Predicting Weather

Meteorologist• A person who studies the weather.

• They make weather maps from information gathered using various weather instruments.

• Doppler Radar

• Weather balloons

• Computers

• Satellites

Technology Used

Thermometer Measures air temperature

Barometer Measures air pressure

Anemometer Measures wind speed

• Surface Observations• Normally at Airports• Made by people• Made by machines

• ASOS• Automated• Surface• Observing• System

Analyzing the WeatherAnalyzing the Weather

Collecting Data

• Doppler Radar

• Weather Balloons

• Satellites

• Measures direction and speed of moving objects

• Ex. Precipitation• Can see long distances• Great detail• Very sensitive

• Can detect birds, bats, bugs, pollen in the air and leaves rustling on nearby trees.

Doppler RadarDoppler Radar

• Contains equipment to measure conditions

• Records humidity, temperature, pressure

• Launched twice a day

• At least 120 sites around the country

• 900 Around the world

Weather BalloonsWeather Balloons

Satellites• Dozens around the world• Keep watch over Earth

– Some are stationary– Some rotate

• Measure– Clouds– Pollution– Storms– Ocean Currents– Snow Cover– Ice Cover

Weather Maps• With all of this data meteorologists make

weather maps

• There are six basic types of weather maps:– Satellite

– Radar

– Precipitation

– Temperature

– Wind speed

– Front

What do we use these maps for?

Satellite Maps

Cloud Cover Height Thickness Movement

Allow us to track storms

What do we use these maps for?

Radar Maps

Precipitation Light rain – blue Medium rain –

Green Heavy rain – Red Winter mix – Pink Snow - White

What do we use these maps for?

Temperature Maps

Temperature Displays

temperatures on map

Uses color to show temperatures Blue = Cold Green = 40 – 80 Yellow = Over

80

What do we use these maps for?

Precipitation Maps

Precipitation More detailed

than radar maps Provides type of

precipitation and amount

What do we use these maps for?

Wind Speed Maps

Wind Speed Numbers

represent gusts Colors represent

speeds Isobars (defined

later) explain wind speed in greater detail

What do we use these maps for?

Front Maps

High and Low Pressure Areas High Pressure –

Sunny Low Pressure –

Rainy Warm Fronts Cold Fronts Stationary Fronts Occluded Fronts

Symbols• Isobars

– Lines of equal pressure. The closer together two isobars are the stronger the winds.

• Isotherms– Lines representing equal

temperature.• None on radar or satellite

maps usually • In the attached photo, the

red bars are isobars and the yellow are isotherms

Isobars

Fronts on a weather mapWarm occluded

• Cold

Stationary

The symbols point in the directiondirection that the front is moving towards

Pressure symbols:

Map Symbols

• Weather information can be represented on a weather map using symbols:– Air pressure

– High and low pressure

– Wind direction

– Wind Speed

– Fronts

– Various precipitation

– Temperature