radiosonde

ra·di·o·sonde  (rd--snd)

n.

An instrument carried aloft, chiefly by balloon, to gather and transmit meteorological data.

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[radio + French sonde, sounding line (from Old French, from Old English sund(rp), sounding (line), from sund, sea).]

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radiosonde

Noun

an airborne instrument to send meteorological information back to earth by radio [radio- + French sonde sounding line]

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radiosonde  (rd--snd)

An instrument that is carried into the atmosphere by a balloon, makes measurements of temperature, air pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction, and transmits the measurements back to the ground. A radiosonde is typically sent to altitudes of approximately 30 km (18.6 mi). There are approximately 70 radiosonde stations across the continental United States. Each station launches two radiosondes daily.