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Gilbert Lodge   Since 2004

                 Gilbert Lodge Blog
         The life and times of Mark and Paula Persons

January 30, 2010:  Mark was especially interested in visiting the National Weather Service office in Duluth, MN.  The agency is also known as NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Much of the facility consists of computer monitors showing current information on atmospheric conditions.  This is vital for predicting weather.

Paula was interested in Radiosonde weather gathering instruments that are pulled aloft by balloons.  The are sent up twice each day and collect information on temperature, wind speed, and wind direction.  The data is radioed back to the weather center.

If you should come across one of these instruments, there are instructions for mailing it back so it can be reused in the future.  Details  

More of the weather center were weather reports are disseminated to VHF transmitters, known as NOAA Radio, around the state and the nation for the public to receive.

Quote of the day:  Good friendly people at the National Weather Service.  Mark