Student Activity
Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure
PLAN!T NOW’s Young Meteorologist Program
Introduction
The winter of 2013 was particularly severe at times in the central and eastern
parts of the United States. Indeed, some of the winter storms were so large as
to affect states as far west as California and as far east as Ohio. How does an
individual person, a household, a community or a state prepare for such a
storm? How can one survive in a severe winter storm? What does that storm
look like? How does it appear from space? How does it develop? Where does it
go next?
Begin this lesson with Owlie Skywarn as he journey’s through a Severe
Weather Preparedness Adventure in PLAN!T NOW’s Young Meteorologist
Program. Learn about five types of severe weather, characteristics of each, and
how to prepare for and survive in each. Then you are invited to explore winter
storms from ground and space, do further research and share your knowledge.
In the following Student Activity pages, you will find these helps to guide you
through the adventure:
Young Meteorologist Program – a tutorial guide to starting and
completing the Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure on-line game
Broadcast News Video Report – a tutorial guide to viewing and
extracting useful information from an ABC World News report video.
Winter Storm – February 21, 2013 – an outline map of the United
States on which you can record storm information from various sources
Using the GOES Server – a tutorial guide for obtain recent satellite
images from NOAA’s geostationary weather satellites
Interpreting Weather Satellite Imagery – a tutorial guide for using
ImageJ software to display, analyze, and interpret weather satellite
images
GOES 13 – February 21, 2013 – 1715Z – a single page with three GOES
images from a significant time in this winter storm
Your Turn – a list of follow up activities with which you will do further
research and report to your class by doing activities of your choosing
Young Meteorologist Lesson Answer Sheet – to be completed by you as
you make important notes at suggested points during the completion of
the above listed tutorials
At all times, follow your teacher’s directions. Good hunting! Get started now!
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Student Activity
Young Meteorologist Program
A Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure
Follow Owlie Skywarn on a Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure as he
works with experts to learn about hurricanes, thunderstorms and lightning,
floods and flash floods, tornados, and winter storms, how to prepare for them
and how to survive in them. Following the adventure you will have an
opportunity for further research and to develop your own project to share your
information with others.
 Ensure your computer is Internet enabled, the sound is on, and the volume set to an
appropriate level.
 Point your browser to http://www.youngmeteorologist.org
 Click the Play Game button
to meet the characters and start the
adventure.
 After meeting the characters, click Start
to enter the game.
 At the Table of Contents screen, follow your teacher’s directions.
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 To pause at any time during the game, click the Pause button
corner of the game window. To continue, click Play .
 To stop the game at any time, click PLAN!T NOW
in the lower left
.
 Refer to your teacher’s directions to complete those portions of the Severe Weather
Preparedness Adventure assigned today.
 You may be asked to print a checklist during the adventure. Follow your teacher’s
directions for obtaining printed copies.
 When finished for today, close your browser.
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Student Activity
Broadcast News Video Report
Viewing and Analyzing the Broadcast News Report
This ABC World News video report with Diane Sawyer and Sam Champion is
posted on online for freely accessible viewing.
 Ensure your computer in Internet enabled and the sound is turn on with the volume
set to an appropriate level.
 Launch your browser.
 Point your browser to this location:
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/winter-blast-impact-states-america-18551743
 The video clip starts automatically. Watch the video, about 2½ minutes.
 When finished, play it again, but this time click the Pause button
when needed to
make notes by answering these questions on your Answer sheet and marking your
map.
1. How many states were affected by this storm?
2. List and describe at least three different negative things that happened as a result of this
storm.
3. How much snow fell from this storm in Denver, Colorado before Thursday, February 21?
How much snow was expected to fall in Kansas City by the end of the day on Thursday?
Obtain an outline map of North America that also outlines each U.S. state.
 From the video, locate and mark the following areas on the map:




The area of low pressure.
The area where thunderstorms and possibly tornados are forming.
The area where most of the ice is forming on the ground.
The area where most of the freezing rain and snow is falling.
 When finished with the map, close your browser. Have your teacher check your map.
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Winter Storm - February 21, 2013
Name ________________________________________ Date _________________ Class____________
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Student Activity
Using the GOES Server
Obtaining Geostationary Weather Satellite Imagery
Your research may create a need to obtain and use recent images from a
geostationary weather satellite. There are two GOES satellites in operational
orbit above the Earth. While each is in orbit over the equator, one is positioned
to view the eastern United States and the hurricane formation area of the North
Atlantic Ocean, and the other is positioned to view the western United States
and the East Pacific Ocean. Imagery is processed and archived for free retrieval
for about three weeks. Except for occasional maintenance periods or radio
reception problems, a fresh image is archived every 30 minutes.
 Ensure your computer in Internet enabled.
 Launch your browser. Point your browser to http://www.goes.noaa.gov
 At the top of the page, find and click the link Imagery at a Glance.
