Weather info helps track accidents, biological attacks

What would happen if terrorists released a biological attack on Iowa? A University of Northern Iowa professor says the answer is blowing in the wind. Alan Czarnetzki is the director of the Science center for Teaching, Outreach and Research on Meteorology, or “Storm.”He says they have computer models that can predict how pollutants will disperse based on wind patterns and the atmosphere. He says that information can be important to emergency officials. Czarnetzki says he’s gotten more calls about the models since September 11th. He says the National Weather Service has a great interest in learning more about the models to be prepared for any type of disaster.He says the models can also be used for accidents, as most of the spills in Iowa are anhydrous ammonia. Chlorine gas spills are also a problem nationwide.Czarnetzki says the computer models were developed by the E-P-A and the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration.