"Everyone always complains about the weatherman, but no one ever does anything about him." - Dave Grant
Field Trip Forecast - if you have a field trip scheduled to Sandy Hook, it is imperative that you check our rain line 36 hours before your trip and the morning of your trip if there is any weather concern. This line is usually updated twice daily (at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.) if there is a weather concern the following day. You may leave a message on that line and we will contact you as soon as possible. Regardless of the forecast by various agencies and media, cancellations will be made only on the basis of our own Sandy Hook forecast and consultation with your school. (732) 224-2901 ext. 7246.
Remember, it is your responsibility to be aware of the forecast on the day of your trip and to contact us as soon as possible (no later than 24 hours in advance) if you have any weather concerns. Also be aware that if you cancel your trip without first consulting us we may not be able to offer you a refund.
A good place to check the weather forecast is "Dave's Forecast" on WNYW television's Fox 5 - Good Day New York, which is posted continuously beginning at 5:30 a.m. If you access to NOAA-Weather Radio, adjust your frequency. We find the most valuable information about local weather and sea conditions, including tides and water temperatures, is on station WXM-60 from southern Howell Township (162.45 MHZ). (You may need to adjust your Weather Radio frequency away from the N.Y. station.) Also check them at www.weather.gov/er/phi
Student's Field Trip Forecast - have your students visit the NOAA archived weather information page for Atlantic City so they can predict what they think the weather may be like for the day of your field trip to the Jersey Shore and how to dress appropriately for their trip.
Today's processed,
infrared and
water vapor
images.
Doppler radar
of New Jersey (Caution: note that even on
clear days you can expect to see false images of rain showers
from interference and reflections of land features, and even
forest fires)
Significant Environmental Events: World Watch for unusual
occurrences.
This Week's Weather - there are several sources for weather information about New Jersey and the nation. Encourage your students to check forecasts for this week in New Jersey at the National Weather Service's Graphical Weekly Outlook page. They can also check on severe weather around the country at the National Skywarn page. For severe storm warnings for New Jersey, visit the Current Warnings page of the National Weather Service. (Also, see NOAA weather radio tips above.)
The Weather Channel has several excellent maps to help you and your students to learn about today's weather, coastal winds, sea surface temperatures and more. Use the drop down menu on that page to find more information about the Northeast. You can study weather statistics for Sandy Hook (Highlands, NJ) by visiting the Weather Channel's weather archives for the year. Click on the month of your trip for more. Also visit the Weather Underground for detailed information and archived data.
Student Projects - check out these websites for weather and water conditions in the ocean off Sandy Hook and at the tip of Sandy Hook. Students can do some basic oceanographic research by comparing weather and water conditions in the bay and the ocean for short term or long term study. Differences in temperature, wind speed and salinity will be most pronounced in the spring and fall. Changes are especially dramatic when storms and fronts pass, and when we have had several days of precipitation.
A good source of weather data is the New York Times summary of weather which is published each year in early January. From it students can try to predict the temperature range, precipitation and humidity for their field trip date based on data from the previous year. Note: 100% relative humidity infers precipitation on that date.
*Note: If you have special-needs students or special requests (waivers, etc.), these must be stated with your field trip request form. Please do not contact us after the trip is scheduled to make additional requests. One person - the teacher, principal or secretary - should be the sole contact for the group. Please have parents make special requests through that that person. This will avoid confusion on the day of your trip.
Plant and Animal checklists for your students.