Weatherfest, Severe Weather Symposium return to UNL April 16

School of Natural Resources file photo

Milda Vaitkus, project manager in UNL's School of Natural Resources, runs the "Where's the Weather" booth during the 2014 Weatherfest. The 16th annual Weatherfest will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium will run from 1 to 4 p.m. April 16 at Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege St.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 16th annual Weatherfest will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium will be from 1 to 4 p.m. April 16 at Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege St.

Participants at the free event, part of the Nebraska Science Festival April 15-23, will explore the science of weather and look at how weather touches everyone.

Weatherfest will feature hands-on weather-related experiments; weather- and science-related exhibits; a weather balloon launch; summer weather camp updates; Nebraska Task Force search-and-rescue dog demonstrations; emergency management and storm chase vehicles; and the “Maps and More” store in the Hardin Hall lobby, which will have weather-related items for sale.

It also will give participants a chance to try their skills at being a weathercaster with the “green screen experience.” Weathercasters from Lincoln and Hastings television stations will be on hand to meet people and provide photo opportunities.

The Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium will be in the Hardin Hall auditorium. Dave Pearson, of the National Weather Service in Omaha, will talk about why southeast Nebraska experienced flooding in May 2015, and James Davidsaver, director of Lancaster County Emergency Management, will analyze how the extreme weather event was handled by Emergency Management agencies.

The severe weather symposium will include a Lancaster County storm-spotter training workshop at 2:15 p.m. in the auditorium. The workshop will be open to the public so people can learn more about how severe weather forms in Nebraska.

Hardin Hall is about two miles from Memorial Stadium, where the Huskers will play their spring game that afternoon. Husker fans are welcome to join the festivities on East Campus before the game and make it a two-event Saturday.

Food trucks will be parked in front of Hardin Hall throughout the day. Parking for the event is free.

For more information, click here or here, or contact Ken Dewey, Weatherfest organizer, at 402-472-2908 or kdewey1@unl.edu.