Summary of Students Day 2012

First Ever Students Day Held
at NWS Peachtree City

The first ever Students Day was held at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City on Saturday, October 27, 2012. The day was a huge success with over 300 students and families attending this event! Stations were set up around the office that were geared towards different aspects of meteorology and disaster preparedness including ready kits, lightning, tornado formation and safety, clouds, aviation, amateur radio operations, meteorology tools, NOAA Weather Radio and upper air observations. Visitors could stop at each station during their self-guided tour. One of the favorite activities was the large-scale tornado simulator - kids loved to stick their hand into the "tornado" and break the circulation! Another highlight of the day was the opportunity for visitors to watch the 18Z (2 PM EDT) special balloon release (these specials were requested all across the country due to Hurricane Sandy). In addition to visiting the National Weather Service, students and families were also able to visit with the Peachtree City Fire Department and view the solar halo via the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project. A huge thanks to all of our partners that participated in this event and to all of the students and families that stopped by!

[ Students learn about clouds and high and low pressure. ]

Laura Belanger, Meteorologist,
demonstrates the cloud in the
bottle experiment.

The Peachtree City Fire Department
was at Students Day.

Dan Darbe, Senior Meteorologist, discusses
lightning during Students Day.

Dan Darbe, Senior Meteorologist,
teaches students about the different
types of satellite images that are used
to monitor the weather.

[ A Key Step in Disaster Preparedness is Having a Ready Kit. ]

April, Student Volunteer,
teaches students about
the importance of a
Ready Kit.

Through the Charlie Bates Solar
Astronomy Project visitors were
able to see the solar halo.
Photo Courtesy of Stephen Ramsden.