MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Is “The Waffle House Index”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Is “The Waffle House Index”?

On Wednesday (Sept. 28), Hurricane Ian pounded Florida’s western coast. Streets flooded…houses were swept away…Waffle Houses closed. But why do Waffle Houses matter amidst all of this? Well, because of “The Waffle House Index”! What is “The Waffle House Index”? I’m glad you asked! FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has loads of tools &…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Is A Nor’Easter?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Is A Nor’Easter?

Whenever a forecaster says anything about a pending “nor’easter” during a weather report, stores start selling out of batteries, milk, and bread. For a lot of folks, nor’easter basically means “a really big storm”. And that’s not wrong, since nor’easters have earned their bad-boy reputation. But what makes a really big storm a nor’easter? According…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do Hot Deserts Get So Cold At Night?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do Hot Deserts Get So Cold At Night?

With it being so warm now, compared to how cold it was just last week, I got to thinking about some other places that experience those temp shifts much more regularly & frequently: deserts. During the day, scorching heat can be torturous to humans. But then, after dark, the problem is reversed & you’d need…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Difference Between A Snowstorm & A Blizzard

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Difference Between A Snowstorm & A Blizzard

As we’re being besieged by a winter storm, heaving shovelfuls of snow can give a person time to think. And, as I was digging my vehicle’s way out of the current white apocalypse, I wondered what, exactly, I was battling. Is this a snowstorm, or a blizzard? And, what’s the difference between them? A snowstorm…