ES AREC will conduct weather balloon study to better forecast weather in area

Pictured: Makenzie Shifflett, VT ESAREC Assistant Farm Manager.

The Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (ESAREC) in Painter has been selected as one of four national test sites for a new weather balloon study conducted by Urban Sky, a Denver-based technology company. According to ESAREC Director Dr. Mark Reiter, the project began in December and will continue through early April.

As part of the study, ESAREC staff will launch specialized weather balloons twice each day. These launches are synchronized with flights at other sites across the country, allowing meteorologists to capture a clearer snapshot of national weather patterns at the same moment in time.

Each balloon carries a disposable weather-sensing package that transmits real-time data by radio. The device collects temperature, humidity, elevation, wind speed, GPS location, and other measurements every second during the ascent.

Dr. Reiter said the information gathered is expected to improve short-term and regional forecasting accuracy, supporting both agricultural planning and public weather awareness on the Eastern Shore. The study will conclude in April, when the Urban Sky team evaluates data from all participating test locations.