Weather and Climate Unit
Part 3: Predicting the Weather
Name ____________
Period __
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Key Learning:
The unequal heating and cooling of the Earth’s surface
causes our weather and climate differences.
Unit Essential Question:
What causes weather and
climate differences?
Concept:
Concept:
Concept:
Weather and Climate
Interpreting the Weather
Predicting the Weather
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
1. How does the Sun’s energy
1.
get distributed around the
Earth?
2. How do I describe the
climate of an area?
3. What factors influence the
climate of an area?
4. How are weather and
climate different?
1. How do I describe the
local state of the
atmosphere?
2. How does the Sun’s
energy affect weather
conditions?
3. How do I represent
weather data/
measurements?
4. How do clouds form?
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary:
Weather
Water Vapor
Troposphere
Thermometer
Barometer
Anemometer
Psychrometer
Station Model
Air Pressure
Sea/Land Breezes
Dew Point
Relative Humidity
Saturation
High Pressure System
Climate
Latitude
Climograph
Convection Current
1
What factors influence the
weather in the United States?
2. How do we use weather data
to make short term weather
predictions?
3. How can we use weather maps
to make weather forecasts?
Low Pressure System
Fronts/Frontal Boundary
Air Mass
Warm Ups
1. Now that you understand the ins and outs of weather, what are the important factors you must
look at to describe the weather and to make future weather predictions? (1 point)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. How are weather maps useful in determining weather forecasts? (1 point)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Draw a station model to represent the current weather conditions. (3 points)
2
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Air Masses, Fronts, and Pressure Systems
Directions: Listen to the presentation by Mr. Herlihy and complete the maps and charts
accordingly. (45 points)
Map: (5 points)
Key:
(5 points)
Continental (c): ____________________
Polar (P): ________________________
Maritime (m): _____________________
Tropical (T): _____________________
How do we classify air masses? ____________________________________________
3
Chart:
Air Mass
(4 points)
Where it forms
Temperature
Humidity
mT
mP
cT
cP
1. What would happen to the moisture content and temperature of air if it stayed over
Canada for a few weeks? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. What would happen to the humidity and temperature of air if it stayed over the Gulf of
Mexico for a few weeks? (2 points)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Why would there be a difference in the temperature of air over a land mass such as
Mexico versus a body of water such as the Gulf of Mexico? (2 points)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4
Chart:
(4 points)
Type of Front
How it forms
Weather
Cold Front
Warm Front
Occluded Front
Stationary Front
5. What is a front? (2 points)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Directions: Draw each type of front in the boxes below. Be sure to draw the frontal
boundary, label the cloud levels, and label the warm/cold air masses). (4 points)
Cold Front
Warm Front
5
Describe the weather that is associated with each type of front…
Warm Front: (8 points)
Type of clouds: ________________________________________________________
As a warm front passes along the ground…
1. ______________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________________
Cold Front: (6 points)
Type of clouds: ________________________________________________________
As a cold front passes along the ground…
1. ______________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________
In your own words, explain what happened when Mr. Herlihy took the piece of
cardboard out and let the two masses of water move freely. How can you describe this
in terms of weather? (1 point)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6
__/45
Weather Maps
Directions: Draw today’s weather map of the United States. Be sure to include any symbols you
see. You should use color wherever possible! Then answer the questions. (10 points)
Map:
(4 points)
Key: (4 points)
=
=
H =
L =
1. What would you expect the weather in Delaware to be later today? How do you know? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Tomorrow? How do you know? (2 point)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What type of air masses do you see? How do you know? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. What would you have to look at in order to predict the weather for a week from today? (1 point)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7
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Analyzing Weather Data
Directions: Answer the following questions using your weather logs. (15 points)
1. What is the relationship between dew point, temperature, and precipitation? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Evidence from the weather log:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. What is the relationship between air pressure and the probability of precipitation?
(Hint: “normal air pressure is about 1012 mb) (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Evidence from the weather log:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. How does the wind direction affect the type of weather conditions? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Evidence from the weather log:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. How can cloud observation be used in weather forecasting? (2 points)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Evidence from the weather log:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8
Directions: Looking at the graphs below, answer the following questions.
5. How did the weather change from 6 am to 11 am? Give reasons based on the graphs. (3 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. What type of front passed through? What type of clouds were present (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. Predict if there were winds throughout the day. How do you know? (2 points)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9
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Summaries
1. Look at the satellite image of a pressure system/front moving west to east along
the eastern United States. Complete the paragraph below. (2 points)
As the front moves east, the ________ air meets the _______ air and
water vapor reaches the ______ _________, forming clouds. The area
underneath the clouds has warmer temperatures and _____ pressure, while the
area behind (to the west of) the clouds is ______, dry air and has _______
pressure. The air mass where the clouds are forming is a _____________
_______________ air mass, while the air mass to the west where no clouds are
forming is a _________________ _________ air mass.
10
2. Look at the data for three different locations. Use the three sets of data to make a
24-hour forecast for each location. (Some hints are provided below) (3 points)
Location Wind
Pressure Press.
Direction (mb)
Change
Clouds
Temp. (F)
Change
Rel. Hum.
Change
1
S-SE
1020
1017
Cirrus to
Cirrostratus
70 to 75
91 % t0
98%
2
SWNW
1007
1011
Cumulonimbus 44 to 40
to cumulus
90% to
79%
3
SWNW
1020
1020
Cumulus
84% to
76%







Steady at
45
Rising pressure brings better weather and fair skies
Falling pressure brings poor weather
The closer the temperature and dew point, the greater the humidity and greater
likelihood of precipitation
The further apart the temperature and dew point, the drier the air and greater
likelihood of fair weather
Wind shifts to the east in Delaware often indicate upcoming rainy weather
Clouds changing from high cirrus to lower clouds indicate warm fronts
Clouds changing from cumulonimbus to cumulus indicate cold front weather
Location 1
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Location 2
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Location 3
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
11
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Notes
Vocabulary
Vocab Word
Definition
12