Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Wash.  More than 4,000 people of all ages attended the interactive weather and science fair open to the public.

NSSL’s booth featured “tornado in a bottle” demonstrations and looping videos about NSSL research.  Children were anxious to help pack an emergency backpack loaded with items such as a NOAA Weather Radio, cell phone, whistle, medicine, snacks and more.  They also identified where the safest place in a house would be in the event of a tornado warning.  Handouts available included “Careers in Meteorology,” instructions on how to make a tornado in a bottle at home, coloring pages, a word search, and an information sheet on NSSL research.

The booth was also part of a scavenger hunt where participants had to visit us to get the question, “What is the difference between a severe weather watch and a severe weather warning?” answered.

WeatherFest is an interactive outreach event designed to instill a love for math and science in children of all ages, and inspire young people to consider a career in the fields of science and engineering.