An interactive exhibit in the new Nature Research Center at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences gives guests an opportunity to learn about weather in a hands-on way. |
An interactive exhibit in the new Nature Research Center at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences gives guests an opportunity to learn about weather in a hands-on way.
“This is a chance to see science live. It’s real, it’s now, it’s current, it’s fun,” WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel said.
WRAL Storm Central at the museum uses the same weather maps that meteorologists consult in the WRAL Weather Center. In the exhibit, video clips of Fishel explain the maps and even help users track a hurricane.
“A lot of the stuff we look at every day is coming in here,” Fishel said.
Patrons will also have the opportunity to make their own weather forecast and compare it to the official WRAL Weather Center forecast.
WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel guides users through WRAL Storm Central in the Nature Research Center at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. |
“There’s a chance they’ll end up beating us,” Fishel joked.
The exhibit also has the ability to pull up the weather in different parts of the world on demand.
David Small, who designed the exhibit, said one of the goals was to explain the science behind what meteorologists do in a way that could be projected to the public.
“What I hope people would get out of this is that there’s a lot of science in predicting weather,” Small said.
There may be a lot of science involved in meteorology, but the exhibit will demonstrate that forecasting still requires a human touch.
NOTE: The Nature Research Center opens to the public on Friday, April 20, 2012 from 4pm, and the celebration continues for a straight 24 hours until 4pm on Sat, April 21st. Visit the Museum website for regular hours and events.
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Brian Shrader & WRAL.com’s Caitlin Zanga for this capcom story & these capcom photos.
