Bankhead National Forest hosts Department of Energy research facility
LAWRENCE CO., Ala. (WAFF) - Bankhead National Forest is now the home to an atmospheric radiation measurement facility for the next five years.
Officials with the National Forest and with the Department of Energy say this is such an important milestone for the forest and the Tennessee Valley.
A Department of Energy research facility is now based out of Bankhead National Forest. It’ll be there for the next five years to offer a new outlook for scientists on how weather and climate are fundamental to everyday life here in the Tennessee Valley.
“So you know understanding, better prediction, better understanding, better representation is important for people getting their weather forecast. It’s important for farmers,” Shaima Nasiri said. “It’s important for ranchers. It’s important for forestry and it’s important for our future.”
Atmospheric scientist with the Department of Energy Shaima Nasiri said this facility is important because North Alabama has a unique climate that they haven’t had the chance to truly study in depth yet.
The more data they collect, the more they understand what can cause changes in weather and climate, among other things.
“Of course, we get many severe weather events whether it be tornados or high rains or droughts,” District Ranger Andy Scott said. “So the more we can learn right here the more we can help, not just the national forest, but the entire north Alabama community to be able to both predict and respond to those kinds of events.”
It will also be a learning hub.
Students from UAH just visited today and they will be using the free data collected in their research on top of getting to see the equipment in action.
“Having access to this facility just a short drive from UAH and having access to and from all of the Tennessee Valley is critical for us to be able to understand the weather here and for us to be able to teach it and train future students,” Assistant Professor
They also just began construction on a tower that will allow them to collect data from above the trees at a different height.
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