More clouds and turbulence

Coastal Climate Science Activities and Experiments

Environmental Explainers:

More clouds and turbulence

What is it? How is it changing? Why does it matter?

Start here:

Water Vapor Fuels Hurricanes | PBS LearningMediaIn this video excerpt from NOVA: “Earth From Space,” data visualizations show what water vapor evaporating from the ocean's surface might look like if you could see it. Aqua, a NASA satellite, uses infrared wavelengths to monitor the oceans and the production of water vapor. The Sun's heat warms ocean water and creates water vapor through the process of evaporation. When water vapor condenses in the atmosphere, it releases heat that helps to fuel storms. Simulations show large cloud formations developing into a powerful hurricane that can impact life on Earth. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.

Click on "Water vapor fuels storms - For Teachers" in the sidebar for a nice summary of the key points

How Climate Change is Making Flight Turbulence Worse

News video, 2 min, turbulence due to climate change.

Recommend for middle school and up

Learn more:

How Climate Change is Making Flight Turbulence Worse

News video, 5 min, turbulence due to climate change.

Recommend for high school and up

We’d love to hear how you used this tool in your community, how the students responded, and your suggestions to improve the experiments and other resources. Contact us at ccsae@mit.edu.