Field Trip to the NWS Honolulu Forecast Office

We visited the NWS Honolulu Forecast Office on October 15, 2005. “We” means 3 current MET 101 students (Dennis, Lani and Maryalice) and 5 potential future students (kids!) and a dedicated instructor (me!).

Our tour guide was Brooke. She is a nice graduate student at UH Manoa who is working at the NWS Office.

Brooke showed us many meteorological instruments such as an anemometer, wind vane, tipping bucket rain gauge and radiosonde.

She also entertained us by demonstrating how to make a personal cloud in a jar with water, ice and hair spray.

The something that looks like a dried-up snake in the picture is a balloon–part of the radiosonde. The box Brooke is holding is the actual instrument that flies under the balloon to take atmospheric measurements. The radiosonde is released twice a day. In Hawai‘i, the release times are 2 am and 2 pm, and occur at Lihue and Hilo.

Then we moved to the conference room. You might recognize this room because sometimes this place is used as a news release room for the media. Today, however, Brooke showed us a slide show about the NWS.

Lucky kids got a colorful ruler (You can see a pink one in front of my daughter, Raine) and a cloud chart. As a lucky teacher, I got a heavy packet of information brochures.

The guy sitting near Brooke is the famous Dennis Kido, and the lady behind is nice Lani (Sorry Maryalice was sitting further back).

Brooke talked about NWS offices here and there, hurricanes, flash floods, and more.

I was amazed how quiet the kids were. It was because Brooke’s talk was very interesting. I wish I could do that in my WCC classroom!

Then, Brooke showed us the radio room from which weather forecasting information is broadcast. There is no actual person who reads the text in front of a microphone. Instead, the typed text is sent to the radio room’s computer and automatically voiced by the computer. Brooke noted that they are working hard to use correct Hawaiian pronunciation.

Lastly, we entered the forecasting room, with its many computers, displays, and maps. This is where a forecaster evaluates the satellite and radar, and makes the forecast.

We enjoyed the visit very much. Also, the entire SOEST (School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology) had open house today, so we visited other exhibits, too.

For more information about the NWS Honolulu Forecast Office, please visit their web site at:

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/about.php

Mahalo to Brooke and the NWS for their hospitality!

Reported by Toshi Ikagawa, Instructor