Weather Lab: O’Malley Elementary students learn about satellites and sundogs

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - From anemometers to thermometers, the third graders at O’Malley Elementary School in Anchorage are learning about the tools meteorologists use to predict the weather.

During this week’s Weather Lab, CBS 5′s Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey showed these students how weather satellites help meteorologists forecast the weather. Weather satellites have only been around for about 50 years, but we couldn’t forecast the weather, with the accuracy we do, without them.

The first successful weather satellite was launched by NASA in 1960, giving forecasters the first continuous views of Earth from space. And since then, hundreds of satellites have been launched, which now give us up to the minute updates on what’s happening around the globe. But sometimes it’s the views right here on earth that are still out of this world, like when we see rainbows and sundogs.

In this week’s Weather Lab question of the week, Melissa answers the question, “What causes sundogs?” Watch the video above for the answer.

If you’re a teacher and would like to schedule a virtual or in-person weather presentation for your class, click here.

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