We Played a Round of Weather Trivia — Here’s What We Got Wrong
On the latest episode of the Middle Country Public Library Podcast, the team traded their usual format for a round of weather trivia (courtesy of Reader’s Digest). It turns out weather is a lot weirder than it seems — myths get busted, an “easy” record gets called into question, and everyone learns a thing or two about lightning. Here’s a recap of the questions, the answers, and where to go if you want to dig deeper into the science.
What actually causes wind?
The hosts guessed the moon before landing on the right answer: uneven heating from the sun. Different surfaces of the Earth absorb solar heat at different rates. Warm air rises and creates a low-pressure area, while cooler, denser air rushes in as high pressure to fill the gap — and that movement is wind. The bigger the temperature difference between two areas, the stronger the wind.
Hurricane, typhoon, cyclone, or tsunami — which one doesn’t belong?
Tsunami. Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all the same type of storm — a tropical cyclone — just named differently depending on where in the world it forms. A tsunami, on the other hand, isn’t a storm at all; it’s a series of ocean waves usually triggered by an underwater earthquake.
- NOAA National Weather Service: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones
- NOAA National Weather Service: Tsunami Basics
The hottest temperature ever recorded — was it even real?
The group correctly guessed the United States for the 1913 world record of 134°F, set at Furnace Creek in Death Valley. But as they noted on air, that record has long been disputed. Several meteorologists and a 2026 peer-reviewed study argue the reading was likely around 14°F too hot due to observer error, even though the World Meteorological Organization still officially recognizes it.
- Live Science: Death Valley’s “world’s hottest temperature” record may be due to human error
- Weather Underground: An Investigation of Death Valley’s 134°F World Temperature Record
Why does humidity make heat feel worse?
The National Weather Service’s heat index — sometimes called the “real feel” — combines air temperature with relative humidity. Sweat cools the body as it evaporates, but when the air is already saturated with moisture, that evaporation slows down, making the same temperature feel hotter. Low humidity has the opposite effect, making the air feel cooler than the thermometer suggests.
Which country gets the most snow in its big cities?
The correct answer surprised everyone: Japan. Aomori City, on the northern tip of Honshu, averages roughly 25–26 feet of snow a year, making it one of the snowiest cities on Earth for its size. It happens because of “sea-effect snow” — cold Siberian air picks up moisture as it crosses the relatively warm Sea of Japan, then dumps it as heavy snow when it hits the mountains.
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” — is that actually true?
Yes, with some real science behind it. In the mid-latitudes, weather generally moves west to east. A red sky at sunset means sunlight is passing through a high-pressure system full of dust and stable air moving in from the west — a sign that clear weather is on its way. A red sky at sunrise means that same high-pressure system has already passed, and a wetter, lower-pressure system may be moving in.
Do most people survive being struck by lightning?
True — about 90% of people struck by lightning survive. Most of a lightning strike’s current passes over the skin in a process called “flashover” rather than through the body, though survivors can still suffer serious burns and long-term effects.
Does lightning ever strike the same place twice?
Contrary to the old saying, yes — often. Tall, isolated, or pointy structures get hit repeatedly. The Empire State Building is struck roughly 23–25 times a year on average, and Chicago’s Willis Tower has been hit over a hundred times in a single year.
- NOAA National Weather Service: Lightning Myths and Facts
- NOAA: 5 Striking Facts vs. Myths About Lightning
What is “heat lightning,” really?
Heat lightning isn’t a special kind of lightning — it’s regular lightning from a storm so far away that you can see the flash but the thunder never reaches you.
What is the Coriolis effect?
The Coriolis effect describes how Earth’s rotation deflects moving air (and other objects traveling long distances) into a curved path rather than a straight line — to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the reason hurricanes rotate counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of it. Fun fact from the episode: it does not determine which way your toilet or sink drains — that’s governed by the shape of the basin and how the water enters it, not Earth’s rotation.
What’s the wettest month in the U.S., on average?
June — not April, despite “April showers.” April rain tends to be frequent but brief, while June rainfall tends to be more prolonged, pushing its monthly average higher nationwide.
What color keeps you coolest in the sun?
White. Researchers at Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies tested different colored polo shirts in direct sun on an 86°F day; after five minutes, a black shirt hit 122°F while a white shirt stayed close to the actual air temperature. Darker colors absorb more solar radiation and convert it to heat, while lighter colors reflect more of it.
Should you open your windows before a tornado?
No — and this is one of the most persistent, dangerous weather myths out there. The idea that opening windows equalizes pressure and prevents a house from “exploding” isn’t true; tornadoes don’t drop air pressure low enough to do that. Structural damage comes from wind and debris, and opening windows just gives the wind an easier way in while wasting time you should be spending getting to shelter.
Which clouds produce the most hail?
Cumulonimbus clouds — the towering thunderstorm clouds that can reach 40,000+ feet. Strong updrafts carry raindrops up into freezing air, where they turn to ice. As those ice particles fall and get pulled back into the updraft repeatedly, they add layer after layer until they’re too heavy for the storm to keep aloft, and they fall as hail.
How far away is a storm if you count 5 seconds between lightning and thunder?
About one mile. Light travels far faster than sound, so you see a lightning flash before you hear the resulting thunder. Every 5-second gap between the flash and the boom equals roughly one mile of distance — so 10 seconds is about two miles, 15 seconds is about three, and so on.
Want to check today’s forecast the hyper-local way? Middle Country Public Library has its own weather station on the roof of the Centereach building, tracking lightning detection, air quality, and rainfall in real time — you can find the link at the bottom of the library’s website or visit it here.