Weather Forecasting 4.8A Measure and record changes in weather and make predictions using weather maps, weather symbols, and a map key.

Why do we predict the weather? Weather is the condition of the atmosphere outside at any given time. The weather can change quickly and is sometimes even dangerous! People need to know how the weather might change while they are playing or working outdoors. To insert this slide into your presentation Save this template as a presentation (.ppt file) on your computer. Open the presentation that will contain the image slide. On the Slides tab, place your insertion point after the slide that will precede the image slide. (Make sure you don't select a slide. Your insertion point should be between the slides.) On the Insert menu, click Slides from Files. In the Slide Finder dialog box, click the Find Presentation tab. Click Browse, locate and select the presentation that contains the image slide, and then click Open. In the Slides from Files dialog box, select the image slide. Select the Keep source formatting check box. If you do not select this check box, the copied slide will inherit the design of the slide that precedes it in the presentation. Click Insert. Click Close.

Weather Forecasting. Earth has weather because it is surrounded by layers of air called the atmosphere. Weather is what is happening in the atmosphere at a certain place and time. Most weather occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere.

Weather Forecasting. Weather is not something we can control. Meteorologists are scientists who study weather and try to predict it. They use what they learn about changing conditions in the atmosphere to predict the weather for the next few days or week. These predictions are called weather forecasts.

Weather Forecasting Weather happens because the sun warms the Earth more at the equator than it does at the poles. This uneven heating causes large masses of air with different temperatures to form. As these air masses move, they cause changes in the weather.

Weather Forecasting Weather has six main factors: Temperature Air pressure Wind speed Humidity Precipitation Cloudiness

Weather Forecasting The more data meteorologists can gather, the better they can forecast the weather. Meteorologists use a variety of tools to collect different weather data.

Weathering Forecasting The most common weather tools are: A thermometer is a weather tool used to measure the temperature. By observing wind vanes, we can know the direction of the wind. An anemometer is a weather tool that measures wind speed.

Weathering Forecasting The most common weather tools are: A rain gauge is used to collect precipitation. Using measurements on the side, you can see how much precipitation fell. Barometers measure air pressure. Knowing the air pressure can help predict fair or rainy weather.

Clouds are made of water, either small liquid water drops or tiny pieces of ice. Meteorologists rank clouds according to their height and whether they are puffy or flat.

Clouds reflect weather patterns and play a role in what the weather does. They are sources of precipitation as well as affect the temperatures of our atmosphere. Clouds block incoming sunlight during the day, which cools the air, but they can also block outgoing radiation from the Earth, which can warm temperatures.