Category Archives: GLOBE Protocols

Falling raindrops — Part II

Posted on 10/24/2006 by peggy

Someone asked, “How can you assume that the speed of the raindrop is 8 meters per second?” That number comes from some resesarch we did a few years ago on a squall line (line of cumulonimbus) in the tropics. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science | Leave a comment

Where did the rain come from?

Posted on 09/28/2006 by peggy

I was watching a baseball game at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, USA, when a big fat raindrop fell on my lap. I looked up — and there were only small altocumulus clouds overhead. Where did the drop come from? … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science | 3 Comments

Watching the wind

Posted on 08/17/2006 by peggy

GLOBE has protocols for measuring temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, and even aerosols. Did you ever wonder why there isn’t a protocol to measure wind? This picture can give you a hint. The flags in the picture are some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science | 5 Comments

Fire Weather

Posted on 07/26/2006 by peggy

The two pictures show two forest fires burning to the southeast of where we were hiking on 16 July. We were north of the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge, in northeastern Montana. The wind was strong — 32-48 kilometers per … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere | 10 Comments

Global Warming?

Posted on 06/29/2006 by peggy

The newspapers and television are full of stories about “global warming,” so I thought I’d address this term briefly today — and get back to more of the science later. What does “global warming” mean? “Global warming” is really an … Continue reading →

Posted in Atmosphere, Climate Change, Earth System Science | 1 Comment