What do weather balloons measure and how are they launched?
Temperature, humidity, and air pressure. They also can calculate wind speed and direction. They are launched at 14 different locations in Alaska, including Nome. The Nome office launches one weather balloon daily. The launch takes about 2 hours for the balloon to ascend all the way up into the upper atmosphere. In the box that is tied to the balloon are the sensors to collect the data, a transmitter that will transmit the data back to a receiver in the local office. The balloon goes up to 55,000 feet before it bursts. The balloon is biodegradable. The transmitters fall to the ground. They are not actively retrieved, but if someone finds them, they can be returned to the office. They are then sent to a facility that recycles the parts to make new transmitters.
