Welcome to a photo gallery of the first annual WeatherFest, part of the American Meteorological Society's 82nd Annual Meeting. WeatherFest was a special three-hour science and weather fair dedicated to teaching about the fascinating field of meteorology. Free of charge and open to the general public, WeatherFest had three parts: science presentations, hands-on experiments, and an exhibit hall with lots of resources. Here are some photos of what went on at the WeatherFest.

Andrew Smith, 7yrs old, Winter Park, FL

This simple twister in a bottle captured the attention of a visitor to the American Meteorological Society’s first WeatherFest.

Dennis Cain from the National Weather Service Southern Region, also known as “Professor Weather,” demonstrates the ups and downs of the atmosphere with a hairdryer and ping-pong ball during the AMS first WeatherFest. More than 500 visitors from the Orlando community stopped by the science fair and open house.

Do tornadoes really come in a bottle? Families at the AMS first WeatherFest enjoy demonstrations of making tornadoes in a bottle and other science experiments.

These kids were “cooking up a storm” at the AMS first WeatherFest in Orlando on Sunday, January 13. WeatherFest was part of the AMS 82nd Annual Meeting taking place at the Orange County Convention Center.

Visitors to the AMS first WeatherFest got a first hand look at how the atmosphere works with this parachute.