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Planetary weather systems obey the same physical laws as Earth weather systems. By investigating the weather on our own planet, scientists can make predictions about stormy weather on other planets.
In the Mohave Desert, Dr Wes Ward of the US Geological Survey uses powerful fans to create miniature Martian dust storms and investigate their effect on astronauts and their equipment. NASA scientists are also investigating the conditions needed to create dust storms on Mars by using sand and fine red dust in a low-pressure wind tunnel.
In desert valleys, Dr Steve Metzger of the University of Nevada drives truck-mounted instruments through dust devils. He's exploring the role of these whirling spirals of dust in whipping up dust storms on Earth and on Mars.
Professor Tim Dowling and his team of planetary meteorologists at the University of Louisville are building a theoretical model (EPIC) that can predict the weather on all the planets in the solar system.
Professor Peter Rhines and his team at the University of Washington in Seattle use coloured dyes in a rotating tank of water to model Jupiter's atmosphere. They're investigating the conditions needed to create the planet's swirling cloud bands and its Great Red Spot.
NASA's Dr Rosaly Lopes investigates active volcanoes on Earth in an attempt to discover how volcanoes on other planets and moons might influence their weather.
Earth weather forecasting
Accurate weather forecasts depend on good weather data and on how far ahead forecasters try to predict.
Meteorologists feed data about wind, temperature, pressure and humidity into computer simulations which model the ever-changing patterns of the Earth's weather. Such models allow them to gain a better understanding of how weather works and help weather forecasters to make better predictions.
The models use the latest data to predict conditions a few minutes into the future. These predictions are then used to predict conditions a bit further into the future, and so on, until a long-range forecast is established. Clearly, a small error in the first prediction could soon turn into a big error. But frequent input of real weather data helps the model keep track of actual conditions.
In the United States, the 24-hour weather forecast is accurate about 85% of the time. Short-term forecasts use regionally gathered weather data, but long-range forecasts must use global weather data to be of any practical use.
Warning
As the following comparison of conditions in our solar system shows, some planets are cauldrons of unpredictable weather while others are completely inert. Make sure you know which is which before you blast off.
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