Weather Conditions and Tools Weather Unit. Weather changes occur day to day and from season to season.

Weather Conditions and Tools

Weather Unit

Weather changes occur day to day

and from season to season.

In order to understand In order to understand daily weather daily weather

conditions, weather conditions, weather data must be collected data must be collected

accurately using accurately using weather instruments.weather instruments.

Wind SpeedWind Speed

The condition of how fast the air is moving

Wind SpeedWind SpeedMeasured with an

anemometer as the wind causes the cups to spin

AnemometerWind speed is

measured with an anemometer as the wind causes cups to

spin

AnemometerHow does it work? As the cups spin, the anemometer counts

how many times they spin in a given period

of time.

The more turns, the faster the wind speed

Wind DirectionWind Direction

The condition determined by where the

wind/moving air is coming from

Wind vaneWind direction is determined with a

wind vane (weather vane). Wind direction

is described by the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Wind vaneHow does it work?

Describing Wind Describing Wind DirectionDirection

PrecipitationPrecipitation

The condition of the type of water falling to Earth

from the clouds

Rain gaugeAmount of

precipitation is measured in a rain

gauge. Markings on the side show how

much rain has fallen.

Rain gaugeHow does it work?

Rain falls and collects in the rain gauge. Markings

on the side show the amount of rain that has

fallen. Measures rainfall in inches.

TemperatureTemperature

The condition of how warm or cold the air is at

a given time

ThermometerAir temperature is read

using a thermometer. The scale may be read in

degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius. Air temperature

should be measured out of direct sunlight.

ThermometerHow does it work?

Seasons of the year change!

Winter Spring

Fall Summer

As the seasons of the year change, temperature changes may

cause precipitation changes.

Northerly winds may bring colder air than southerly or

westerly winds.

What does that mean?Winds blowing from the north

may be colder than winds blowing from the south or west.

Weather Weather ConditionsConditions

•fair weather

•showers or light rain

•clear skies with cold temperatures

•days of clouds

•days of precipitation

•windy fair days

•windy stormy weather

Weather patterns involve Weather patterns involve weather conditions that are weather conditions that are repeated due to the season repeated due to the season

of the year.of the year.

Example: Summer temperatures Example: Summer temperatures are generally warmer than winter are generally warmer than winter

temperatures.temperatures.

Weather SignsWeather Signs•looking at clouds

•noticing changes in wind speed and noticing changes in wind directions [These can indicate storms or temperature changes.]

Weather Weather PredictionsPredictions

Based on qualitative and quantitative data--

NOT JUST GUESSES!NOT JUST GUESSES!

The predictions are based upon a combination of types of data.

MeteorologistsMeteorologistsMeteorologists interpret information from a variety of sources and use those sources to

make predictions.

http://www.wistv.com/

MeteorologistsMeteorologistsThe information they use is shown on a

weather map.

Weather MapsWeather MapsMay show large masses of warm or cold air moving…Lines between the air masses are

called fronts.

Weather MapsWeather MapsMay show large masses of warm or cold air moving…Lines

between the air masses are called fronts.

Warm fronts

When a warm front passes over an area, the air temperature increases.

Cold fronts

When a cold front passes over an area, the air temperature decreases.

Data related to temperature and Data related to temperature and precipitation can also be found on a precipitation can also be found on a

weather map.weather map.

Weather Conditions and Tools

Weather Unit