Dallas to Dexter: The Journey of a Weather Balloon

news image
Special Stories
22 Feb 2018 12:49 PM
How strong is the jet stream? Enough to take a standard National Weather Service upper-air observation balloon on a journey nearly a thousand miles! https://twitter.com/weatherdak/status/966741182532304896 Twice a day, every day NWS offices across the country launch radiosondes, or balloons with attached weather observing instruments. Scientists use the data collected as the balloon travels upwards in the atmosphere to build vertical profiles, which are essential to understanding the structure of weather systems. When collected at a large number of locations, upper-air observations help establish the initial conditions for computer models that forecast weather and climate conditions. On Thursday morning, the NWS office in Fort Worth, TX received word that one of their balloons got caught up in the powerful jet stream of the current storm system and traveled all the way to Dexter, MI. That's nearly 1,000 miles away! https://twitter.com/NWSFortWorth/status/966750854878564354 For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Karissa Klos.
All Weather News
More
Tropics Update: Activity to Watch in Both Basins

Tropics Update: Activity to Watch in Both Basins

November is underway, but hurricane season is

5 Nov 2026 8:30 PM
Friday: A Few Storms & Heavy Rain Target the East Coast

Friday: A Few Storms & Heavy Rain Target the East Coast

A slow moving cold front has been impacting m

5 Nov 2026 8:30 PM
Flash Flood Emergency For Parts of Georgia and Tennessee

Flash Flood Emergency For Parts of Georgia and Tennessee

Residences along the Ocoee (TN) and Toccoa (G

5 Nov 2026 1:50 PM
Torrential Downpours Batter the Sunshine State

Torrential Downpours Batter the Sunshine State

Florida has seen heavy rainfall and lots of f

5 Nov 2026 11:05 AM
Recapping the Significant Flooding in the Southwest

Recapping the Significant Flooding in the Southwest

The Southwest is getting active once again wi

2 Nov 2026 7:20 PM
Skiing Opens in the Rockies, Heavy Snow on the Way

Skiing Opens in the Rockies, Heavy Snow on the Way

Time to wax the skis and grab the winter gear

2 Nov 2026 7:10 PM
HALLOWEEN 2026: Is the weather a Trick or a Treat?

HALLOWEEN 2026: Is the weather a Trick or a Treat?

Hopefully the costume's picked out by now, th

31 Oct 2026 10:05 PM