NASA’s IMPACTS Campaign Seeks to Decode East Coast Winter Storms

The video discusses the challenges of predicting snowstorms, which can vary greatly in impact. It highlights the difficulty in measuring snowstorms from space and the uncertainty they create. The video introduces NASA's IMPACTS campaign, which aims to improve snowstorm forecasting by studying snow bands and using various data collection methods, including Doppler radar, weather balloons, and aircraft. The study seeks to enhance understanding of snowstorm mechanics and improve satellite data interpretation, ultimately refining weather forecast models.

What makes snowstorms particularly challenging to measure and predict?

• They occur only in remote areas.

• They have consistent snowfall across all regions.

• They can have varying snowfall totals in nearby areas.

• They are easy to track from space.

What are snow bands, and why are they significant?

• They are regions with consistent weather patterns.

• They are narrow regions with intense snowfall.

• They are wide regions with light snowfall.

• They are areas with no snowfall.

What is the primary goal of NASA's IMPACTS campaign?

• To predict the exact time of snowstorms.

• To study the mechanics of East Coast snowstorms and improve forecasting models.

• To eliminate snowstorms completely.

• To measure the temperature of snow.

Which tool is used from the ground to track snowfall distribution and intensity?

• Thermometers

• Weather balloons

• Satellites

• Doppler radar

How does NASA's ER-2 aircraft contribute to the IMPACTS campaign?

• By measuring ocean temperatures.

• By monitoring the snowstorm using satellite instruments.

• By predicting the end of the snowstorm.

• By flying below the snowstorm.