Scientists launch tropical cloud weather study

[senorpepr]

The first of more than 1,000 balloons will be released into Darwin's skies Saturday morning as part of an international study into tropical clouds.

More than 200 scientists are in the Top End for the multi-million dollar investigation into monsoon clouds.

Data collection begins in earnest today.

Students have been enlisted to release weather balloons from base stations around Darwin and out at sea at three-hour intervals for 23 days.

Rebecca Derbyshire is among those who volunteered to get some hands-on experience working with leaders in the field of meteorology.

"It's pretty lucky to get to do anything," she said. "It's hard to get experience."

It is hoped the results will improve weather forecasting and global climate modeling.

[Aslkahuna]

The NAME (North American Monsoon Experiment) also had a volunteer corp-this time forecasters, many of them students. My son was one of them and did three stints as a forecaster for the Project. Gave him valuable experience in research.

Steve

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

More research definitely needs to be done in this area. We still understand so little about what is going on over the open Oceans of the World. Anything that can help plug the data voids there can only help increase our understanding of the weather, and thusour forecasting skill.