Living in Central Texas and experiencing all four seasons in one week means that weather is on everyone’s mind. Learn more about it at the 3rd annual Weatherfest at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. On Saturday, March 8, 10 am to 3 pm, The Bullock Museum and Time Warner Cable News Austin are hosting a day of science and fun for the whole family. All WeatherFest activities are FREE, except for the IMAX screenings listed below.

Witness some of the world’s most dramatic natural events; meet local meteorologists and learn about their experiences in the field; test your ability to predict and survive severe weather with storm spotter training; and see storm-chaser vehicles at close range. There will be special film screenings and the whole museum will feature weather related events including hands-on art and science projects.

Schedule and Events

Texas Spirit Theater

• 10 am -> NOAA Basic SKYWARN Storm Spotter training workshop
  Skywarn is a national volunteer program and this workshop is for anyone who wants to learn about how storms form and move in Central Texas. Learn how to safely identify and accurately report severe weather threats so that watches and warnings can be issued ahead of the threat. 
• 12:30 pm -> Screening of “Wild Texas Weather”
  Feel the wrath of Mother Nature at the Bullock Texas State History Museum’s 4D film Wild Texas Weather. A gale-force, immersive theater presentation, this movie is packed so tight with energy, audiences will be blown away.
• 1 pm -> Ask a Meteorologist Panel:
  Burton Fitzsimmons – Time Warner Cable News Austin
  Jim Spencer – KXAN
  Troy Kimmel – KOKE/UT
• 2 pm -> Free Screening of “Twister!” followed by tornado Q&A.
  This 27-minute film recreates the events of the 1970 F-5 tornado that hit Lubbock, Texas. Produced by the Federal Defense Civil Preparedness Agency, it also includes interview with Lubbock residents and footage of the actual tornado destruction.

Grand Lobby

Learn more about how weather impacts the lives of all Texans with presentations by event sponsors Time Warner Cable News Austin and the Bullock Museum along with a variety of local and statewide organizations. Participating organizations include:

• Austin Fire Department
• City of Austin Watershed Protection Department
• Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network (CoCoRaHS)
• Local meteorologists from Time Warner Cable News, KEYE, and KXAN
• Lower Colorado River Authority
• NOAA/National Weather Service
• SouthCentral Texas AMS/NWA Chapter
• Texas Division of Emergency Management
• Texas Floodplain Managers Association

2nd Floor Lobby

Want to know how a tornado forms, what is so important about the water cycle, or how the weather has changed Texas history? Learn about these topics and much more with activities especially for families with children ages 4 and up provided by Girlstart, Central Texas Discover Engineering, and the Bullock Museum.

IMAX Theatre

IMAX screenings of movies related to Texas weather: Hurricane Alley and Tornado Alley 3D – ticket prices apply.

Lone Star Plaza

• Learn more about storm chasing and get up close to the vehicles that make it possible. Climb aboard the University of Oklahoma’s Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching (SMART) radar truck and see what a storm looks like from the inside out with a hands-on tour.
• Watch Austin Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team demonstrate how they save lives during flash floods and check out their rescue boat.
• Learn how to measure a flood’s impact and see a model of one in action at the U.S. Geological Survey’s exhibit and check out their rescue boat.

 

– Ava

Ava Love Hanna is a writer, performer, and mother of a super awesome 5-year-old. She loves exploring Austin’s best kid-friendly places with her husband and son. Read about her adventures in writing, parenting, and being obsessed with Doctor Who at avalovehanna.com.