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Tag: Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

  • Decaying leaves: The gift that keeps on giving

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    When you think of autumn, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Pumpkin spice? Cooler weather?

    For many, it’s the leaves transforming.

    With most of the country past peak foliage, those leaves have likely fallen and are littering lawns and streets. It’s a great time to think about what to do with the leaves as they fall.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fall foliage has reached peak or past peak across most of the country

    • Fallen leaves are biodegradable

    • Composting is one of the many options for decaying leaves

    While stepping on a crunchy leaf is extremely satisfying, the leaves take over yards, sidewalks and streets.

    Sometimes when it rains, fallen leaves clog storm drains and can be a hazard while walking. So, it’s no surprise that many want to clean up these dead leaves.

    People commonly bag the fallen leaves and consider the leaves trash.

    But what if there were more environmentally friendly ways to take care of these dying leaves?

    (Pic by Remi Lynn)

    When you bag the dried autumn leaves and put them on the curb, they end up as trash in a landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, yard waste accounts for nearly 20% of all garbage generated in the United States each year. That’s over 31 million tons.

    As the leaves and other yard waste sit in landfills, they produce methane, which can pollute nearby air and soil.

    So what are the alternatives?

    Alternatives to leaf bagging

    Realistically, leaves can remain in the yard where they fall. You can chop them with a mulching mower or even a regular lawnmower.

    Leaves are biodegradable, meaning that bacteria or other living organisms can decompose them. While whole leaves take a longer time to break down (about two to three years), cut-up leaves decompose faster (about one year) and can provide plenty of nutrients for the soil.

    (Photo by Chris Thompson)

    You can use whole and/or chopped leaves in gardens and flower beds as mulch.

    If you still don’t want leaves scattered all across the lawn, composting is a great way to beautify your lawn and garden in multiple ways.

    To compost decaying leaves, chop them with a mower and combine them with green material (grass clippings work great here). Keep the combination moist and well mixed. It will probably take until spring to break down, but the result is a nutrient-rich fertilizer for any plants or crops.

    If DIY composting isn’t your thing, check out local groups that collect leaves for composting. Happy leaf collecting!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • Decaying leaves: The gift that keeps on giving

    [ad_1]

    When you think of autumn, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Pumpkin spice? Cooler weather?

    For many, it’s the leaves transforming.

    With most of the country past peak foliage, those leaves have likely fallen and are littering lawns and streets. It’s a great time to think about what to do with the leaves as they fall.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fall foliage has reached peak or past peak across most of the country

    • Fallen leaves are biodegradable

    • Composting is one of the many options for decaying leaves

    While stepping on a crunchy leaf is extremely satisfying, the leaves take over yards, sidewalks and streets.

    Sometimes when it rains, fallen leaves clog storm drains and can be a hazard while walking. So, it’s no surprise that many want to clean up these dead leaves.

    People commonly bag the fallen leaves and consider the leaves trash.

    But what if there were more environmentally friendly ways to take care of these dying leaves?

    (Pic by Remi Lynn)

    When you bag the dried autumn leaves and put them on the curb, they end up as trash in a landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, yard waste accounts for nearly 20% of all garbage generated in the United States each year. That’s over 31 million tons.

    As the leaves and other yard waste sit in landfills, they produce methane, which can pollute nearby air and soil.

    So what are the alternatives?

    Alternatives to leaf bagging

    Realistically, leaves can remain in the yard where they fall. You can chop them with a mulching mower or even a regular lawnmower.

    Leaves are biodegradable, meaning that bacteria or other living organisms can decompose them. While whole leaves take a longer time to break down (about two to three years), cut-up leaves decompose faster (about one year) and can provide plenty of nutrients for the soil.

    (Photo by Chris Thompson)

    You can use whole and/or chopped leaves in gardens and flower beds as mulch.

    If you still don’t want leaves scattered all across the lawn, composting is a great way to beautify your lawn and garden in multiple ways.

    To compost decaying leaves, chop them with a mower and combine them with green material (grass clippings work great here). Keep the combination moist and well mixed. It will probably take until spring to break down, but the result is a nutrient-rich fertilizer for any plants or crops.

    If DIY composting isn’t your thing, check out local groups that collect leaves for composting. Happy leaf collecting!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • The peak of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is here

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    Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean spans June through November, and this year was forecasted to be near to above average.

    What You Need To Know

    • The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season was forecasted to be near to above average

    • Through early Sept. 2025, there have only been six named storms

    • The climatological peak of hurricane season is on Sept. 10


    However, as we approach the climatological peak of the season, we’ve only had six named storms. 

    2025 Atlantic Season predictions

    Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Colorado State University (CSU) made their seasonal forecasts back in May and updated them in August. The latest outlooks predict an above-average season: 13 to 18 tropical cyclones (down from 13 to 19 named storms) for NOAA and 16 named storms for CSU (down from 17 to 24 named storms).

    The new predictions include the six named storms we’ve already seen. The average number of named storms is around 14 per season.

    How the season began

    Tropical Storm Andrea formed on June 23, 2025. This marked the latest start to a season since 2014. 

    Next, Tropical Storm Barry formed toward the end of June and made landfall in Veracruz, Mexico. 

    After Barry, Tropical Storm Chantal impacted the southeastern U.S. The storm made landfall in South Carolina on July 6, bringing tropical storm force-winds and flooding rainfall to the Carolinas. 

    Flooding from Chantal at Cooper Road at the Haw River canoe access in Graham, North Carolina. (Graham Police Department)

    Tropical Storm Dexter followed, and next, Hurricane Erin. Erin became a large and powerful Category 5 storm. The storm stayed well off the coast of the U.S., but it brought dangerous rip currents to most of the eastern seaboard.

    Tropical Storm Fernand formed in mid-August and stayed offshore. Here’s a look at the 2025 hurricane season so far. 

    Since then, there has been a lull in tropical activity. 

    Still a lot of the season to go

    In September and early October, storms are most likely to form in the central Atlantic and the Caribbean. However, as more frontal boundaries move through the U.S. at this time, it’s possible for tropical cyclones to develop along old fronts in the Gulf of Mexico and off of the southeast coast. 

    “We are just coming up on the halfway mark of the hurricane season, usually the time of peak activity,” says Dr. Frank Marks, a meteorologist in the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA/Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 

    Don’t let the lull in the Atlantic lull you to sleep. As we approach the peak with quiet conditions, there’s still plenty of time for more storms to develop.

    Notable September and October tropical cyclones

    Even though many may be focused on fall, hurricane season is ongoing! There have been many tropical cyclones that have formed and made landfall in September and October. 

    Just last year, Hurricane Milton formed in October and rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm in the Gulf of America. This was the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded over the Gulf since Hurricane Rita in 2005. Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, FL.

    While the outlook over the next seven days looks quiet in the Atlantic, make sure you’re focusing on the forecast as conditions in the open waters can change. Tracking the Tropics.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • Cherry blossoms have an interesting history in the nation’s capital

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    Spring is here and everyone’s favorite flowering trees are painting the nation pink, as cherry blossom season continues across the country.

    What You Need To Know

    • There are many cherry tree types
    • The Yoshino Cherry tree is the most popular
    • Cherry blossoms are not native to the United States


    The vibrant blooms draw sizable crowds each spring to Washington D.C., where they are most famously recognized.

    While there are many types of cherry trees, the Yoshino Cherry Tree is the most popular and known for its white-pink blossoms and almond smell in the spring.

    (Spectrum News/Carl Brewer)

    History

    Though Yoshino Cherry Trees are well known, cherry blossoms are not native to the United States. The cherry trees were a gift from the Japanese to Americans. The cherry tree symbolizes human life and exemplifies the revolution of Japanese culture, according to the National Park Service.

    However, the first gift of cherry trees had some issues. The first group of cherry trees arrived in 1909. The trees were inspected by scientists from the Department of Agriculture. They found that the trees had an infestation of bugs and root gall. President Taft approved the destruction of the trees in January of 1910. This led to the passing of the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 and a second shipment of trees.

    (Spectrum News/Carl Brewer)

    The second shipment of trees was much better! On March 26, 1912, over 3,000 cherry trees arrived in Washington, D.C. While 12 varieties of cherry trees were sent, the majority of the trees were of the Yoshino Cherry variety. The next day, Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. 

    From that point, more cherry trees were planted each year. In 1935, the first “Cherry Blossom Festival” occurred, and it became an annual event in subsequent years.

    The best time to see cherry blossoms in D.C.

    Cherry blossoms are certainly being seen across Washington, D.C.

    When 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, that’s considered the peak bloom date. According to the National Park service, peak bloom could last several days. This year, the expected peak bloom will be this weekend through Monday (March 29th-31st).


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • Eggs, shadows and daylight: Equinox fact and fiction

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    Everybody knows you can balance an egg on the equinox, the day with 12 hours of light across the planet… right?

    What You Need To Know

    • You can balance eggs and brooms any day

    • Daylight is close to 12 hours, but not exactly

    • As fall begins in one hemisphere, spring begins in the other


    There are various theories surrounding the equinox, which happen every year in March and September. Let’s separate fact from fiction. 

    Balancing eggs and brooms: Fiction

    Have heard that you can balance an egg only on the equinox? 

    Try it on a day other than the equinox. You’ll find that you can do it then, too! It just takes the right egg and a bit of patience.

    The egg-balancing myth swept over to brooms, which spread wildly thanks to social media. Like eggs, you can balance a broom with stiff, straight bristles any day of the year. There’s no exceptional, mysterious gravitational pull during the equinox that will balance your egg and/or broom.

    A moment, not a day: Fact

    The equinox happens when the sun passes the “celestial equator,” the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator. It’s just a moment in time. For example, the spring equinox for 2025 is at 5:01 a.m. While we observe the equinox as the first day of spring or fall, it’s just an instant.

    12 hours of daylight worldwide: Fiction

    No, there’s not exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night around the globe on the equinox. We have more than 12 hours of daylight on the equinox. The date when daylight and nighttime are both closest to exactly 12 hours falls a few days before the spring equinox and a few days after the fall equinox.

    So, why isn’t it exactly 12 hours? There are a handful of reasons, but two stand out. First, sunrise and sunset are when the very top-most tip of the sun–not the middle–crosses the horizon. Second, our atmosphere bends sunlight, so we see the sun a little longer than we “should,” so to speak.

    “Equal night”: Fact

    It’s understandable why some think the equinox means 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The word “equinox” translates to “equal night”. It comes from the Latin word aequinoctium–“aequi” meaning equal, and “nox” meaning night–according to Mirriam-Webster.

    If you want to impress your friends (or maybe just make them roll their eyes), you can mention the equilux (“lux” coming from Latin for “light”). That’s the date when day and night are equal lengths, although a true equilux is pretty rare.

    No shadow at noon: Fiction

    For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, our shadow will be shortest on the summer solstice when direct sunlight reaches the northernmost point of its annual journey. A person’s shadow disappears only where the sun is directly overhead, which isn’t anywhere close to home on the equinox.

    Opposite seasons: Fact

    What we call the fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. It might be hard to imagine, but our friends on the other side of the planet enjoy spring from late September through late December as the Earth’s tilt gives them increasingly direct sunlight.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton, Meteorologist Justin Gehrts

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  • Spring begins at a different time every year, and this is why

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    Cue the warmer temperatures, rain showers and blooming flowers–spring is almost here!

    What You Need To Know

    • Meteorological spring and astronomical spring have different meanings

    • Astronomical spring usually begins on March 20 in the United States

    • The calendar date and time for March’s equinox fluctuates

    • The amount of time Earth takes to revolve around the sun plays a role in when a season begins


    Meteorological spring always begins on March 1 and runs through May 30. It’s a three-month season which makes it helpful for analyzing data and seasonal trends.

    You’re probably more familiar with the “first day of spring” that shows up on the calendar. It’s also known as astronomical spring, March equinox, spring equinox or the vernal equinox. So, does spring always begin on the same calendar date and at the same time?

    The beginning of spring varies year to year. Spring begins on March 19, 20 or 21. Why the variation in dates? Believe it or not, it has to do with the Earth’s revolution around the sun.

    The Earth takes about 365.25 days to complete a revolution around the sun. A normal year has 365 days. That extra quarter of a day (about six hours) is part of the reason the vernal equinox fluctuates by about six hours every year.

    Fun fact: The extra quarter of a day is also why we have a leap year every four years.

    Until 2048, the March equinox will happen on March 19 every leap year. In between the leap years, the March equinox will occur on March 20.

    What about March 21? Time zones outside of the United States have had a March 21 equinox this century. However, the U.S. mainland won’t have a vernal equinox on March 21 at all in the 21st century!

    Spring 2025 runs from March 20 until June 20. Summer begins on June 20, 2025. Enjoy this transitional season before the heat and humidity move in for an extended stay!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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