St. Bridget students learn about weather

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Adrien McCabe and Liam McDonnell helped show how differences in air pressure are affected by temperature. Submitted photo
• Dave Dahl at St. Bridget's

Claire Wolf helps meteorologist Dave Dahl show students the power of lightning using static electricity.

Talk about it

Long-time KSTP-TV meteorologist Dave Dahl visited St. Bridget Parish School today (Tuesday, Jan. 19), to talk with students about the weather. But this wasn't your standard weather conversation about the changes of temperature and precipitation. Dahl brought along some props to help illustrate basic weather concepts to the K-3 group of students.

Using a glass jar and a balloon, Dahl picked students from the group to participate in a demonstration on how changes in temperature affect air pressure. Unable to fit inside the jar, students got the balloon to enter once the air inside the jar was heated. Dahl explained that differences in air pressure drive weather systems.

Dahl also created a tornado in a jar and talked to students about precautions to take at the approach of severe weather. Through a short video presentation, students were able to see how a tornado develops, and, with the help of a static electricity generator, saw how lightning can charge the surrounding air before a strike. In both cases, Dahl explained that the best shelter was indoors, and, in the case of a tornado, in the center of the lowest level of the structure.

Tags: st bridget parish school, river falls, education, k12, weather, school