May 28, 2008 - St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School
Mark asked: What happens when 2 hurricanes meet?
Jerrys answer: This is called the 'FUJIWHARA EFFECT'...when 2 hurricanes get within 900 miles of each other, the 2 sotrms will initially be attrached to each other. Once they get closer, they will begin to circle around each other in a counterclockwise direcation. Occasionally, the storms will merge together, but this is very rare.

May 21, 2008 - Heritage Elementary School
Jax asked: Is it true that men are more likely to be struck by lightning that women?
Jerrys answer: Men are more likely to be struck by lightning and they are responsible for 84% of lightning related injuries. It is widely thought that men are more likely to either work or play outside than women, and therefore, are more likely to be struck.

May 14, 2008 - Buckeye Woods Elementary School
Hunter asked: What was the record for the longest continuous rainfall?
Jerrys answer: This was a tough one, as I found several locations worldwide that have had continuous rainfall events lasting for more 2 days or more...however, the one fact that I did find interesting was the highest 24 hour rainfall total in the U.S. occurred in Alvin, TX from July 25-26, 1979. During that 24 hour period, 43.00" of rain fell!

May 7, 2008 - Medill Elementary School
Chloe asked: What is the chance of getting struck by lightning?
Jerrys answer: Although the chance of being struck by lightning is only 1 in 700,000, it is one of the leading causes of weather related deaths in the United States. Almost 300 people are injured each year by lightning strikes.

May 6, 2008 - Liberty Madison Elementary School
How do snowflakes get their shape?
Jerrys answer: There are several different shapes for snowflakes and the shape depends mainly on the temperature at which the flakes are formed. The coldest temperatures produce dendrites, then columns, pillars and the warmest temperatures (around 32F) produce plates.

April 30, 2008 - Lincoln Elementary School
Joe asked: What was the biggest thing ever picked up by a tornado?
Jerrys answer: Tornadoes have been known to pick up and move vehicles and heavy machinery weighing more than 30,000 pounds...that's over 15 tons! Twisters have no problem tossing 1-2 ton cars and vans around, but the heaviest items on record are much heavier than that.

April 23, 2008 - Delaware Christian School
Jacob asked: In which month do the most people perish in hurricanes?
Jerrys answer: Statistically speaking, the peak of hurricane season is in September, and that's when the strongest and most numerous hurricanes occur. Therefore, the highest number of fatalities occur during September, followed closely by August.

April 16, 2008 - Fairfield Christian Academy
Kyle asked: Can a raindrop freeze in midair?
Jerrys answer: A raindrop that freezes in midair is more commonly referred to as 'ice pellets' or 'sleet'. This is a common occurrence in the winter months. Occasionally, it can be snowing at the same time it is sleeting or even worse, freezing rain, in which case the drop doesn't freeze until it hits the ground.

April 9, 2008 - St. Pius Elementary
Alicia asked: How did the tornado get its name?
Jerry's answer: The word 'tornado' comes from the spanish word for thunderstorm 'tronada', which was changed to 'ternado' by english sailors in the 1500's. In 1804, a newspaper in Maryland first used the word 'tornado' to describe the damaging winds of a thunderstorm that destroyed a village.

April 2, 2008 - Huntington Elementary
Molli asked: What does the temperature have to be for water to freeze?
Jerry's answer: By definition, pure water freezes at 32 F. But any foreign substance (like salt) added to the water will cause the freezing point drop. Salt water is an excellent example, which in extreme cases, can remain liquid at a temperature of -6F!

March 12, 2008 - Licking Heights North
Clayton asked: What was the lowest temperature ever recorded in North America?
Jerry's answer: On February 3, 1947 the temperature dropped to 81 degrees below zero at the Snag airport in Yukon, Canada. A staff meteorologist on site that day remembers tossing water into the air and watching it freeze into pellets before hitting the ground! And you thought we had a bad winter!

January 23, 2008-Immaculate Conception
D.J. asked: At what altitude is there no atmosphere?
Jerry's answer: Although the atmosphere is a fluid (like water), it doesn't have a defined edge (like water). Therefore, as the altitude increases, the atmosphere just fades away into space. But if you need an actual number, just know that there is still some atmosphere 400 miles above the surface.

January 9, 2008- Montrose
Maggie asked: How fast does rain drop fall?
Jerry's answer: It depends on the size. Small drops (about .5mm - the size of a grain of salt) fall at about 5 mph...larger drops (about 10 mm - the size of a household fly) fall a little faster, about 20 mph.

December 12th- Winchester Trail
Devan asked: What was the biggest hurricane in recent history?
Jerry's answer: The Florida Keys Hurricane of 1935 was the worst. It had the lowest pressure of any recorded storm to hit the U.S. mainland and winds estimated between 150-200 mph! The storm spared the larger cities in the Southeastern U.S., but still claimed the lives of over 400 people.

December 4th- Tyler Run
Marah asked: Will the sun ever stop shining? Jerry's answer: The short answer is yes...the loooooooonnnnnnnggg answer is while it eventually will stop shining, that time is estimated to be about 5 billion years from now!

November 28th- Washington
Taylor asked: What was the strongest earthquake to hit the U.S.?
Jerry's answer: It is referred to as the 'Good Friday Earthquake' because on March 28, 1964, a 9.2 magnitude quake struck Prince William Sound, Alaska. The quake also produced a 50ft. tsunami that traveled over 8000 miles at over 450 mph!

November 20- St. Mary
Maya Asked: How much water is on the earth?
Jerry's Answer:After doing some digging, we found that there is approximately 326 million trillion gallons of water on our planet! Most of that is contained in the worlds oceans, with only about 2 percent of the worlds water supply is fresh!

November 14- Holy Spirit
Jack Asked: What is the greatest daily snowfall for Columbus?
Jerry's Answer: The highest daily snowfall total for Columbus actually occurred during spring! 12.3" of snow fell on April 4, 1987.

November 7- St. Francis de Sales
Question Asked:What was the worst blizzard in central Ohio history?
Jerry's Answer: In recent history, the blizzard of 1978 has to be the worst. For 2 days starting on Jan. 25, much of Ohio received over a foot of snow, winds gusted over 50 mph, the wind chill reached -60F and the entire Ohio turnpike was closed. On top of that, over 50 Ohioans died in the storm, with thousands stranded in their homes and cars.

October 31- Kae Avenue Elementary
Rudy Asked:Is it true that crickets chirps' can help tell the temperature?
Jerry's Answer: Yes...studies have shown that you can approximate the temperature by counting the number of cricket chirps in 15 seconds and adding 40. Try it some time!

October 24 - Darbydale ElementaryQuestion Asked: What's the highest 24 hour rainfall total in the state of Ohio?
Jerry's Answer: Although Columbus broke its 1-day rain total earlier in the week with a whopping 2.31" on Tuesday, October 23, it's nowhere near the record. That dubious distinction goes to Sandusky, Ohio where on July 12, 1966 10.51" of rain fell in 24 hours!

October 17 - Madison Christian Elementary
MaKayla Pinoni asked: How many "El Ninos" have happened?
Jerry's Answer: Since I became a meteorologist (1991), there have been 3 El Ninos (warming of the eastern Pacific ocean temperatures): 1995-1998, 1998- 2000 and 2002-2005. The strongest El Nino was the one from 1998- 2000. And it appears that the Pacific ocean is currently trending away from another El Nino, so we'll likely be waiting for a couple more years.

October 10 - Albert Chapman Elementary
Archanaa Lingan asked: What was the coldest temperature EVER in Ohio?
Jerry's Answer: -39 on February 10, 1899 at Milligan (A town in Perry County that no longer exists!)