Weather Wonders
Chinooks that melt the snow in an afternoon, hail the size of a softball, tornadoes, dust devils and sun dogs. Here’s a field guide to the wild and wonderful weather of southern Alberta, and a look at some of the big ones around the world.
Each Weather Wonder explains what it is, how it forms, how often we see it here, the records, and how to stay safe, with links to learn more. Want the deeper science? Our Weather School has full lessons.
Here at home
The weather southern Alberta actually gets.
- Chinooks: the warm west wind that eats the snow
- Hail: why Alberta is Canada’s hail capital
- Tornadoes: how they form, how they’re rated, and what to do
- Thunderstorms and lightning: how storms grow, and when thunder roars, go indoors
- Dust devils: little whirlwinds on hot, calm days
- Blizzards and ground blizzards: whiteouts under a sunny sky
- Freezing fog, rime and hoar frost: why winter mornings sparkle
Sky wonders
Beautiful things to look up for.
Around the world
Big weather that happens elsewhere, and whether it could ever happen here.
- Derechos
- Waterspouts
- Hurricanes
- Ice storms
- Dust storms (haboobs)
- Monsoons
- Tsunamis: not weather at all, but often mixed up with it
🧭 Weather learning path
From wondering about the weather to measuring it yourself. Any of these makes a great science fair project: measure, keep a record, and compare with a real station.
- 🌪 Weather Wonders (you are here)
Chinooks, hail, tornadoes and more: what the weather can do - ✂ Make simple instruments
A pinwheel, wind vane and pop bottle rain gauge - 🔬 Hands-On Weather Science
Experiments to try at home and outside - 📡 Build your own weather station
A real electronics science project - 🏫 Weather School: Observing the Weather
How real weather observers measure - 🌳 Forecaster Track
Read real weather maps and make your own forecast - 💻 Weather software
The programs behind a real station and forecast - 📈 Compare with a real station
Live readings from West Lethbridge Weather
Keep exploring
- Weather School: free lessons from the atmosphere to forecasting
- Discovery Zone: weather fun for kids
- Story Time and Build-a-Story: weather stories with the real science, for younger readers
- Weather Sayings: True or False?
- West Lethbridge Weather: live readings from our own station