UNITED NATIONS: The UN weather agency has reminded major powers that balloons provide valuable input in real-time for weather forecasts and climate monitoring.

“Weather balloons have been a very important part of the global observing network for decades as they are the primary source of data above the ground,” the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Friday. “Weather balloon data are used by all forecasters worldwide.”

The statement followed recent reports about Canada and the United States shooting down several flying objects — including an alleged Chinese ‘spy balloon’ — inside their borders, though President Biden said that the three unmanned aerial objects shot down by the US military were “most likely tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions”. “Nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country,” Biden said in his first formal remarks on the shooting.

Commenting on the ‘spy balloon’ controversy, the UN weather agency said that “every day, free-rising latex balloons are released simultaneously from almost 900 locations worldwide and nearly 1,000 balloons gather daily observations that provide input in real-time.”

The valuable information gathered “contributes to computer forecast models, local data for meteorologists to make forecasts and predict storms, climate monitoring and data for research to better understand weather and climate processes,” the UN added.

According to the UN agency, the balloons measure pressure, wind velocity, temperature, and humidity from just above ground, to heights of up to 35km, sustaining temperatures as cold as -95°C , before bursting and falling back to Earth under a parachute. The balloons are “the primary source of above-ground data and more than two thirds of weather balloon stations make observations twice a day and another 100 and 200 report daily,” it added.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023