Book 6, Question 115
Why Is a Weather Buoy Left Alone in the Ocean?
A weather buoy is a floating robot weather station. It sits in the ocean for months, measuring wind, waves, temperature, and air pressure. Then it radios the numbers to satellites.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Moored weather buoys are called the weather sentinels of the sea.
- They measure wind speed, wave height, air pressure, air and water temperature and saltiness.
- NOAA's 200 moored buoys face strong currents, wind, waves, sea salt, hot sun and cold, and sometimes even vandals.
- Some buoys have round hulls up to 12 meters (39 feet) wide, and some are shaped like boats.
- A buoy in the deep ocean may be held in place by a long line of chain, nylon and floating rope.
- Crews sail out each year to fix buoys in the Pacific that help scientists predict El Nino.
Questions kids ask
What do weather buoys measure?
Wind, waves, air pressure, air and water temperature and saltiness.