Eye on the Sky Weather Gallery
Weather offers endless ways to learn more about our world. And northern New England has it all — from gentle breezes to Arctic blizzards! The Fairbanks Museum holds the longest continuous weather record in a single location in Vermont, dating to the earliest recordings of Franklin Fairbanks in the mid-1800’s.
Enter the Eye on the Sky Weather Gallery to find out more about meteorology means today. What measurements do meteorologists take to study patterns and make forecasts? Explore four interactive stations to discover what we know about WIND, MOISTURE, PRESSURE, and TEMPERATURE. Find out about dew points and gulf streams ... sense the force of hail storms and hurricanes. Two free-standing, interactive exhibits let you feel the forces of wind and pressure and see how they are measured and recorded.
Put a face to the familiar "Eye on the Sky" voice by watching Mark Breen, Steve Maleski, and Chris Bouchard at work! The Eye on the Sky broadcast booth is where our meteorologists produce and record daily weather programs. Find fascinating observations about the stars, planets, and weather in Mark Breen's Skywatch Almanac by clicking here.
Curious about our climate? Wondering about the weather? Ask the Eye on the Sky Guys! Send your questions to Mark, Steve and Chris.
Question of the week:
Aug 4, 2010: Do storms travel along riverbeds?
Chris Bouchard responds: When I became interested in meteorology, I began to chase thunderstorms and carefully monitor their tracks on radar. In my years of observation, I have found that most thunderstorms in New England move from west to east, although they can come in from any direction. Of course, most of the larger rivers in northwest Vermont which feed into Lake Champlain run generally east-west. (Think the Winooski, Lamoille and Missisquoi). The fact that most of our thunderstorms travel along these lines is likely therefore a coincidence.
It may be true that thunderstorms already traveling from west to east may tend to stay stronger than other surrounding storms when traveling along a deep river valley. This is because these storms are less impacted by mountainous terrain along their paths. (Large mountains often weaken existing
thunderstorms.) |
