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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 8, No. 8 June 27, 1945

Met. Office Reveals — Its Mysteries

Met. Office Reveals

Its Mysteries

The Maths and Physics Society recently visited the Meteorological Office on Kelburn heights, in an endeavour to ascertain the causes of the prevailing clemency of the weather. They came away more than impressed with the complicated apparatus used to predict climatic vagaries, and with the profound knowledge displayed by the Air Force personnel in charge.

They were first ushered into a large hut around which were scattered hundreds of sheets of graph papers on which were the most magnificent curves. The fundamental basis of these curves lay in the many reports received from the Pacific Islands. They were then shown transmitters, which are attached to balloons sent high into the upper atmosphere. When the balloon bursts, the set parachutes down into the sea. These sets looked rather peculiar, not at all like the ones at home.

After a talk on cloud formation the enthusiasts were led through a door labelled "forecasts." While another talk about weather maps was in progress. It was gathered from the numerous telephone conversation a going on amount the sides, that the cold, bleak southerly would not continue. Some maths, a glance at micro-baragraphs, and the party returned to the large hut.

The Squadron-Leader then gave some information on wave forms in the atmosphere; this facilitates long-range forcasting. He wrote the most obscure equations on the board, but apparently failed to baffle the Maths III students present. E. & O.E. these airforce people have got some equations that can really tell what the weather is going to do. As the visit concluded members vowed that the Chem. and Biological Societies could never stage a show as fine as this.