Unit 4 Lesson 5 Notes Answer
Key
Weather and Weather
Forecasting
Weather Forecasting
The analysis of scientific data to
predict future weather conditions
Lines on the map
Isobar – lines of equal pressure
Isotherm – lines of equal
temperature
Meteorology
The study of weather and Earth’s atmosphere
Eight Elements of Weather
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Air temperature
Humidity
Wind direction
Wind speed
Clouds
Precipitation
Atmospheric pressure
Visibility
Ground Stations
• Also called - automated surface station
• Collect data from the lower atmosphere
Radar
• Collects data by bouncing radio waves off
precipitation
• The stronger the signal the heavier the
precipitation
• The longer it takes the signal to return the
farther away the precipitation is.
Balloons and Aircraft
• Weather sensing instruments carried by
aircraft and balloons measure weather in the
upper atmosphere
Satellites
Orbiting weather satellites at high
altitudes provide data on water vapor,
cloud top temperatures and movement
of weather systems.
Station models
A set of meteorological symbols that
represent weather at a particular
observing station
Weather Station Model
If the air pressure on the station model is 500 or more, place a 9 in
front of this number then put a decimal point in front of the last
number.
Example: 588 = 958.8 millibars (mb)
If the air pressure on the station model is less than 500 place a 10
in front of this number then put a decimal point in front of the last
number.
Example: 091 = 1009.1 millibars (mb)
The acceptable range of pressures is 960mb
to 1040mb.
Station Model Practice
Draw a station model for the following weather data.
1.
Temperature: 18°C
999.8 mb
% Cloud cover – 100%
Wind direction – South
wind speed - 23 knots
Dew point - 18°C
2.
Temperature: 29°C
1001.1 mb
% Cloud cover – 10%
Wind direction – west
wind speed - 3-7 knots
Dew point 20°
Weather Maps – a
map that displays
pressure,
temperature, front
locations, etc.
Upper Air Charts – used
to analyze weather using
instruments in the upper
atmosphere like the
weather balloon.
Cold front - where cold air moves
under warm air
• Blue
• Triangles in a row
• In front of the cold front is heavy
rain, thunderstorms
• In the back of the front is cool, dry
weather
Warm front – where warm
air moves over cold air
• Red half circles
• In front of the front is rain
• Behind the front is warm,
humid weather
Stationary fronts – form
when cold and warm air
stop moving
• Not enough wind to move
the air masses
• Causes many days of
unchanging air
Weather advisory –
is issued when the
expected weather
conditions will not
be a serious hazard.
Weather watch –
when severe
weather conditions
are possible over a
large area
Weather warning – is
issued when weather
conditions that pose a
threat to life and
property are
happening or are
about to happen