LAB: Weather Maps in Motion – North Carolina
QUESTION: How do we interpret current weather maps?
MATERIALS: A computer, Internet access
PROCEDURE: A weather map is a map or chart that shows the meteorological
conditions over a specific geographic area at a specific time. Meteorologists use
weather maps to show patterns in the data to aid in forecasting the weather.
Zulu Time (Z) is one of several names for the 24-hour time that is used
throughout the scientific and military communities. Other names for this time
measurement are Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) or Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT).
0000Z = 12:00am (midnight)
0600Z = 6:00am
1200Z = 12:00pm (noon)
1800Z = 6:00pm
Zulu Time is the time at the Prime Meridian (0º longitude). The time in North
Carolina is Z minus 5 hours.
1. Go to: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/sfcloop/usfnt_wbg.html
Use the weather maps to fill in the table below.
North Carolina
Frame Sequence
Zulu Time
Date
Time
(1st, 2nd, etc.)
12:00am
09-14-2012
5th
0000Z
0300Z
3:00am
09-14-2012
6th
0600Z
6:00am
09-14-2012
7th
0900Z
9:00am
09-14-2012
8th
1200Z
12:00pm
09-13-2012
1st
1500Z
3:00pm
09-13-2012
2nd
1800Z
6:00pm
09-13-2012
3rd
2100Z
9:00pm
09-13-2012
4th
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows
2. Draw the map symbol and label the cross sections for the fronts below:
(For help, go to: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/fntcodes2.shtml)
A
C
D
B
C
E
DRAW FRONT SYMBOL OR CIRCLE
ONE
LABEL
CIRCLE ONE
Front A
Cold Front / Warm Front
Front B
Cold Front / Warm Front
Air Mass C
Cold / Cool / Warm
DENSITY: High / Medium / Low
Air Mass D
Cold / Cool / Warm
DENSITY: High / Medium / Low
Air Mass E
Cold / Cool / Warm
DENSITY: High / Medium / Low
3. As a cold front catches up with a warm front, an occluded front forms. What
happens to the warm air between the two frontal interfaces? (Circle one.)
A) The warm air is forced under the cold frontal interface but over the warm
frontal interface.
B) The warm air is forced over both frontal interfaces.
C) The warm air is forced under both frontal interfaces.
D) The warm air is forced under the cold frontal interface but under the warm
frontal interface.
4. Draw the map symbol for an occluded front.
5. Look at the weather map loop. Which is faster? a cold front / a warm front
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows
6. Pick a cold front and estimate its speed in miles per hour. Show your work below.
(Hint: America is about 3,000 miles from coast to coast.)
The front we observed moving across the United States traveled approximately
1000 in a 24-hour period. 1000/24 would calculate to a speed of 41.6 miles per
hour for the estimated speed of the cold front as it moved across the US.
7. Explain the relationship between the locations of high and low pressure centers
and fronts.
High-pressure centers are located in front of, or behind, frontal boundaries. Lowpressure centers tend to form along the frontal boundaries.
8. In what general direction do cold fronts move across America? Warm fronts?
Cold fronts typically travel from the northwest toward the southeast as they move
across the US. Warm fronts typically travel from the southwest toward the
northeast.
9. How should the weather change (before, during, after) as a cold front passes by?
A warm front?
Cold front: Before (warmer); During (windy & stormy); After (clear & colder)
Warm front: Before (cooler); During (drizzly rain); After (clear & warmer)
10. In America, which type of front extends southward from a low-pressure center?
Eastward?
In the US, a cold front extends southward from a low-pressure center and a warm
front extends eastward from a low-pressure center.
11. Go to: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/sfcloop/sfc00.html
Find this station in North Carolina on the weather map, and complete the table.
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows
(For help, go to: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/stationplot.shtml)
Frame
Sky
Wind
Sequence
Temperature Dewpoint Pressure
Wind
Cover
Date Time
Speed
(1st, 2nd,
(ºF)
(ºF)
(mb)
Direction
(%
(kts)
etc.)
cloudy)
th
5
9/14 0000Z
72
64
233
NNE
3-7
0
6th
9/14
7th
9/14
8th
9/14
1st
3-7
0300Z
68
65
231
NNE
0600Z
67
66
223
N
0900Z
68
66
225
NE
9/13 1200Z
79
68
222
NE
0
0
1500Z
83
61
246
NE
3-7
0
1800Z
82
64
250
NE
0
0
2100Z
76
66
252
NE
0
0
2nd
9/13
3rd
9/13
4th
9/13
3-7
3-7
12. A meteogram is a graphical depiction of trends in meteorological variables
such as temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction, pressure, etc. The time
series meteogram can be constructed using observed data or forecast data.
Using the data from the table, complete the meteogram on the next page.

For Temperature, Dew Point, Pressure and Wind Speed, make line graphs.

For Wind Direction, draw a station model in the box showing where the wind
is coming from. Examples:

For Sky Cover, draw the proper map symbol in the box. Examples:
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows
0
0
0
(SEE WIND DIRECTION AND SKY COVER ON NEXT PAGE)
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows
Use the information from the North Carolina Station Data Table to record the wind direction and
sky cover data below. Example: The wind direction on 9/13 at 12:00zulu was NE and the sky
cover was 0%. You need to write the wind direction (such as, NE) in the top box and the % of
sky cover in the bottom box below the wind direction for the matching date and time. Be sure to
add your date and time information at the bottom of the chart, starting with 12:00zulu on
09/13.
This activity has been modified from the original Weather
Maps in Motion Activity: NY State / DLESE Collection
(www.dlese.org) Copyright 2005 by Charles A. Burrows