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Brainstorm- ITCZ
11/01/2002
Listen in RealAudio 
Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook, and it's time to revive a Weather
Notebook tradition - the Brainstorm. In case you are new to the Brainstorm, it's like a
puzzler about weather. We ask you a tricky question about something in the
atmosphere, and you call or write in with the correct answer. If we use your answer on
the air, we'll send you a magic mug.
Okay - ready?
Today's Brainstorm is about the ITCZ. You have probably heard your local
meteorologist mention this acronym sometime in a forecast. We want to know: what is
it, where is it, and what's the weather like there? Now, if I told you what ITCZ stands for,
that would give away a lot of the answer, so it's part of your mission to find out.
I can tell you this: the ITCZ is very important in its part of the world. In fact, it contributes
to the weather over a significant part of the planet. Its location is dictated by the sun, the
differences between the land and water masses on earth, and the moisture in the air,
or lack thereof.
Here's a little literary hint: the title of a short story by Flannery O'Connor not only
contains a word from the acronym, it also might help you solve the weather
puzzle.
If you think you know what the ITCZ is all about, let us know. You can e-mail us atquestions@weathernotebook.org,
or call 888-RAIN-001. That's 888-RAIN-001. If you need to ponder the question further,
just go to today's program at our website: www.weathernotebook.org.
The Weather Notebook is produced by the Mount Washington Observatory with funding
from The National Science Foundation and Subaru, The Beauty of All-Wheel Drive.
Thanks today to our executive engineer, Sean Doucette.
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