Vantage Pros Help Young Weatherman Take Home Science Fair's Top Prize

Ah, springtime in California! Frank Kohl shows off his first place blue ribbon awarded at the Summerville Connections Academy annual science fair. Frank used two Vantage Pros to test his hypothesis about the rain shadow effect in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Thirteen-year-old Frank Kohl took the blue ribbon at the Summerville Connections Academy’s annual science fair this year for a project using the original Vantage Pro and the new Vantage Pro2. While the Connections Academy (a public school) is located in Sonora, California, the actual project took place in Twain Harte, which is about 4,500 feet above sea level.

The project was to investigate whether a rain shadow effect would apply to snow, particularly in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The rain shadow effect is when there is a larger amount of precipitation on the windward slope of a mountain than on the leeward side. Frank wanted to see if the same theory held true for snow.

As a part of his research, Frank not only measured snow levels but also recorded data from both weather stations. The original Vantage Pro was positioned on one side of the mountain and the Vantage Pro2 on the other. He was able to take advantage of the Vantage Pro2’s long-distance transmission capabilities.

While he failed to prove his hypothesis about a snow shadow effect, his extensive data collection from the weather stations and the snow measurements garnered him first place in the middle school competition.

Late Breaking News Flash: Frank was very recently summoned to the county awards ceremony, where he learned that his project took another First Place at the county level! Go Frank!

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