Across the entire planet twice a day at midnight and noon (in Greenwich, England), weather meteorologists launch weather balloons to sample the global atmosphere. In our neck of the woods, the NWS WFO (National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office) in Reno, Nevada launches weather balloons and radiosondes (a small instrument package hung from balloon) at 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. Pacific daylight saving time and at 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. Pacific standard time. These flights are launched in all weather conditions including hurricanes and blizzards, high winds and temperatures over 100 degrees, 365 days a year including weekends and holidays. The only real exception or delay of a flight would be when convective activity, like a thunderstorm, is in proximity to the weather station.

There are exceptions made for balloon launchings, such as for research, rapidly changing weather conditions or when severe weather is expected in a region. For example, local scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla send balloons up when winter storm systems move into Southern California. On these occasions weather balloons may be released every three hours to (literally) stay on top of weather extremes; potential harm from flooding and crop damage can be prevented and people can be given time to get out of harm’s way.

Weather balloons reach heights of 20 miles above Earth – twice as high as planes typically fly. Every few seconds as winds carry the balloons up to 125 miles away, sensors collect and send critical temperature, humidity, wind and atmospheric pressure measurements that will be analyzed. Accurate weather forecasts beyond a few hours are almost impossible.

In 1783 the first observation balloon was launched to gather pre-flight wind readings to assist the first manned balloon flight by Frenchmen Jean-François de Rozier and the Marquis d’Aalandes. With French meteorologist Leon Teisserenc de Bort (1855-1913) they proved their worth and pioneered the use of the first weather balloons. With his acquired data, Teisserenc de Bort determined the existence of a lower level of the atmosphere – the troposphere or “sphere of change.” Deemed not too practical, kites with meteorological instruments recorded pressure, temperature and relative humidity on clockwork-driven chart recorders. Kites had several disadvantages: limitation of reached heights and weather conditions. However, Ben Franklin famously flew his kite during a lightening storm in order to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightning … and lived to tell the tale!           

Although slightly cooler temperatures are predicted for the weekend, by Tuesday heat accompanied by a monsoonal flow is in the works. With a potential for thunderstorms, don’t “go fly a kite!”