Weather Prediction  How do weather forecasters predict the weather? How do weather forecasters predict the weather? How do weather forecasters predict the weather?  How has technology helped to improve weather forecasts? How has technology helped to improve weather forecasts? How has technology helped to improve weather forecasts?  What can be learned from the information on weather maps? What can be learned from the information on weather maps? What can be learned from the information on weather maps?

How do weather forecasters predict the weather? How do weather forecasters predict the weather?   Meteorologists- Scientist who studies the causes of weather and tries to predict it  Meteorologists’ most important tool? RADAR!!!!! Current National Doppler Radar Map - USATODAY.com Current National Doppler Radar Map - USATODAY.com NWS radar image from Raleigh/Durham, NC NWS radar image from Raleigh/Durham, NC

How has technology helped to improve weather forecasts? How has technology helped to improve weather forecasts?  Technological improvements in gathering weather data and using computers have improved the accuracy of weather forecasts  The most recent advancement is the SATELLITE Satellite Images - NOAA's National Weather Service Satellite Images - NOAA's National Weather Service

What can of information is found in the news?  Current temperature  Forecast hourly, day, extended  Alerts  Sunrise, sunset  Humidity Check weather online Check weather online  Air pressure  Daily highs and lows  Wind speed and direction  Record highs and lows  Severe weather  Cloud cover

What can be learned from the information on weather maps? What can be learned from the information on weather maps?  Standard symbols on weather maps show fronts, areas of high and low pressure, type of precipitation, and temperatures. Weather Map Weather Map

Weather Tools  Psychrometer- measure relative humidity  Anemometer- measures wind speed  Barometers- measures air pressure Aneroid (without liquid)- accurately describe how this barometer functions. Instead of mercury, these barometers use a small metal box called an aneroid cell. This cell is actually a bellows and springs system which expands or contracts as air pressure changes.Aneroid (without liquid)- accurately describe how this barometer functions. Instead of mercury, these barometers use a small metal box called an aneroid cell. This cell is actually a bellows and springs system which expands or contracts as air pressure changes. Mercury-A column of mercury is inside a glass tube sealed at one end. The other end rests in a small cup of mercury, called a cistern.Mercury-A column of mercury is inside a glass tube sealed at one end. The other end rests in a small cup of mercury, called a cistern.

Fronts Cold Front transition zone from warm air to cold air  A cold front is defined as the transition zone where a cold air mass is replacing a warmer air mass.  When a cold front passes through, temperatures can drop more than 15 degrees within the first hour

Fronts Stationary Front a front that is not moving  When a warm or cold front stops moving, it becomes a stationary front. Once this boundary resumes its forward motion, it once again becomes a warm front or cold front. warm frontcold frontwarm frontcold front  A stationary front is represented by alternating blue and red lines with blue triangles pointing towards the warmer air and red semicircles pointing towards the colder air

Fronts Warm Front transition zone from cold air to warm air A warm front is defined as the transition zone where a warm air mass is replacing a cold air mass. Warm fronts generally move from southwest to northeast and the air behind a warm front is warmer and more moist than the air ahead of it. When a warm front passes through, the air becomes noticeably warmer and more humid than it was before.humid

Fronts Occluded Front when a cold front overtakes a warm front  A developing cyclone typically has a preceding warm front (the leading edge of a warm moist air mass) and a faster moving cold front (the leading edge of a colder drier air mass wrapping around the storm). cyclonewarm frontcold frontcyclonewarm frontcold front  North of the warm front is a mass of cooler air that was in place before the storm even entered the region.

El Nino  an abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific.