2026 Explorer Series

Archival photo of the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab under construction

Inside NSF NCAR’s science, stories, and breakthroughs

Sat, Sep 19 2026, 2:30 - 4:30pm
NoBo Library, 4500 13th St, Boulder, CO 80304
Free Registration
The NSF NCAR C-130 aircraft taxis for takeoff

Flying laboratories: Behind the scenes of airborne science projects

Tue, Sep 29 2026, 7 - 8pm
Bambei Brewing, 100 Superior Plaza Way Ste 102, Superior, CO 80027
Visualization of output from a community weather model

Longmont Museum - Beyond the forecast: The expansive role of community weather models

Thu, Oct 1 2026, 7 - 8pm
Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Rd, Longmont, CO 80501
Free Registration
Image of our Sun as seen by the PUNCH mission satellites

The sparkling solar wind: Insight from the PUNCH Mission

Wed, Oct 7 2026, 6:30 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and Online
Alaskan mountains seen from the water

Cloud makers: How Alaska's seasons paint the sky

Wed, Sep 2 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Free Registration
River

From models to forecasts: Tools for better water operations

Sat, Aug 29 2026, 1 - 2:30pm
Loveland Museum, 503 N Lincoln Ave, Loveland, CO 80537
Satellite debris in Earth's orbit

Keeping space safe: Understanding the impacts of space weather on satellite orbits

Wed, Aug 26 2026, 7:30 - 9pm
Frasier Meadows, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO 80303
An aerial view of a wildfire spreading across forested hillside.

Science in the Spotlight: Forecasting wildfire behavior

Tue, Aug 25 2026, 11am - 12pm
Online
Event Recording
A sun blazing orange through smoke-covered skies, flanked by Colorado hills.

Science in the Spotlight: Air quality, smoke, and the health impacts of wildfire

Thu, Aug 13 2026, 3 - 4pm
Online
Event Recording
global currants

The Day After Tomorrow: Truth or fiction?

Wed, Jul 15 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Event Recording
Satellite image of a shadow over the Earth caused by an eclipse

When a shadow passes over Earth: What a solar eclipse in Antarctica teaches us about space

Sat, Jun 27 2026, 1 - 2:30pm
NoBo Library
Two mountain bikers stop on a road to look at the mountain vista

Preparing our National Parks for the impacts of extreme weather events

Wed, Jun 24 2026, 7:30 - 9pm
Frasier Meadows, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO 80303
The NSF NCAR C-130 research aircraft.

Solving air chemistry puzzles from the sky

Wed, Jun 17 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Event Recording
A fluxnet tower with weather instruments in an evergreen forest.

fluxART: Experiencing Earth system science through art

Wed, May 27 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Event recording
Onlookers view a total solar eclipse

Gathered in Darkness Documentary

Thu, Apr 23 2026, 7 - 8pm
Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Rd, Longmont, CO 80501
A schematic showing a cloud being inputted as data that then turns out a weather model

Learning from machine learning for improved Earth system understanding

Tue, Apr 14 2026, 3 - 4pm
Virtual
Event Recording
Three images - a storm over a crop field, a turtle and a plow moving snow.

Integrating expertise: Predicting hazardous weather through convergence science and artificial intelligence

Wed, Apr 8 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Event Recording
NCAR Mesa Lab with the Flatirons in the background

Inside NSF NCAR’s Science, Stories, and Breakthroughs

Sat, Mar 28 2026, 1 - 3pm
Loveland Museum, 503 N Lincoln Ave, Loveland, CO 80537
Earth from space

Applications of artificial intelligence in Earth system science

Fri, Mar 27 2026, 11am - 12pm
Online
Event Recording
Satellite debris in Earth's orbit

Keeping space safe: Understanding the impacts of space weather on satellite orbits

Wed, Mar 11 2026, 7 - 8:30pm
NSF NCAR Mesa Lab and online
Event Recording
Traffic on a snowy road

Weather on the move - Understanding weather hazards for cars, trucks, and drones

Tue, Feb 17 2026, 7 - 8pm
Bambei Brewing, 100 Superior Plaza Way, Suite 102, Superior, CO 80027