Is there an orginization for kids (12yrs old) who love weather?

Question

My 12 year old son loves weather. I believe he knows more about weather than some weather reporters on tv. He buys books on weather. He watches the weather channel while most kids are watching cartoons. This has been going on since he was 8 years old. I thought it would pass but he just gets more into it. It there an organization he can join like a junior NOAA (tryed this one, doesn't exist ) or something. His goal is to be a storm chaser.

Answer 1

Hey! You know NASA has some great programs for kids about that age and they even have a summer camp at the Kennedy Space Center. This is a blast for little future-scientists like your son....check it out. My brother went and I was always sorry I didn't go....

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/educatorsParents/camp.asp

Answer 2

You may as well throw him in the deep end! If he's gonna be a a chaser, he'll wind up at www.stormtrack.org sooner or later. The root address has gobs of information and links, and the forums are haunted by some of the most knowledgeable weather weenies around. If he asks concise questions, he'll proably get some very useful answers.

Without knowing how much he knows, I'd suggest that before jumping into the forum big time, he should probably study some moderately advanced weather theory. Here are two offering that are, IMO, accessable (if not entirely digestable!) to a bright 12 year old.

A good severe weather primer is Tim Marshall's Storm Chase Manual, cheap at $15 from Tim's stormtrack.org online shop.

If the kid is hardcore, slip Tim Vasquez's Weather Forecasting Handbook under his pillow. (Link below). It starts out with basic definitions and smoothly progresses to college level theory. He'll probably complain about an 'exploding brain' after about 4 chapters, but will learn a lot before hitting the wall. As with any deep book, the more you read, the more you understand. With a bit of devotion and side study, your kid will no doubt wind up absorbing the whole book within a year or two.

Answer 3

NOAA does have a weather site for kids, but it is for grades K-5. There are also numerous web sites out there that are geared toward weather for kids.

example: eo.ucar.edu/webweather (i did a quick search using weather for kids)

But if your son has been into weather for so long, he probably knows more than what you might find at these sites. My husband who is also a weather freak just took a free class put on by NOAA. There were people of all ages there. The class is to teach you enough about weather so you can be a weather spotter for them. Your son is sure to get much out of this class. My husband learned stuff and he knew a lot before he went.

Good Luck. And it is great to hear from a Parent who has a kid interested in something different. Take him to the class.

I also love the idea of contacting a local station. You never know they may love the idea of a 12 yr old intern.

Answer 4

They definitely exist. Try calling your local National Weather Service office (in the government pages) or even an FAA Flight Service Station (They are used to speaking with the public, so as long as you ask them if they have a few minutes, and be extremely polite, before you lay into them they will generally be more than helpful).

As silly as it sounds, try your local TV weather anchorperson. It would be great PR for them and it might get your son a chance to go tour the local weather stations and see how its all done.

Answer 5

I think it's wonderful that your son is so interested in weather. It is such a fascinating subject. There are places on the Internet that he can check out.

He might enjoy "Weather Wiz Kids":

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/

Answer 6

go to:
www.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc.ca/skywatchers/index_e.html