How do weather balloons work and what data do they provide?

Weather balloons play a crucial role in meteorology by providing us with valuable data about the atmosphere. They are essentially large, helium-filled balloons that carry instruments into the sky to measure various atmospheric properties such as temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed. They typically ascend to an altitude of around 30 kilometers, which is above 99% of the Earth's atmosphere.

As the balloon ascends, it expands due to decreasing air pressure, eventually reaching a point where it bursts and falls back to the ground. The instruments that were attached to the balloon during ascent are carried back to the ground by a parachute, where they can be retrieved and the data can be analyzed.

The data collected by weather balloons is used in a variety of ways, including forecasting weather patterns, tracking hurricanes and other severe weather events, and studying climate change. The data is also used to make aviation safer by providing pilots with accurate information about the weather conditions they'll be flying in.