Videos

All About Blizzards

A blizzard isn’t just any old snowstorm. It’s extreme winter weather. Watch and learn what makes these storms special.

Boulder, Colorado Flood: How the City's Resilience Strategy Saved It

Learn how the 2013 intense week-long rainstorm could have been devistating for Boulder, Colorado, but thanks to city planning and floodplain management, the city fared relatively well.

Flash Flood

A 2005 flash flood fills a West Virginia creek in seconds.

How Hail is Made in Storms

How do hailstones form, and why are some much larger than others? Watch to learn how hail can form during a thunderstorm.

Is it Going to Snow?

Why is it so hard to predict when we’ll have a snow day? Find out what factors determine whether precipitation will fall as rain, sleet, or snow!

Making Clouds

Clouds are made of water or ice crystals, but how do they form? Learn more about cloud formation and when it’s likely to happen

Meet a Hurricane

Learn what makes a hurricane a hurricane, as well as how these storms can cause damage from storm surge, heavy rain, and fierce winds.

Meet a Tornado

Learn what makes a tornado a tornado, and how these powerful storms can cause property damage and are a threat to our safety.

No Two Hurricanes Are Alike

When there is a hurricane or tropical storm heading towards the coast, get to know all about it to learn what hazards it could cause.

The Shape of Raindrops

Did you know that raindrops are not shaped like teardrops? They actually look like tiny hamburgers falling through the sky. Watch this video to learn why!

Weather Timelapse: Lyons, Colorado, April 6, 2017

This sunny day video was captured on Eagle Ridge above Lyons, Colorado near the Front Range of the Rockies by David Niels as part of his research for the Colorado Climate Center.

Weather Timelapse: Lyons, Colorado, July 4, 2017

This timelapse video was captured July 4, 2017 on Eagle Ridge above Lyons, Colorado near the Front Range of the Rockies by David Niels as part of his research for the Colorado Climate Center.

Weather Timelapse: Lyons, Colorado, May 8, 2017

Watch this timelapse video to see how the weather over a day in Lyons, Colorado changes when a front moves through the area.

What Does Storm Surge Look Like?

NCAR researchers visualizing hurricane impacts created this animation to show how quickly nine feet of storm surge can flood a coastal city.

What Makes a Bomb Cyclone

A bomb cyclone can cause cold and stormy winter weather. Watch this video to discover what makes a bomb cyclone.

What Makes Snowflakes Take Shape?

Do you know that snowflakes are different shapes? Find out why some snowflakes have simple shapes and others are more intricate.

What's a 100-Year Flood?

Do you know what the terms 100-year, 500-year, and 1000-year flood actually mean? Watch the video and see if you're right.

What's the Polar Vortex?

Learn about the polar vortex and the polar jet stream and how we can get particularly chilly winter weather in the mid-latitudes when the air circulating around the North Pole wobbles to the south.

What's With Weather Fronts?

Discover how a weather front can cause clouds and storms with rain or snow.

Why is ice slippery?

When it’s freezing outside, it can be icy too. People walking down the street find their feet sliding in directions that they didn’t intend. A few unlucky ones slip and fall. But have you ever wondered why we slip?

Why the Wind Blows

Learn how air pressure in the atmosphere causes wind.