From the array of thumbnail images on the screen, it should be apparent that
the best view for monitoring weather in the central and eastern United States is
East CONUS (which means “eastern continental United States”).
 Scroll down the link panel on the left. Under Special Image Sets, click GOES East
Archive. The GOES East Image Search page is displayed.
To view an image you will highlight a selection in each of the five search
parameter dialogues then click Submit Choice. If the image is available it will be
displayed. For example, suppose you want to find an image showing the central
United States about midday on Thursday, February 21. Suppose also that
today is Saturday, February 23. You would make the following selections:
 What Sector? Highlight GOES EAST CONUS for the central and eastern continental
United States.
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 What Day? Select THURSDAY.
 What Week? A week is defined as Sunday through Saturday for the purposes of this
search page. Since the day of interest is within the same calendar week as the day of
the search, highlight THIS WEEK.
GOES images are scanned in three wavelength bands: INFRARED (indicating
temperature), VISIBLE (like a black and white photograph), and WATER
VAPOR (a different infra-red channel showing water vapor concentration). Here
are samples of each shown for comparison.
Infra-Red
Visible
Water Vapor
 What Channel? Select INFRARED.
The time is given in universal coordinated time (UTC) also called Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT). This is the time at the Prime Meridian or 0˚ longitude. To
convert UTC to your local time, simply determine the number of time zone
changes between you and the Prime Meridian. Then subtract that number from
UTC time if your location is west of 0˚ longitude or add it to UTC time if your
location is east of the Prime Meridian. Reverse the process to convert from your
local time to UTC. The following chart may be helpful in finding the conversion
number for your U.S. time zone.
Current U.S. Time Zone
EDT
EST, CDT
CST, MDT
MST, PDT
PST
Convert to UTC
Local time + 4 hours
Local time + 5 hours
Local time + 6 hours
Local time + 7 hours
Local time + 8 hours
Convert to Local Time
UTC - 4 hours
UTC - 5 hours
UTC - 6 hours
UTC - 7 hours
UTC - 8 hours
UTC is also expressed in 24-hour format with four digits. The first two digits
indicate the hour and the second two indicate minutes of the hour. Morning
hours from midnight to noon are expressed with numbers less than 1200.
Noon is 1200h and is usually pronounced, “twelve hundred hours.” The “h” at
the end indicates this number represents time. Afternoon and evening hours
from noon to midnight are expressed with numbers between 1200 and 2400.
However, 0000h is midnight not 2400h. One minute earlier, 11:59 PM, is
2359h. For afternoon hours, simply add 12 to the hour on the clock, and drop
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Student Activity
the colon (:). For example, 7:30 PM is in the evening so add 12 and delete the
colon resulting in 1930h. UTC is followed by a “Z” instead of “h” to indicate it is
the time at the Prime Meridian. The phonetic alphabet name for this letter is
“Zulu.”
To convert 6:45 PM Pacific Standard Time to UTC, add 12 and delete the colon
to get 1845h. Then subtract 8 to change to UTC and replace the h with Z.
6:45 PM PST = 1045Z (“ten forty-five zulu”)
To convert 1615Z to local time in St. Louis, Missouri (Central Standard Time),
first subtract 6 to get 1015h. Since this number is less than 1200 (noon), it is a
morning hour. There is no need to subtract 1200. Simply add the colon and
AM indicating it is before noon.
1615Z = 10:15 AM CST
 What Time? Scroll and highlight 1615Z.
 Click Submit Choice
. The infra-red image should be displayed. If the image for
that type and time is not available, try an hour or two before or after the original
selection.
 Note the header and footer bars on the displayed image.
From left to right, the footer indicates the image is made available by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. The wave band of
the image is next: infrared, visible, or water vapor. This is followed by NOAA’s
web address.
From left to right, the header information at the top of the image gives the date
and time the image was scanned by the remote sensor on the GOES satellite:
(month, day of the month, year) and UTC time of the image.
For this exercise, you are provided infra-red images. Truly, however, a
comparison of infra-red, visible, and water vapor imagery, all three, is needed
to accurately define the weather conditions.
 Follow the directions on the screen for PC Users or MAC Users to save the image to
your local hard drive. Save the image in the folder indicated by your teacher.
 Click the browser’s Back button to return to the GOES Image Search page.
 If another image is needed, make your selection and click Submit Choice.
 When
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simply
close
your
browser.
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Student Activity
Interpreting Weather Satellite Imagery
Using ImageJ for Analysis
Once the satellite image files are available, the next step is to display them in a
meaningful way and utilize software tools to help enhance and manipulate the
images for greater understanding of the story they can tell. ImageJ is a high
quality image processing and analysis program. It was originally developed at
the National Institute of Health (NIH) for analysis of medical imaging. It is
written in Java so it operates on nearly all computer platforms and operating
systems. NIH continues to develop and update the program. Since it is in the
public domain ImageJ can be installed on any computer at school or home
without cost. Learning to use ImageJ is not difficult. Using some of ImageJ’s
tools, you will observe, analyze and interpret the image frames in
GOES13-IR.avi
 Ensure your computer has the current version of ImageJ installed.
