Weather
Denver's Weather Balloon Remains Grounded Due To A Global Shortage Of Helium
It's been nearly one month since weather balloons have been launched from Denver's Central Park.
It's been nearly one month since weather balloons have been launched from Denver's Central Park. The balloons quit flying in early July due to a worldwide shortage of helium. Denver is just one of about 100 sites in the United States that release a weather balloon twice a day. Balloons have been launched from the former Stapleton Airport twice a day since 1956.
The data collected from a weather balloon comes from an instrument pack called a radiosonde. Once released the balloon flies to the lower part of the stratosphere measuring things like temperature, moisture, wind speed and direction. After reaching an altitude as high as 100,000 feet or higher the balloon will pop and a parachute carries the radiosonde back to the ground.
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