Weather Phenomena
SOL 4.6
Follows along with
Interactive Notebook
notes
Temperature
Weather Includes:
Precipitation
Wind
Weather Instruments (Tools)
Temperature- the measure of the amount of
heat energy in the atmosphere
Measured using a
THERMOMETER
Additional Weather Instruments
Wind Speed is measured using an
ANEMOMETER
Wind Direction is
measured using a
WEATHER VAIN.
Additional Weather Instruments
A RAIN GAUGE is
used to measure
the amount of
precipitation.
Precipitation Includes:
Rain
Formed by ice
crystals*
Snow
More types of Precipitation:
Sleet
Mixture of snow and
rain
Formed by ice
crystals*
Hail
Air Masses and Fronts
Air Masses: formed when air in the
atmosphere is heated at the equator and
cooled at the poles.
Fronts: formed when two air masses of
different temperatures and humidity* bump
into each other.
*Humidity is the amount of water vapor
in the air.
Types of Fronts
Cold air mass
pushes into a
warm air mass.
Cold front
Warm front
Warm air mass
pushes into a cold
air mass.
Additional Weather Tools
Air pressure is the result of the mass/weight
of the air and temperature pushing on its
surroundings. (atmospheric pressure)
Measured using
a BAROMETER
Do weather forecasters use air
pressure to predict the weather?
High pressure areas are formed when air is
cooled.
Low pressure is formed when air is warmed.
Weather associated with low pressure areas
are: clouds, rain, and wind.
Thunderstorms
Storms
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
Thunderstorms
Strong winds, heavy rain,
thunder, and lightning.
Most
common in
Virginia, but
when?
How are they
formed?
Largest Storm on Earth!
Form over
warm water
How do they
begin?
What are some of
the characteristics
of a hurricane?
Hurricanes
Tornados
Column of warm
air begins to spin
upward forming a
funnel cloud.
What types of wind
speed and what can they
do?
CLOUDS
Clouds are formed when warm air
carrying water vapor rises from the
Earth and the water vapor cools down
and connect to each other.
Are all clouds the same?
Cumulus
Fluffy, white
clouds with
flat bottoms.
Cumulus
clouds usually
indicate fair
weather. (Middle)
Resemble?
Cirrus
Feathery, wispy,
clouds; associated
with fair weather.
They often indicate
that rain or snow
will fall within
hours. (High)
Made from?
Stratus
Flat, smooth,
gray clouds that
blanket/cover
the whole sky.
(low)
What type of weather?
Cumulo-nimbus
• Foul weather
storm clouds that
bring heavy
rains and
thunderstorms.
How are they formed?
Spot the cloud!
Low and flat …..
Stratus
Spot the cloud!
Middle level,
fluffy …..
Cumulus
Spot the cloud!
High level,
wispy …..
Cirrus
Spot the cloud!
Rain bearing,
storm clouds …..
Cumulo-Nimbus
Let’s Review 
It’s time to play the…
Cirrus Clouds
Cold Front
Wind/Weather
Vane
Thermometer
Hurricane
High pressure
Snow
Air Masses
Cumulous
Clouds
Low pressure
Precipitation
Barometer
Sleet
Cumulo-nimbus
Clouds
Hail
Rain Gauge
Warm Front
Air pressure
Clouds
Thunderstorm
Tornado
Anemometer
Stratus Clouds
Weather
Meteorologists
The ABC’s of Weather
Draw a letter from the bag. Share a word or phrase
that begins with the letter to summarize weather.
Tara Moore, Elementary Lead Science Teacher
Suffolk Public Schools
October 2005
Some cloud slides adapted from John Harris, Radley College, UK