 Launch ImageJ. Click File > Open. Navigate to the folder containing GOES13-IR.avi,
select it and click Open. The AVI Reader dialogue opens. Accept the default settings
and click OK.
Straight Line tool
Magnifying Glass tool
Scrolling tool
Status
Bar
An image stack opens is a new window.
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Note the information bar at the top of the image window.
 1/112 indicates that frame 1 of 112 frames in this image stack is currently showing in the




window.
(0.11 s) indicates the time elapsed since the start of the first frame of the image stack
animation in this file.
640x480 pixels is the image size, 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels high.
RGB indicates this is an RGB (red, green, blue) image. That means, it’s in color.
131MB is the size of the image file if saved as an uncompressed image stack. This is not the size
of the GOES13-IR.avi file.
 Move the cursor around the image.
Note how the numbers in the ImageJ status bar change.
 x=122, y=84 show which pixel the cursor is over. The upper left corner is (0,0) or x=0 and


y=0. The lower right corner is (640,480) or x=640 and y=480.
z=0 indicates the first frame in the image stack is currently displayed.
value=184,184,184 gives the brightness values of the red, green, and blue, respectively, in
that pixel. The numbers vary from 0-255, higher numbers are brighter. A pixel value = 0,0,0 is
black (no light or brightness at all). A pixel value = 255,255,255 is white (maximum light or
brightness for each of the primary colors). The image header and footer are in color, but the rest
of the image is composed of 256 shades of gray where the brightness value for any one of the
three primary colors will always be identical to the other two.
 Press \ on the keyboard to start the animation. Watch the entire image stack
animation (less than 13 seconds long) several times. Note the formation and
movement of clouds from different directions and areas. Note the shapes of the
clouds. Stop the animation by clicking once anywhere in the image window.
 Click the right arrow at the lower right corner of the image window (right end of the
scroll bar) to advance the image stack display by one frame. Click the left arrow on the
other of the scroll bar to reverse one frame. You can also press the > key to advance
one frame; press < to go reverse one frame. Find the frame with the date February 21,
2013 at 1715Z.
 To zoom in, click the Magnifying Glass tool
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button and then click the image once. To
More Lessons from the Sky, 2013, Satellite Educators Association
Student Activity
return to a smaller size, click the Magnifying Glass tool button then right-click the
image. Zoom in to 150% or 200% of the original image size.
 Click the Scrolling tool
then click and drag the image in the image window so the
storm appears centered in the window.
 Using the cloud chart provided by your teacher, identify as many of the cloud types as
you can find in the storm area, especially those that are related to thunderstorms,
cold fronts, and tornadoes.
4. List and describe at least three types of clouds you found in the satellite images associated
with this storm.
Now you will measure the extent of the storm clouds as seen in the image
dated 2-21-2013 at 1715Z. First you will need a known reference distance.
 Open your browser in a new window and point it to this URL to find the width of
Kansas: http://www.dimensionsinfo.com/what-is-the-size-of-kansas/. From the information
on the page note the width of Kansas expressed in kilometers and miles. Close your
browser.
5. What is the width of Kansas in kilometers? In miles?
 In the ImageJ menu bar, click Analyze > Clear Results to empty the measurement
buffer of any previous data.
 Click Analyze > Set Measurements… In the Set Measurements dialogue, check only Area,
leave all others unchecked. Click OK.
 Click the Straight Line tool
. Place the cross-hair cursor on the southwestern most
corner of the outline of Kansas. Click and drag the cursor along the southern border
of the state to the southeastern most corner and release.
 Click Analyze > Set Scale… In the Set Scale dialogue, highlight the contents of the
Known distance field and change it to 417. Similarly change the contents of the Unit
of length field to mile. Check Global to apply this relationship to all 112 frames in the
image stack. Click OK.
Now you will measure the size of the storm itself.
 With the Straight Line tool
button still depressed, click on a west edge of the storm
system, drag the cursor to the east edge of the storm and release the mouse button.
Click Analyze > Measure.
 Using the same action, measure the distance from the south edge to the north edge
of the storm. Click Analyze > Measure.
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Student Activity
When you click Analyze > Measure, the Results window is displayed. The first
measurement listed should represent the east-west width of the storm and the
second the north-south width.
6. Is this a big storm? What is its greatest width in miles? How many states does it affect?
7. Remembering that the GOES satellite looks straight down toward the center of the Earth
through the equator, explain why the same distance on the ground appears to be a shorter
distance on the image the farther north of the equator you look?
