RSMAS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UM Students Help Demo
New NOAA Hurricane Balloons

Ballons

Virginia Key, Fla. (September 24, 2008) — Media outlets are invited to attend a demonstration launch of new hurricane balloons to be used for improving hurricane track and intensity forecasts — in association with NOAA’s WISDOM (Weather In-Situ Deployment Optimization Method) project on Friday, September 26 at 1 p.m. at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.  

The launch is part of a training session for NOAA employees and 20 students from University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Mississippi State University and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados.

These ‘super pressure’ balloons rise rapidly to specific altitudes and can stay airborne from two to five days.  Each balloon carries a mini (100 gram) GPS unit, atmospheric measuring devices, and transmitters to send location and weather data at regular intervals to satellite or surface receivers. Using advanced modeling techniques scientists will identify the best regions for data collection so balloons are launched into optimal locations in the path of approaching storms.

The WISDOM project, funded through NOAA and the Department of Homeland Security, seeks to improve the 3 to 7 day predictions of Atlantic hurricane track and intensity by deploying specialized balloons into important data sparse regions of the atmosphere. Long term, observations will significantly improve the 24hour forecast, saving lives and property, conserving energy, and potentially save millions of dollars.

WEATHER BALLOON LAUNCH THIS FRIDAY, 1 p.m.

WHAT:
Cutting-edge weather balloon launch by NOAA scientists and UM, Miss. State students.
WHEN:
Friday, September 26
Training session: 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT
Demonstration launch: 1 to 2:15 p.m. EDT
WHERE:
NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key, Fla.
WHO:
Justyna Nicinska, WISDOM project manager; WISDOM team members, including students and faculty members from University of Miami, Mississippi State University, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology.
RSVP:
Jana.Goldman@noaa.gov

Media Contacts:

Jana Goldman
NOAA
301.734.1123
Jana.Goldman@noaa.gov

Barbra Gonzalez
UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
305.421.4704
barbgo@rsmas.miami.edu

Marie Guma-Diaz
University of Miami
305.284.1601
m.gumadiaz@umiami.edu