Weather IQ Challenge: How Many Can You Get Right?

The questions

All 10 questions in this quiz. Correct answers stay hidden until you finish.

1. 1

   About how many times per year does lightning strike the Empire State Building?

   • About 100 times
   • About 25 times
2. 2

   How fast does a typical raindrop fall?

   • About 35 km/h
   • About 150 km/h
3. 3

   Which pole is colder on average?

   • The North Pole
   • The South Pole
4. 4

   What structural shape do all natural snowflakes share?

   • Six-sided (hexagonal)
   • Eight-sided
5. 5

   What causes the fresh 'smell of rain' (petrichor)?

   • Ozone created by lightning
   • Oils from plants and compounds from soil bacteria

Score bands

Your final score places you in one of these bands.

Weather Newbie0-30 points

Weather to you means looking out the window and hoping for the best. Hey, at least you grab an umbrella sometimes.

Casual Observer31-60 points

You know thunder means rain and snow means coats. You have decent weather instincts, even if the forecast catches you off guard now and then.

Weather Whiz61-80 points

You know more about weather than most people. Friends ask you instead of checking the forecast. Your stash of weather trivia is genuinely impressive.

Weather Genius81-100 points

You nailed almost every question! Did you secretly study meteorology? Want to forecast tomorrow's chance of rain while you're at it?

How this quiz works

Each question has one correct answer. When you finish, you get your score and can review every question with the correct answer and, where we have one, a short explanation.