breadbasket, which stretches from California's Central Valley to the Great Plains. New research that was recently published in Nature Water, highlights 'increasing aridification calls for urgent global adaptive solutions and policy action.' The findings from this study reveal the challenges and harsh realities that come from aridification. This long-term drying will greatly reduce water availability. This is causing farmers to have to rethink everything from what to plant, how to irrigate, and how to adapt to the future when the amount of water that is needed isn't a guarantee. 'This research has real implications for Mississippi,' said Pricope. 'When our lands dry out, it's not just farmers who suffer. Water becomes harder to manage, ecosystems get stressed, and rural communities—already stretched thin—face even greater challenges.' The scientists presented their findings to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, a global platform where science meets policy. Desertification is where normally fertile land becomes a desert. This typically occurs because of extreme drought, poor farming practices and deforestation. The scientists highlighted solutions for the U.S. to stay ahead of aridification. They are urging the U.S. and the world to start using smarter irrigation strategies, grow agriculture on more drought-tolerant land and restore degraded land to retain more water. These solutions offer hope of not only protecting our water supply and farms, but the food supply they provide. 'Aridification isn't just a global issue with little bearing for our lives in Mississippi and the USA,' Pricope said. 'We need to act now to protect our farms, forests and families.' Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
