Name/Number: ________________________________
Date: ______________
Weather Study Guide (Answer Key)
Part A: Weather Terms/Vocabulary
Temperature: the measure of the amount of heat energy in the atmosphere
Air Pressure: weight of the air pushing down on us and everything around us
Front: boundary between air masses of different temperature & humidity
Meteorologist: a scientist who predicts weather patterns by gathering and
studying data and watching different types of clouds
Part B: Weather Instruments
Anemometer
Measures wind speed
Rain Gauge
Thermometer
Measures precipitation
Measures temperature
of air
Barometer
Measures air pressure
Part C: Weather Map Symbols
High Pressure
Cold Front
 blue
 blue
Warm Front
Low Pressure
 red
 red
Part D: Cloud Descriptions and Associated Weather
Cloud Type
Cirrus
Stratus
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus
Picture
Description
Feathery and
fibrous clouds.
Weather
Fair weather,
Snow, rain within
several hours
Smooth, gray
clouds that cover
the whole sky
blocking out
direct sunlight.
Fluffy and white
with flat bottoms
Steady or light
drizzle, snow or
rain
Have a flat
bottom rising up
into an anvil
shaped top.
Storms, rain,
thunder,
lightning
Fair weather,
bright sunny
days
Part E: Formation of Precipitation
 Sleet is made of pieces of ice that fall to the ground. It forms when it
begins to rain in high warmer layers of air. It falls through cold layers
of air and freezes as it falls to the ground.
 Hail is really a lump of ice. It is made when strong winds blow rain
higher into a cloud. It freezes when rain reaches the colder heights. It
collects more water on the way down. The winds push it up again
and it freezes again. It keeps getting bigger until the wind cannot
push it up again.
 Snow is form from drops of water vapor. The drops collect around ice
and form crystals. These join other crystals. In order for snow to form
all layers of the atmosphere must be at temperatures below 32
degrees for snow to form.
Part F: Weather Fronts, Air Masses, and Air Pressure
Weather fronts are formed when two air masses meet.
Air masses are described by their temperature and moisture/humidity.
Warm air masses usually form near the equator.
Cold air masses usually form near the poles.
Fair, Sunny weather is associated with high pressure.
Rainy or Snowy weather is associated with low pressure.
Part G: Weather Conditions for Thunderstorms, Hurricanes, and Tornadoes
Thunderstorms
heavy rains
Hurricanes
winds swirl around an
eye
strong winds
lightning and thunder
several hundred miles
across
forms along a cold front develops over warm
or hot and humid
ocean water and lasts
places
many days
also called cyclone or
typhoon
Tornados
winds up to 300 mph
also called twister or
cyclone
usually occurs in midwestern US
several hundred yards
across
usually lasts less than
an hour
winds over 70 mph
rotating funnel cloud
makes huge waves
cumulonimbus clouds
Your Weather TEST will be on:
_______________________________________________________