Weather Forecasting Notes
Name:________________
1. Weather is defined as: ___________________________________________.
* These could be forecast (predicted) based on
____________________________________________________.
* The study of weather and the atmosphere is called _________________________.
2. __________________________________is primarily concerned with large-scale
weather systems. The forecast weather map is for a common ________________.
3. List up to eight (8) types of information typically included in a weather forecast:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
4. Horizontal movements of air near the surface are known as _______________. In
________________ pressure cells, air flows in and up, converging at the surface and
diverging aloft. In ___________________ pressure cells, air flows down and out,
converging aloft and diverging at the surface.
5. Warm air, tends to have less __________________________, and thus tends to
rise; while cool air tends to have greater __________________________, and thus
tends to sink.
6. The pressure gradient force of winds will occur when there is a difference in pressure
between ________________________ or lines of equal pressure. When these are
close together, it represents ____________ type of winds, when these are farther apart,
it represents ______________ type of winds.
7. Clouds form when __________________ rises, and _____________________
condenses to form a cloud. This occurs when the air aloft reaches the
_______________________ or temperature at which water will form dew from the air.
8. The two ways that precipitation may form are:
9. The visibility through the air is defined as the __________________ by which an
object can be clearly viewed and is affected by both _________________________ and
_____________________________.
10. In the United States, the governmental agency responsible for gathering and
disseminating weather related information is the ____________________________.
11. The three basic stages to weather forecasting are:
12. List at least three examples of data collecting methods used for making weather
forecasts:
13. Draw an example of a weather station symbol reading:
14. Quality control of weather data is important
because:________________________________________________________.
15. Most forecasters use a “now cast” model to start their forecasts. This starting point
from initial observations is called the ____________________________, or the starting
point for the numerical simulation.
16. The three basic forecast methods, advantages, and disadvantages are:
Forecast Method
Advantages
Disadvantages:
17. List at least three of the major U.S. Weather Forecasting Models:
18. Describe a major problem with individual modeling forecasts:
19. When meteorologists use a variety of models to create a forecast, it is known as:
______________________________ forecasting.
20. Human interpretation of weather models and data is important because:
21. List at least three sources for reliable current weather information: