Weather is an all-encompassing term used to describe all of the many and varied phenomena that can occur in the atmosphere of a planet. The term is normally taken to mean the activity of these phenomena over short periods of time, usually no more than a few days in length. Average atmospheric conditions over significantly longer periods are known as climate. Usage of the two terms often overlaps and the concepts are obviously very closely related.

Basic mechanism

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Weather phenomena result from temperature differences around the globe, which arise mainly because areas closer to the tropics, around the equator, receive more energy from the Sun than more northern and southern regions, nearer to the Earth's poles.

More on [ Weather ]

Inquirer front page

Mentally ill woman's death in jail a tale of missed opportunities
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
Sandy Morgan didn't have a receipt when she walked out of the Boothwyn Wal-Mart with more than $500 worth of dolls, toys and girls' clothes. In her mind, she didn't need one. She owned Wal-Mart, she told a manager who tried to stop her.
Dow joins global plunge
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
Wall Street joined in a worldwide cascade of despair yesterday over the financial crisis, driving the Dow Jones industrials to their biggest loss ever during a trading day. Even a big afternoon rally failed to keep the Dow from its first close below 10,000 since 2004.
Testimony of slush fund and "payback time" at Bryant trial
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
TRENTON - The state treasurer's office had almost no authority over who received millions of dollars from a special-grant program, even though the office administered the money, according to testimony in federal court yesterday.
Phila. schools chief hires 14 staffers
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
New Philadelphia schools chief Arlene Ackerman has surrounded herself with a diverse inner circle of educators picked from far and wide, shaking up a historically inbred district with fresh faces.
Scientist with Penn ties wins a Nobel
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
Back in the 1970s, cancer-research dogma held that a herpes virus probably caused cervical cancer. One young researcher disagreed. Harald zur Hausen, who studied viruses and cancer at the University of Pennsylvania, staked his career on another possibility: the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Round 2 in Obama-McCain debate
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:00 -0000
Tonight, a presidential campaign increasingly dominated by character attacks collides with a debate format meant to produce serious discussion of kitchen-table issues.

Today's Tribune-Review

Parkway East inbound to be closed this weekend
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
PennDOT will close the inbound lanes between the Churchill and Edgewood-Swissvale exits from late Friday until early Monday.
Upper St. Clair student accused of rapes to be sentenced
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
It was unclear yesterday what charges would be included in the sentencing of the unidentified teenager.
Former URA chief to sign settlement this week
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
Pat Ford, 45,is expected to sign a settlement worth about $100,900 in salary and benefits this by Wednesday.
Beaver County man held for trial on Obama rally gun charge
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
John Noble, 50, of Industry rejected a plea agreement to drop a misdemeanor charge of disrupting a meeting, his attorney, Stephen Colafella, said. He also is charged with a summary disorderly conduct.
Vikings escape New Orleans with victory
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
Ryan Longwell's 30-yard field goal with 13 seconds left lifted the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 comeback victory over the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, spoiling a record-tying performance by Reggie Bush.
Murdered man's sons die in West End blaze
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0400
Two boys whose father was murdered last year died when a fire tore through their Crafton Heights home.

Centredaily.com: Local

Combined interchange plan draws traction
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:46:00 -0400
JACKSONVILLE — In the long absence of money to build two new interstate highway interchanges near here, political sentiment of local residents has begun to look kindly at the idea of combining the two interchanges into one.
Council opposes liquor license
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:46:00 -0400
Lauren Boyer For the CDT
Abortion protesters set up near school
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:46:00 -0400
State College Area High School students arrived at school Monday morning to find a dozen anti-abortion protesters lining Westerly Parkway.

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