news-record.com

Next time Oak Ridge residents want to know about the weather, they can find the answer at Oak Ridge Military Academy.

Oak Ridge Military Academy recently installed "WeatherBug," which allows cadets, parents, faculty and staff to track conditions from the academy's Web site, www.oakridgemilitary.com or http://weather.weatherbug.com.

The system was donated by an academy alumnus and installed Oct. 28, said MaryKate Holden, biology and life science teacher at Oak Ridge Military Academy.

"It's a great tool because this is a boarding school, and parents will always know what the weather is like here and can plan their visits accordingly," Holden said.

The system will also help the academy make accurate transportation and closing decisions in the event of inclement weather.

In addition to live weather conditions, such as temperature, wind direction, speed, gusts, relative humidity, heat index and wind chill, the system displays the seven-day forecast.

In the classroom, the system will enhance the learning experience in many subjects, including math and social studies.

Because WeatherBug is used in more than 2,000 schools across the country, Holden said the students can share data with other students.

"If we're trying to investigate conditions in Wyoming, for example, to examine the feasibility of building a power plant, we can download data sets to help us determine what kind of power plant we should consider and where it should be located," Holden said.

"It works with My World Geographic Information System, which enhances our environmental science curriculum," Holden added.

Contact Adria Hairston at 883-4422, Ext. 244, or adria.hairston@news-record.com