Tag: meteorology

Limelight School Of The Week!

 

GRADE:    5th Grade

TEACHER:  Ms. Greggory

PROGRAM:  Meteorology Madness

SCIENTIST:  Meteor Martin

 

This week’s LIMELIGHT SCHOOL OF THE WEEK IS……LaFayette Elementary School, Fuquay-Varina, NC

Hello Scientists, I hope that everyone has had a scientifically wonderful week.  Our Limelight school is none other that the legendary, Lafayette Elementary. I would like to begin by thanking the administration, teachers and students for making High Touch High Tech such a huge part of your school’s yearly calendar and for allowing me the opportunity to get to know so many of you.  It is such a great feeling to walk down the halls and receive so many high fives from the kids and just as many good mornings from the staff.  The pleasure is all mine.

This week, the fifth graders and I were able to discuss and explore several different meteorological events including:  clouds, lightning, thunder, pressure systems and more.  I must give high praises to the teachers because it seemed as if the children knew as much about Meteorology as I do.  Way to go guys!

I love to pay attention as the children perform each experiment and listen as they talk to one another.  It is the best way to get a true impression as to how much they are enjoying the programs.  At one point I heard one of them say, “This is amazing” and another asked me after our lesson was over if I “could go to lunch with them.”  Maybe next time guys.

I want to thank Mrs. Gregory and the rest of the fifth-grade staff for everything that you do to make High Touch High Tech so important in your teaching.  I will see you all next week, when I return to work with the 4th graders and we learn all about the Moon. 😊

Until next time, this is “Meteor” Martin blasting off!

Solar Storms Could Impact Earth’s Weather!

 

That white blotch in the upper left quadrant? That’s a Solar Death Storm.

It seems like not that long ago, Earth was facing down some major solar energy activity from the very ball of plasma that sustains life on our planet.  In fact, it was just at the end of January when some massive solar flares impacted Earth’s magnetic field,supercharging the aurora borealis, forcing planes to adjust their travel patterns, and generally making scientists nervous.  Well, time to get nervous scientists:  a pair of massive solar flares will be impacting earth within the next 24 hours.

“Super Tuesday? You bet!” said Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  ”It’s hitting us right in the nose.  By some measures this is the strongest one since December of 2006.”

The solar flare, an X5-4-class sun storm, is expected to cause no major problems, but due to the storm’s strength, people are already taking precautions with their communications systems and air travel routes.  The NOAA’s space weather scale has been set at an R3, which means special communication precautions have been taken, but Kunches expects the storm may peak at a G3/S4 level.  That means power surges may affect the power grid and that the astronauts on the ISS will have to take shelter from the radiation bombardment.