Amid ‘spy balloon’ controversy, WMO highlights the important role of weather balloons in climate monitoring
On the heels of recent news reports about Canada and the United States shooting down several flying objects, including an alleged Chinese ‘spy balloon’, within their borders, the WMO points out that weather balloons provide some of the Millions of observations are gathered around the world every day.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden made public comments after days of speculation over the three unmanned aerial systems shot down last weekend by the US military, saying that “it is most likely linked to the private industry, entertainment or research institutions.”
A valuable input for the international system
More than 50 satellites receive information from space, and 400 aircraft operated by 40 commercial airlines gather inputs from the sky, notes the WMO.
Approximately 400 buoys, 1,250 boats, and 7,300 ships assist from the oceans in addition to 10,000 automated and land-based observation stations across the planet.
A weather balloon has been prepared for release at an Australian Antarctic station.
1,000 daily flights
Every day, latex is becoming free Balloons are released simultaneously from almost 900 locations around the world. Nearly 1,000 balloons collect daily observations that provide real-time input.
The valuable information gathered contributes to computer predictive models, local data for scientists to process forecasts and storm forecasting, climate monitoring we had data for research to better understand the weather and climate patterns.
Computer forecast models that use weather balloon data are used by all global forecasters, the WMO said.
Equipped with battery-operated radiosondes that receive observations, the floating information receivers remain in the air for about two hours.
Height up to 35kms
They measuring pressure, wind speed, temperature and humidity from above the ground, to heights of up to 35 kilometers, temperatures as cold as -95°C (-139°F), before bursting and falling back to Earth under a parachute.
Playing it key role as a part of the world wide web For decades, they have been the primary source of topographical data. More than two-thirds of the weather balloon stations make observations twice a day and another 100 and 200 report daily.
They valuable input feed the World View Systemamong the most ambitious and successful events of international cooperation of the last 60 years, WMO said.
The system consists of individual atmospheric and space observation systems owned and operated by a plethora of national and international organizations.
