Front Range students play big role in weather reporting

From Fort Collins to Denver, students are getting involved in weather reporting through a couple of programs that generate results that help the National Weather Service and local television weather teams.

“Third graders at Sheapardson Elementary are part of the CSU Volunteer Precipitation Monitoring Network,” said Noah Newman, who takes the program to volunteers in Northern Colorado. “Each morning the kids check the container in their garden, and then they record those daily findings on line, along with thousands of others around the nation.”

The program was begun following the Spring Creek Flood of 1997, when residents of Fort Collins had little warning about the flood that would roar through the university town.

In Denver, students at Steck Elementary School are part of the Weather Bug reporting system, which also uses a roof-top weather station to record wind, temperatures and humidity.

The data also goes to the Pinpoint Weather team here at FOX31 Denver, so the team can better predict what kind of weather you will find block to block in the reporting area.

“We allow people with the Weather Bug app to find out what they will need to wear if traveling outside or to another neighborhood,” said Paige Dersham, 3rd grade teacher.

The youngsters get a chance to learn how weather affects our daily lives, and who knows; with a little luck maybe one or two will develop a love for giving the weather on the small screen!