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Title
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What's a Storm to Do?
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Type
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Primary: Field Assignment
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Operation
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Monster Storms
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Mission:
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Mission 4: The Hunt
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Print Page
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82,83
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Subjects
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Science | Earth and space science | Weather | Clouds | Hurricanes | Storms | Wind | Science as inquiry | Science process skills | Analyzing data | Hypothesizing | Interpreting data | Predicting | Scientific habits of mind | Using technology
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Grades
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8
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Keywords
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hurricanes, tracking hurricanes, Jason Dunion, hurricane intensity, hurricane formation, hurricane decay, NOAA, satellite images, satellite photos, storms, monster storms, storm classification, storm data, ecosystems, Hurricane Katrina, wind shear, Saharan AirLayer, temperature inversions, forecasters, storm prediction, forecasting
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Audience
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Teachers | Elementary Grades | Junior High
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Created On
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5/20/2007
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Copyright
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Photo courtesy of NOAA, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-8).
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From: Monster Storms Mission 4: The Hunt (pp: 82,83) |
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What's a Storm to Do? In this challenge, you will analyze satellite images of potential storms and then predict whether they will become monster storms. You will also write a proposal to NOAA for building a machine that can influence the development and behavior of these storms. |
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Recall that your mission is to predict a hurricane’s track and intensity by studying its source of energy, its formation, and its decay. Now that you have been fully briefed, it’s time to make some observations using the  same tools Jason Dunion uses to predict a hurricane’s track and intensity. These tools include satellites, planes, and surface weather stations to determine whether a monster storm will form, where it will go, and what it will do. Using Jason’s data and that of other scientists, NOAA helps cities and citizens prepare for these storms each year. Now that you know how storms form, what influences their strength, and how to interpret satellite images of storms, it’s time to see what you can do! In this challenge, you will analyze satellite images of potential storms and then predict whether they will become monster storms. You will also write a proposal to NOAA for building a machine that can influence the development and behavior of these storms.
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| Field Preparation |
 Look at the satellite image on the right. How would you classify this storm (e.g., hurricane, tropical depression, tropical storm)?
- What are the surrounding conditions that will influence the growth or decay of this storm?
- Study the wind barbs in the image. In what direction is the storm moving?
- Given the data from the satellite image, do you think the storm will strengthen or weaken? Why?
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| Mission Challenge |
Using your knowledge of storm formation and what affects it, write a proposal to NOAA to obtain funding to build a machine that will either inhibit or enhance a storm’s properties. Keep in mind that, while we may view hurricanes as largely destructive to humans, hurricanes are important natural events in other ecological life cycles. Many ecosystems rely on the rain that these storms bring; some ecosystems need the strong winds to blow down old and dead trees; and even the storm surges are part of a process that rebuilds coastal wetlands. Hurricane Katrina pushed an estimated 144 million tons of new sediment into the wetlands of Louisiana that will help rebuild barrier islands in the future.
Your proposal to NOAA should have the following components:
- Brief overview (1–2 paragraphs) of what your machine will do.
- Detailed description of how your machine will work, including the following:
- How it will influence the storm (what mechanisms it will use: the Saharan Air Layer, wind shear, temperature inversions, etc.).
- When you will deploy it (early in the storm formation process, just before it hits land, etc.).
- Scientific evidence that the machine will work.
- The advantages of using your machine, including:
- How will people, plants, animals, and the land benefit from your machine? What other positive outcomes will occur?
- What things will your machine prevent from being destroyed? What new things will be created by your machine?
- The disadvantages of using your machine, including:
- How much rainfall different areas will receive.
- How it will affect ocean currents or ocean temperatures.
- Impact on animals and plants that live in the ocean.
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| Mission Debrief |
- Having studied the satellite images during your Lab Prep, explain how these images would be useful to forecasters.
- Why is understanding the formation of storms important to scientists?
- Considering that these storms have lots of clouds (and therefore lots of water), how do they affect the weather of the areas where they reach land?
- What might be the effect on the formation of hurricanes if ocean temperatures were to drop worldwide? What if ocean temperatures were to rise worldwide?
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Digital Lab
Log onto the Jason Mission Center and predict a hurricane’s track and intensity in the Storm Tracker Digital Lab. |
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Journal Question
Do you think that scientists should try to influence the formation, track, or intensity of hurricanes? Explain your answer. |
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