predicting the weather · predicting the weather . weather forecasting ... to interpret what the...
TRANSCRIPT
Predicting the Weather
Weather Forecasting
• You have to collect data, whether it is
either simple direct observations or
through interpreting complex data
Making Simple Observations
• Read weather signs from clouds in the
sky.
• Refer back to notes about different types
of clouds we discussed in section 8.1
Meteorologists are people who
study the causes of weather and
try to predict it.
Interpreting Complex Data
• Meteorologists use tools such as charts,
computers, and maps to analyze data.
Interpreting Complex Data
• National weather service uses balloons,
satellites, radar, and surface instruments
to gather weather data.
Reading a Weather Map
• National Weather Service takes data from
local weather stations and puts together a
map of the weather for the U.S.
Reading a Weather Map
• Isobars and Isotherms are used to
represent temperature or air pressure.
• Isobars are lines joining places on map
that have the same air pressure.
• Isotherms are lines joining places that
have the same temperature.
Isotherm and Isobar map
Reading a Weather Map
• Newspaper weather maps are simplified
versions of maps produced by National
Weather Service.
Reading a Weather Map
• Standard symbols include:
• Areas of high and low pressure
• Types of precipitation
• Temperatures
• Fronts
Reading a Weather Map
Reading a Weather Map
Reading a Weather Map
• “Butterfly effect” causes scientists not to
make accurate long range weather
forecasts.
• Small changes today can mean larger
changes in weather a week later.
Summary
• Meteorologists use both simple
observations and complex data to predict
weather.
• National weather maps are more detailed
than local and newspaper maps.
• Learning symbols of weather maps helps
to interpret what the weather is doing
today.