May 11, 2007

Mars Has the Worst Weather in the Solar System

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Oh Mars - your weather just sucks. With tornados as tall as Mount Everest and hurricanes twice the size of Hurricane Andrew why do we even want to go there. Must be for the bad weather, because I can't see any other reason. Soon we'll be launching a robot to land where humans might colonize - I guess they'll just have to ride out terrible storms each day.

When the next mission to Mars lifts off in April, another robotic probe will be sent to learn more about conditions on aplanet where humans may one day live. One great reason that we send robots:They don't mind crummy weather. When we humans follow, to Mars or anywhere elsein the solar system, weather extremes like none we know await.

At Mars, Hurricane Andrew would stick in the memory as a gentle breeze. The discovery of the South Poleback on Earth would be retold as Roald Amundsen's pleasant summer stroll.And the oppressive heat and biting sandstorms of the Mojave? Hang on to yourcosmic hats.

Because the wildest,wackiest and worst weather known does not occur on Earth. For truly tempestuoustemperatures, take a trip to roasting Venus or frigid Pluto. Want some wind?The giant planets will blow you away.

And before you say,"But Mars is the planet we're most likely to colonize," consider tornadoes as tall as Mount Everest.

At SPACE.com