Engr. Muhammad H. Essa, Research Engineer from the Civil Engineering Department (KFUPM), organized a study trip for the CE-331 (Engineering Hydrology) students to the Presidency of Meteorology & Environment, Dammam, on 20 December 2006. The visit objectives were to introduce to the students monitoring of a climate, detection of climate changes and development of a climate database. Development of climate applications such as warning systems for extreme events as well as their impacts on health and socio-economic development were also explained to the students.
The KFUPM team was warmly welcomed by the staff at the station. After a short introduction about the importance of alerting the community to the causes and potential effects of climate change, the team was taken to the balloon launching area. The balloon is used in the measurement and evaluation of mostly upper atmospheric conditions. Information is gathered during the vertical ascent of the balloon through the atmosphere once it has reached a predetermined maximum altitude. Helium, which is less dense than air, is used to inflate the balloon. The balloon expands as it rises, usually reaching an altitude of at least 90,000ft (27,400m) before it bursts. Later, rain-making techniques in terms of design, operation, monitoring and evaluation were introduced to the students. This includes using computers to study cloud formations and help the rain-making operations achieve the goals. The role of weather modification, or rain-making, is an important component in water resource management. Weather conditions, topographical conditions, wind direction and velocity as well as the location or delimitation of the area for seeding are very important in the planning stage.
The students expressed that this visit made their CE-331 course a living experience and significantly enhanced the understanding of several subject topics. The Civil Engineering Department is thankful to the staff of the Dammam Presidency of Meteorology & Environment for their assistance.