Assistant professor Baker Perry observes weather events at the Poga Mountain monitoring station.

Snowfall prediction researchers prepare to launch a weather balloon.

A student assists with inflating of a weather balloon.

A student holds the weather balloon radiosonde.

The following text transcript corresponds to the audio from the multimedia presentation found on the snowfall prediction research profile page.

Narrator: Northwest North Carolina is known for its varied terrain that ranges from 6,000-foot-mountain peaks to tranquil valleys. But, the geographic diversity that draws visitors to the region also makes it hard to predict the weather.

Narrator: Researchers from Appalachian State University, UNC Asheville and NC State University collaborate on a project to improve snowfall predictions in the higher elevations by improving the weather data available to meteorologists. They have created a weather monitoring station complete with vertically pointing radar to measure the intensity and fall speed of precipitation at different levels of the atmosphere. There also is laser-equipped instrumentation that measures particle size and speed, and a gauge that measures liquid of solid precipitation. But some of the most important data comes from weather balloons released into the atmosphere.

Narrator: Assistant professor Baker Perry:

Baker Perry: This is part of a larger project to really get some research quality observations during snow events out here, particularly these northwest flow events.

Narrator: Perry lives atop Pogey Mountain in Avery County where the weather monitoring station is located.

Narrator: A series of weather balloons released during snow storms collect temperatures, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction at different atmospheric levels. Snow depth and the snow water equivalent are measured at the site.

Narrator: UNCA professor Doug Miller analyzes data collected during the balloon launch:

Doug Miller: We are going to work together to launch a weather balloon. This is not fooling around this is actual data we are going to collect and post

Doug Miller: This is the payload. The little bead at the top is a temperature sensor, In addition to that we have two antenna in here. The blue one here is the UHF antenna. It sends most of the metrological information like temperature, moisture and pressure. And then the tall part of the sonde is the GPS.

Narrator: When the balloon is released, it can travel as high as 60,000 feet. Weather service offices in Virginia and South Carolina use the data transmitted from the balloons to adjust their forecasts.

Narrator: Data collected at the Avery County site and information gathered by weather watching volunteers across the region are creating more accurate computer models related to snowfall predictions.

Baker Perry: If we can improve the forecast process and the guidance and ultimately improve forecasting for these snow events that will give skiers more head's up of when the prime conditions are going to be and give the DOT more advanced warning to clear the roads and to really allow people to enjoy prime conditions. And that's the thing, particularly these northwest snow events historically they have been very hard to forecast and a lot of times have been under forecast considerably.

Narrator: The research project is supported by a special grant from the UNC General Administration.