Australian schools and The Weather Channel smash world record

New South Wales: Schools across Australia and The Weather Channel smashed the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest interactive weather report as part of National Science Week during August, 2010.
To break the record, 502 schools measured the temperature in their playground at midday AEST on 18th Augut, 2010 and submitted the readings to The Weather Channel, via weatherchannel.com.au/bigreport, who broadcast the results as part of The Big Report at 6pm AEST that evening. 
The Weather Channel trounced the previous record held by the BBC, in the UK, who had 261 schools submit the temperature. 
“We’re absolutely over the moon that we’ve managed to beat the record and thrilled that so many schools participated,” says Dick Whitaker, Senior Meteorologist for The Weather Channel who travelled to Stanwell State School near Rockhampton in Queensland for the event.
“We’ve been amazed by the diversity of the schools who have signed up to participate. From home schools to special needs schools, foreign language schools to one-teacher schools, it’s literally been an aspect of National Science Week that every sort of school can, and has, participated in,” says Whitaker. 
“It’s been wonderful to be involved in a project where country kids, indigenous kids and inner city kids have all been united in one common goal.”
Schools from every corner of Australia participated in the world record attempt including Braeside Primary in Katanning, Western Australia; Araluen Christian College in Alice Springs; Tagai State College in the Torres Strait and Lindisfarne Primary in Tasmania.
Chris Sheedy, from Guinness World Records said, “I have seen hundreds of record being broken, but nothing thrills me more than one that involves thousands of children who not only experience the joy of taking part, but who also gain valuable knowledge along the way. The Weather Channel has done an incredible job in helping Australian kids smash the Poms out of the park.”