Who says mascots are just for sports?
Not the Japan Meteorological Agency (the Japanese equivalent to our NOAA). It actually has a mascot for weather!
How did I come to learn of this random fact, you ask? I discovered it in the summer of 2007 while researching the Honshu, Japan earthquake that rattled the island nation. And I've been a fan of "Harerun" ever since. (With it being made from sun, cloud, and rain, how could I not?)
Besides appealing to the inner kid (and weather nerd) in you, Harerun serves the important role of raising environmental awareness--especially for those in Japan and the Western Pacific.
If NOAA were to have a mascot, what do you think it'd look like? I'm personally in favor of every weather agency having one.
Image credit: JMA
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