1. Weather: space & time differences
Prof. Grant Bigg, Head, Department of Geography, University of Sheffield

2. The Climate System

3. The Climate System
(Naturally varying)

4. The Climate System
(directly anthropogenically varying)

5. Differences (or variability) over different timescales
Millennial
Centennial
Decadal
Interannual
Seasonal
Daily
Hourly

6. Millennial cycling

7. Centennial change
Fig IPCC (2007)

8. Decadal change
Global surface air temperature
(IPCC Fig. 3.6)

9. Interannual change oC
Central England Temperature (from

10. Seasonal change oC
Central England Temperature (from

11. Daily change Central England Temperature 2012
(from

12. Hourly change
Let’s look at Google Earth’s weather overlays for hourly variation
Then go to spatial scales

13. Stop slide show
Go to Google Earth (pre-set to Weather & Terrain only)
Expand weather layer
Comment on cloud patterns observed over eastern Atlantic
Click cloud animation in Temporary Places
Turn off weather layer

14. Drag play pointer slowly along describing time evolution and introducing spatial scales
Go to yesterday evening and zoom to UK or some other region where overnight variation
Point to reduced scale and zoom in to area
Move through sequence commenting on what it reveals about space and time scales

15. Go over UK if not there
Turn on weather layer
Draw attention to weather data and temperature
Zoom in to bring more stations
Click on station – note features (and that probably from analysis, not real data)

16. Click on hourly and details to give hour by hour step
Note forecast only, from US Weather Channel
Remove and note spatial limitations of this detailed data to major towns
Now switch to radar data and move to clear rainfall zone

17. Note 3 hour 30 minute delay between radar and cloud (radar ahead) – hence mismatch in patterns
Activate radar animation
Follow through, discussing spatial and temporal scales

18. Sources of data or ideas
Royal Meteorological Society MetLink site (
Meteorological Office Weather Observations Website (wow.metoffice.gov.uk/home)

19. Suggestions For Weather Space- Time Differences Questions That Can Be Explored With Student Observations
Variation over time at home (hourly, daily or longer)
Variation over school catchment at same time (synoptic view)
For those with solar panels – how does power generation relate to cloudiness?

20. Any Questions?