Predicting Weather

1
Predicting Weather

• Booklet Lessons include
• Isobars Weather Prediction
• Isotherms Weather Patterns
• Fronts Weather Folklore

2
PREDICTING THE WEATHER
Red sky in morning, sailors give warning. red sky
at night, sailors delight.

3
 Sample Four-day forecast

• This modern, four day weather forecast, obviously
  relies on more than simply the current
  observations of the sky.

• Weather forecasting is not an exact science. It
  ranges from weather folktale simplicity to
  elaborate computer simulations that rely on a
  variety of methods to produce their results.

4
Current Weather Map http//www.nws.noaa.gov/outloo
k_tab.php
5
LESSON 1 ISOBARS
What's the difference between a High and a Low?
What kinds of weather are likely to be found in
each?

• Certain weather maps allow us to view High and
  Low pressure systems that control the weather.
• An isobar is a line connecting locations of equal
  barometric pressure.
• Isobar maps show where pressures are relatively
  high and low, and show us where pressure changes
  are gradual or dramatic over a distance.

6
The image above shows an example of a weather map
containing isobars. The thick black lines are
called isobars. They are typically placed at
intervals of 4 millibars.
7
Exercise 1
8
Lesson 1 Answers (1-4)
9
Lesson 1 Answers 5 6

• 5. West Virginia
• Cloudy, Rainy, Bad

6. California Sunny Clear Skies
10
Background for question 7 8
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
Lesson 1 Answers (7,8)
14
Lesson 1 Answers (7,8)
15
Lesson 1 Answers cont.

• 9. Winds will be from the North as a High
  approaches, and will be from the South after the
  High passes.
• 10. Pressures will rise as the High approaches,
  and decline as it passes.
• 11. Winds will become southerly as as a Low
  approaches, and then shift to become more
  northerly as it passes.
• 12. Near the Low pressure center.

16
LESSON 2 ISOTHERMS
Will it be warm outside tomorrow?

• Certain weather maps allow us to view warm and
  cold areas in an easy fashion. One helpful
  weather map contains isotherms.
• An isotherm is a line connecting locations with
  equal temperature.
• Isotherm maps show where temperatures are
  relatively high and low, and also where
  temperature changes are gradual or dramatic over
  a distance.

17
(No Transcript)
18

• This image shows an example of a weather map
  containing 60 and 70 isotherms.
• The large black lines are called isotherms.
• They are typically placed at intervals of 10
  degrees Fahrenheit.

19
Exercise 2
20
Lesson 2 Answers 1-2
21
Exercise 2 Answers

• 3. Montana.
• 4. Southeastern states
• 5. Cold and Dry .

22
LESSON 3 FRONTS
What happens along cold fronts and warm fronts?

• The boundary between two air masses is called a
  front. As a result, moving fronts indicate a
  change in the weather.
• On a weather map fronts are drawn where there is
  large change in temperature and a shift in wind
  direction.
• A front can also be described as the boundary
  between adjacent Highs with different conditions.

23

• Fair weather is generally associated with Highs.
• Stormy weather is associated with Lows and with
  the portions of fronts that extend from them.
• Highs and Lows are usually hundreds or thousands
  of miles across. Both Highs and Lows tend to
  travel from west to east across the United
  States, bringing changing weather as they move.

24

• The image above shows an example of a weather map
  containing a warm and cold front.

25

• A cold front means a cold air mass is pushing
  into a warmer air mass, and is shown with blue
  sharp "teeth" pointing the direction of the
  moving cold air.

• A warm front means a warm air mass is pushing
  into a colder air mass, and is shown with red
  rounded "teeth" pointing the direction of the
  moving warm air.

26
Warm Front Rain clouds
27
(No Transcript)
28
Cold Front Stormy Weather
29
(No Transcript)
30
Lesson 3 Answers

• El Paso, Texas
• 1. Clouds will develop.
• 2. Winds will become more northerly.
• 3. Temperatures will decrease.
• New York City, New York
• 4. Clouds will develop.
• 5. Winds will become more southerly.
• 6. Clouds will dissipate and temperatures will
  climb.

31

• 7. El Paso.
• The weather associated with cold fronts is often
  more severe than that associated with warm
  fronts.
• Fast moving cold fronts cause a rapid movement of
  warm, moist air into which they advance, creating
  the potential for thundershowers.

32
Lesson 3 Answer 8
33
LESSON 4 WEATHER PREDICTION
How well can I predict the weather for the next
four days?

• Chicago Forecast"Current weather is cloudy with
  drizzle as a warm front is passing temperatures
  will rise and the skies will clear as the front
  moves past our area winds will from the
  southwest air pressure will remain steady."

34
LESSON 4 WEATHER PREDICTION

• How well can I predict the weather for the next
  four days?

35
Lesson 4 Answers

• Louisville, Kentucky weather
• Thunderstorms
• Chicago air temperature 34º F
• Columbus should be cooler
• Denver, Colorado weather cool, sunny, no
  precipitation
• A cold front is passing over Texas
• Warm moist air is hitting the cool air from the
  oncoming front and condensing the air