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WEATHER REPORT
Giant Ice Ball Different From Hail

illustration only
by Staff Writers
 Douglasdale, South Africa (UPI) Jul 10, 2006
 An ice ball that landed in Douglasdale, South Africa, might be one of the first "megacryometeors" recorded in Africa, the Johannesburg Star said Sunday. The ice ball, which landed on the pavement in suburban Douglasdale last week, was about the size of a microwave oven, the newspaper reported.

Professor Jesus Martinez-Frias of the Centro de Astrobiologica in Madrid told the newspaper that despite sharing many chemical characteristics with hail, ice balls are formed under clear-sky conditions.

He said that ice balls have been recorded since the 19th century.

Ice balls have the potential to damage people, buildings and cars, but no injuries were reported as a result of this one. The ball was initially believed to be a jettison of human waste from an airplane, but those reports were erroneous, the newspaper said.

Martinez-Frias told the newspaper the ice ball may be a warning of serious environmental problems.

Source: United Press International

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WEATHER REPORT
Device To Improve Weather Observations
 Wright-Patterson AFB OH (AFNS) Jul 04, 2006
 The 88th Operations Squadron's Weather Flight recently began using the new FMQ-19 automatic observation system to help them observe weather conditions at Wright-Patterson. This device gathers weather information from sensors at both ends of the base runways and presents it on a computer screen inside the weather flight office.






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