 Click on the image away from the measurement line to delete the line. Click the
Scrolling tool. Close the Results window. Clear the measurement buffer.
 Start the animation again and let it run for several cycles. Watch northern Illinois.
Stop the animation at an appropriate point then step frame by frame forward or
reverse to find the date and time when thunderstorms are clearly forming near
Chicago.
8. On what date and at what time are there multiple thunderstorms in the greater Chicago
area?
 Run the animation again to identify where the clouds from this storm are headed
next.
9. Should a winter storm watch or warning be issued for other states? If so, which one(s)?
10. Devise a plan using ImageJ to determine approximately how fast the storm is moving from
state to state across the landscape. Write the steps of the procedure on your answer sheet.
 Using the animated stack as needed for information, draw an outline of the storm
system on your map of the United States. Be sure to include the following:




An outline of the storm perimeter
The shapes and relative sizes of significant cloud patterns
Labels for identifiable cloud types
Outline and label landforms affecting the storm characteristics
11. How well does the broadcast news report agree with the satellite images of the real clouds
of the same winter storm? How are they alike? How are they different?
 Stop the animation. Close the image window. Close any other ImageJ operational
windows, then exit ImageJ.
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Student Activity
GOES-13 – Thursday, February 21, 2013 – 1715Z
Visible
Infra-Red
Water Vapor
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Your Turn
Follow your teacher’s directions to choose one or more of these activities, but only after
completing the Severe Weather Preparedness Adventure game and studying winter storms
from ground and space. Many suggestions and resources are available through the PLAN!T
NOW Young Meteorologist Program web site to help you complete the following activities.
Please visit:
http://www.youngmeteorologist.org/?page_id=18
Write a personal story about your own experience in a severe winter storm. Share the story
with your class. Or…
Write a story about someone else’s experiences surviving in a severe winter storm. Share
the story with your class. Or…
Write a newspaper article about the snow and ice conditions affecting the lives of people
living in a particular city or town. Share your news report with your class. Or…
Write a letter to a friend sharing survival tips and advice for survival in a severe winter storm.
Share your letter with your class.
Build a model of a severe winter storm front such as the February 21, 2013 storm in
Missouri. Use available materials such as poster board, cotton balls, water colors paints or
colored markers. Be prepared to tell your class about the storm, its parts, how they moved
and interacted, how conditions on the ground were affected. Explain how your model can be
used to predict the weather.
Build at least three simple devices for monitoring weather conditions. Use the devices for at
least a week to record conditions in your area shortly after sunrise, near midday, and near
sunset each day. For each instrument, make a graph showing how the measurements
changed during the week. Compare your record of weather using your home-built
instruments to satellite images from the GOES server and daily reports of the weather
published on-line or in your local newspaper. How well do your measurement records agree
with the published sources of weather information? How are they alike? How are they
different? What would you change if you were to do this experiment again? Share this
information with your class.
Using PowerPoint or other audio visualization program materials, create a presentation
about how to prepare for and survive in severe winter storm conditions. Be sure to include
an illustration of storm characteristics, storm related cloud patterns, and changing conditions
on the ground to justify each of your stated survival tips. Share the presentation with your
class.
Devise a plan to investigate how satellite remote sensors work with wavelengths of
electromagnetic radiation reflected from the Earth's surface features and atmospheric
components to produce visible, infrared, and water vapor images on your computer monitor.
Model the steps in the overall process following a wavelength of light from the sun to the
Earth to the sensor, to Earth receiving stations and final image processing. Decide how best
to share this information with your class. With your teacher's approval, carry out the project.
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Student Activity
Young Meteorologist Lesson
Answer Sheet
1.
How many states were affected by this storm?
2.
List and describe at least three different negative things that happened as a result
of this storm.
3.
How much snow fell from this storm in Denver, Colorado before Thursday,
February 21? How much snow was expected to fall in Kansas City by the end of
the day on Thursday?
4.
List and describe at least three types of clouds you found in the satellite images
associated with this storm.
5.
What is the width of Kansas in kilometers? In miles?
6.
Is this a big storm? What is its greatest width in miles? How many states does it
affect?
7.
Remembering that the GOES satellite looks straight down toward the center of the
Earth through the equator, explain why the same distance on the ground appears
to be a shorter distance on the image the farther north of the equator you look?
8.
On what date and at what time are there multiple thunderstorms in the greater
Chicago area?
9.
Should a winter storm watch or warning be issued for other states? If so, which
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Name ________________________________________ Date _________________ Class____________
one(s)?
10. Devise a plan using ImageJ to determine approximately how fast the storm is
moving from state to state across the landscape. Write the steps of the procedure
here.
11. How well does the broadcast news report agree with the satellite images of the real
clouds of the same winter storm? How are they alike? How are they different?
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