1. WEATHER

2. DESCRIPTION VARIABLES -AIR PRESSURE -AIR TEMPERATURE
-WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION
-HUMIDITY
-CLOUD COVERAGE
-PRECIPITATION

3. AIR PRESSURE
-DECREASES AS ALTITUDE INCREASES
-MEASURED BY A BAROMETER
AIR TEMP
-AMOUNT OF KINETIC ENERGY OF AIR MOLECULES
WIND
-AIR MOVES FROM HIGH TO LOW PRESSURE
-MEASURED BY AN ANEMOMETER

4. HUMIDITY
-LOW = LESS WATER VAPOR
-RELATIVE HUMIDITY MEASURED BY A PSYCHROMETER GIVEN AS A %
CLOUD COVERAGE
-WATER DROPLETS/ICE CRYSTALS IN THE ATMOSPHERE
-STRATUS: FLAT, UP TO 2,000
-CUMULUS: FLUFFY, BETWEEN 2,000-6,000
-CIRRUS: WISPY, ABOVE 6,000
-FOG: NEAR SURFACE

5. WEATHER PATTERNS PRESSURE SYSTEMS
-HIGH: COOLER AIR AT CENTER CLEAR SKIES
-LOW: WARMER AIR AT CENTER CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION

6. AIR MASSES CAUSES A CONSTANT TEMP., HUMIDITY, AND PRESSURE
DUE TO A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM
CLASSIFIED BY TEMP. AND MOISTURE
-ARTIC (NORTH)
-CONTINENTAL POLAR (OVER LAND IN NORTH)
-MARITIME POLAR (OVER WATER IN NORTH)
-CONTINENTAL TROPICAL (OVER LAND NEAR EQUATOR)
-MARITIME TROPICAL (OVER WATER NEAR EQUATOR)

8. FRONTS CAUSES DRASTIC WEATHER CHANGES DUE TO AIR MASSES COLLIDING COLD
-COLD AIR MASS MOVES TOWARD A WARM AIR MASS (STORMS)
WARM
-WARM AIR MASS MOVES TOWARD A COLD AIR MASS (RAIN, SNOW, HUMIDITY, WIND SHIFT)
STATIONARY
-TWO AIR MASSES STAY IN ONE PLACE (CLOUDY)
BLOCKED (OCCLUDED)
-FAST MOVING COLD FRONT CATCHES UP WITH A WARM FRONT (RAIN)

10. SEVERE WEATHER THUNDERSTORMS AKA ELECTRICAL STORMS
-NEED WARM TEMPS., MOISTURE, RISING AIR
-3 STAGES
-CUMULUS: CLOUDS AND RISING/FALLING AIR
-MATURE: WIND, RAIN, LIGHTNING
-DISSIPATION: STORM WEAKENS
-RISING/FALLING AIR: CAUSE + AND – CHARGED PARTICLES (LIGHTNING)

12. TORNADOES
-RISING AIR IN THUNDERSTORMS ROTATE  FUNNEL CLOUD REACHES GROUND
-TORNADO ALLEY
-CENTRAL U.S.
-CLASSIFICATION
-FUJITA SCALE (F0-F5)

14. HURRICANES
-FORM IN LATE SUMMER OVER WARM WATER
-CENTER IS EYE: CLEAR SKIES/LIGHT WINDS
-CREATE HIGH WAVES, FLOODING, WIND DAMAGE
-ASIA: TYPHOON, AUSTRALIA: CYCLONE

16. SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY
-U.S. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
-WATCH: SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE
-WARNING: SEVERE WEATHER IS OCCURING

17. WEATHER FORECASTS MEASURE WEATHER -SURFACE REPORT -UPPER AIR REPORT
-SATELLITE IMAGES (INFRARED WAVES)
-RADAR IMAGES (RADIO WAVES)

18. WEATHER MAPS INCLUDE:
-STATION MODEL (INFO ON VARIABLES)
-ISOBARS (HIGH/LOW PRESSURE, WIND)
COMPUTER MODELS
-PREDICT TEMPS., WINDS, PRECIPITATION, CLOUD FORMATION BASED ON MATH FORMULAS