How can we forecast the wind?
Join us in the Chatroom on Friday 10/24 from 9 AM to 10 AM CST and 1 PM to 2 PM CST!
A stiff headwind tried to blow us back upriver all day long. It was a strong fight to gain much ground with the wind in our faces for much of the day.
We haven't ever experienced stiff wind on the Amazon River before. We've only ever traveled during the rainy season (February through August), when the wind doesn't blow except in rain storms.
We've asked several local people, and they all agree that the wind happens nearly every day during the dry season (September through January).
We then asked if there was a way to predict if the day would be windy. We heard something very interesting. Our friend, Josuito, told us that if the stars are twinkling the night before, the next day would be windy. If the stars are not twinkling, the day would be calm.
We need you to design a way for us to test Josuito's theory about the stars predicting the wind. Also, send us your thoughts about how to chart or graph the data.
What is your favorite part of the Trans-Amazon Expedition?
Comments
you could try to build a anemometer to see how hard the wind is.
Posted by: Alexandria Brown | October 22, 2008 8:26 PM
St. Louis Missouri gets their water from the Mississippi River. We also get our water from the Missouri River. I hope this helps you. Also, now that I am thinking of water I should start saving more of it.
Posted by: stann4-mma | October 22, 2008 9:29 PM
We suggest two different solutions to the dilemma!
1. Rotate your crew during the night and chart the stars at different times.
2. Set up a video camera to watch the stars.
Posted by: S.P.O.L. - 7th | October 23, 2008 10:42 AM
We think you should keep track of the stars and wind for a week. Then you could write down the results or each of you could be in charge of one day.
Posted by: Mrs. Palmer's class | October 23, 2008 11:10 AM
Our class thinks that you could rotate your team during the night to watch the stars.
Use a table or bar graph and chart the stars.
You could also set up a video camera.
Posted by: S.P.O.L - 6th | October 23, 2008 11:28 AM
You could look at the stars and maybe if the stars are very shiny, this means that it will be more windy. For graphing it you could get a thin peice of bark or if you have paper,and some berries or if you have a pin and make a comparing graph of each night it was windy
Posted by: Brooke | October 23, 2008 12:07 PM
If you have a computer on board, look it up on the internet!
Posted by: Mark | October 23, 2008 12:15 PM
My class thinks you should observe the stars at different intervals during the night for about one week. You should record your observations and then compare them to the wind speeds the next day.
Posted by: Mrs. Klappauf's Class | October 23, 2008 3:02 PM
You could do a bar graph or a line graph to graph the wind. For testing Josuito's theory by looking at the stars at night and if they're twinkly see if it is windy the next day. You could use a windsock to measure which direction the wind is blowing.
Posted by: Newfane | October 27, 2008 8:23 AM