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Article for: The Davis Enterprise
Date: September 19, 2003
Author: Tom Wickersham
Contact: Tom Wickersham

HERE'S A PREDICTION: WEATHER ACTIVITIES TOMORROW

The forecast for Davis tomorrow is sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. Should be a great day to explore weather at Explorit.

How do scientists forecast the weather? What are some of the tools they use?

Members of the National Weather Service will be at Explorit tomorrow to tell visitors just how they are able to predict tomorrow's forecast. Their program "Weather Watch" is a mixture of demonstrations and hands-on activities.

Thanks to underwriting from Davis Waste Removal, tomorrow's program is free with paid admission to the current exhibition, "Count on It: Numbers in Nature." There will be a one-hour program beginning at noon and it will be repeated again at 2 p.m.

Weather-wise the national attention is on hurricane Isabel, which is currently pounding the Eastern Coast near North Carolina and Virginia. The hurricane is expected to travel inland and pass through western New York and then downgrade to a tropical depression in Canada.

Predicting the path of a hurricane or the temperature in the mountains is in fact a very scientific process. Data is collected, past outcomes are analyzed and a prediction is made.

Visitors at Explorit's "Weather Watch" program will have a chance to see and learn about weather measuring instruments, participate in weather experiments and even try a hand at the Wheel o' Weather.

Members of the National Weather Service from Sacramento will provide these activities and demonstrations. These are the folks responsible for the weather warning and forecast services for all of interior Northern California.

The "Weather Watch" program is great for families. It might be a great excuse to get in out of the weather.

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To help meet the demand for more access to Explorit's hands-on activities, and to help make their hours more easily remembered, Explorit has expanded the Sunday hours. Now, each weekend, Explorit is open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekday hours remain Tuesday through Friday 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Additionally, Explorit has announced that they've extended the current exhibition "Count on It: Numbers in Nature" one day. This popular hands-on exhibition will continue through Sept. 28, a day later than the previously announced end of Sept. 27.

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Explorit Science Center is at 3141 5th Street in East Davis. The current exhibition is "Count on It: Numbers in Nature," which continues through Sept. 28. Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.explorit.org or call Explorit at (530) 756-0191.