Weather Beltloop and Pin - Weather Spotter Classes Sat, March 20 and Wed, March 24th

The Weather Belt Loop and Pin are one of the interesting achievements that our Cubs can earn.  Our visit to Ron Rhodes has already helped up to complete part of this requirement.  The Weather Spotter Classes will help fulfill several more points of achievement.  These classes are interesting and fun and best of all free.  As you know with us living in Tornado Alley, it's best to be prepared.  A great way for our Scouts to help the community is  by being an Official Skywarn Weather Spotter for the National Weather Service.

Tiger Requirement - Go outside and watch the weather

Wolf - Elective - Some of this is covered in the class.

1. FAMILY ALERT
   
   1. Talk with your family about what you will do in an emergency.
   2. In case of a bad storm or flood, know where you can get safe food and water in your home. Tell how to purify water. Show one way. Know where and how to shut off water, electricity, gas, or oil.
   3. Make a list of your first aid supplies, or make a first aid kit. Know where the first aid things are kept.

Bear - Elective - WEATHER  

1. Learn how to read an outdoor thermometer. Put one outdoors and read it at the same time every day for two weeks. Keep a record of each day's temperature and a description of the weather each day (fair skies, rain, fog, snow, etc.).
2. Build a weather vane. Record wind direction every day at the same hour for two weeks. Keep a record of the weather for each day.
3. Make a rain gauge.
4. Find out what a barometer is and how it works. Tell your den about it. Tell what 'relative humidity' means.
5. Learn to identify three different kinds of clouds. Estimate their heights.
6. Watch the weather forecast on TV every day for two weeks. Describe three different symbols used on weather maps. Keep a record of how many times the weather forecast is correct.

I have been a Skywarn Spotter for over 10 years and have been to the class several times.  You do not have to be re-certified to maintain your status.  I also have several books and field guides about weather.  If you would like to borrow them, just let me know.

Rural King also has a simple Weather Station for 4.99.  This is a rain gauge, thermometer, wind and wind chill meter.  We will be putting this out Saturday, so that Austin can start recording his readings next week.

We will also be attending the Wednesday Weather Spotter Classes.  If anyone would like to go along with us, just let us know.

Weather Spotter Classes 

Evansville: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20 and Wed, March 24, 6pm – 9pm Evansville Central Library, 200 NW Martin Luther King Blvd. Contact: Terry Brooks at (812) 401-9632. (map) 

Area residents will have multiple opportunities to receive free Skywarn weather spotter training from the National Weather Service during March. “The National Weather Service relies on trained volunteers to supplement Doppler radar information on severe storms and tornadoes,” according to the agency. “Weather reports from trained spotters are used along with doppler radar data to issue warnings of tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods,” the weather service said. Classes run two to three hours long. All course materials are furnished, and a certificate of completion will be provided at the end of class.

Cub Scouts Weather Academics Pin and Belt Loop

Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts may complete requirements in a family, den, pack, school, or community environment. Tiger Cubs must work with their parents or adult partners. Parents and partners do not earn loops or pins.

Requirements for the Weather Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Make a poster that shows and explains the water cycle.
2. Set up a simple weather station to record rainfall, temperature, air pressure, or evaporation for one week.
3. Watch the weather forecast on a local television station.

Requirements for the Weather Pin

Earn the Weather belt loop, and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Define the following terms: weather, humidity, precipitation, temperature, and wind.
2. Explain how clouds are made. Describe the different kinds of clouds-stratus, cumulus, cumulonimbus, and cirrus-and what kind of weather can be associated with these cloud types.
3. Describe the climate in your state. Compare its climate with that in another state.
4. Describe a potentially dangerous weather condition in your community. Discuss safety precautions and procedures for dealing with this condition.
5. Define what is meant by acid rain. Explain the greenhouse effect.
6. Talk to a meteorologist about his or her job. Learn about careers in meteorology.
7. Make a weather map of your state or country, using several weather symbols.
8. Explain the differences between tornadoes and hurricanes.
9. Make a simple weather vane. Make a list of other weather instruments and describe what they do.
10. Explain how weather can affect agriculture and the growing of food.
11. Make a report to your den or family on a book about weather.
12. Explain how rainbows are formed and then draw and color a rainbow.

Weather Online Resources

1. Weather.com
2. Weather Wiz Kids
3. Mount Washington Observatory
4. NASA Earth Observatory
5. Weather.com
6. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
7. International Research Institute for Climate Prediction - IRI

Weather Worksheet