This title is suitable for ages 9 to 12 years. Imagine how proud any child would be advising parents to bring an umbrella because it's going to rain. Kids will be doing that and much more: Kids build their won weather equipment. Forget expensive store-bought kits. The learning happens when you make everything from scratch: from a psychrometer to a barometer, a hair hygrometer to a rooster wind vane. You can give a complete forecast. Kids record their observations in a Weather Log, use graphs and charts, and spot trends. Read the cloud and wind direction, and look to the sunset's glow to make more accurate predictions. Ask Mark, the meteorologist: What's the worst forecast you ever gave? How have computers changed forecasting? What do you like best about your job? Do you believe weather lore? Weather on the wild side: Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and floods - how they happen and how our predictions are becoming more accurate.
Mark Breen is the senior meteorologist at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, and for over 25 years he has been heard on Vermont Public Radio's an "Eye on the Sky" each weekday morning. Along with weather forecasting, his work at the Museum involves teaching weather and science, as well as serving as the Planetarium Director in Vermont's only public planetarium. You can also hear Mark in the afternoons on VPR, with the astronomy program "Eye on the Night Sky", at 4:30.
This year, Mark's popular kids book, "The Kid's Book of Weather Forecasting", was awarded the 2010 Louis J. Battan Author's Award from the American Meteorological Society, "for a kid-friendly, wonderfully illustrated, and comprehensive book of hands-on ways for helping young students observe and understand weather".
Originally from Dannemora, NY, Mark has lived in Vermont since attending Lyndon State College, where he graduated in 1982 with a B.S. in meteorology. He has been featured in a number of magazines, including Vermont Life, where he contributes to the Vermont Life Weather Calendar, and has occasionally appeared on Vermont Public Television.
If he's not looking at the clouds or stars, you might find him on his rowing machine dreaming of the water, out in the garden, or hauling in wood from the barn. He is an avid hunter, enjoying great times with his dad. He is also quite at home on the farm, and in the past has raised most of his food. He's also been known to perform on stage, either as an actor, or as a singer-songwriter. Mr. Breen makes his home in St. Johnsbury with his wife Sandi, and children, Sean, Meghan, and Rose.
