Download 8 weather packet

Weather
Name______________________ ____________________ Date________
Weather affects our lives each and every day; what we wear, where we go, do we
have school or not? Every decision can be affected by the weather. We ask the
meteorologist to forecast (predict) the weather; sometimes they are right and
sometimes they are wrong. Forecasting the weather is no easy task.
Weather-describes the conditions in the atmosphere (mostly the troposphere the
lowest layer of the atmosphere) at a given place for a short period of time
Weather – is caused by the uneven heating of the earth by the Sun’s rays
Questions: Answer in complete sentences
1. What is weather? ___________________________________________
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2. What causes weather? _______________________________________
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3. In what layer of the earth’s atmosphere does most weather occur?
a. Stratosphere
b. Troposphere
c. Mesosphere
Weather Variables
The change in weather is described by a series of weather variables. These
weather variables include Air Temperature, Air Pressure, Humidity, Wind
Speed, Wind Direction, and Precipitation
Air Temperature-the amount of heat energy in the atmosphere at a place
Air Pressure- is the amount of force exerted by the air hitting a given
surface area
Humidity- the amount of water vapor in the air
Wind Speed-the rate of moving air
Wind Direction- the direction that the wind blows FROM
Precipitation-failing moisture from clouds (Rain, Snow, Sleet, and Hail)
Scientists communicate weather in different locations using the station model.
On the station model above identify the following weather variables:
1. Temperature________0F
2. Air Pressure_______mb
3. Wind Speed_______ knots
4. Wind Direction_______
Weather Variable Definition
Units
Instrument
The amount of heat
energy in the
atmosphere as a
place
0
F (Fahrenheit) or
Thermometer
0
C (Celsius)
Air Pressure
The amount of force
exerted by the air
hitting a given
surface area
millibars (mb)
Humidity
The amount of water Relative Humidity
vapor in the air
expressed in percent %
Wind Speed
Moving air
Knots or miles per hour (K Anemometer
or mph)
Wind Direction
The direction that
the wind is blowing
FROM
North, East, South, West
Wind Vane
Precipitation
Forms of water that
fall from clouds
example: Rain,
snow, sleet, hail, or
freezing rain
Inches, or centimeters
Rain gauge
Air Temperature
Barometer
Sling
Psychrometer
Instrument questions:
1. What instrument would you use to measure the wind speed? _____________
2. What instrument would you use to measure wind direction?____________
3. What instrument would you use to measure air temperature?____________
4. What are the units for air pressure?________________________
5. What are 4 types of precipitation?1. ________________2. __________
3.____________________ 4__________________________
6. What does wind direction describe? ____________________________
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7. What instrument do you use to measure air pressure?___________________
8. What instrument do you use to measure humidity?_____________________
9.
10.
11.-The change from water vapor to liquid water is called
a. evaporation
b. condensation
c. melting
12. In 3 sentences compare and contrast snow and rain? ___________________
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Wind
Wind- horizontal movement of air which is caused by differences in air pressure.
Air moves from HIGH PRESSURE to LOW PRESSURE! The differences in
pressure are caused by uneven heating of the earth!
HOT AIR RISES=LOW PRESSURE
COLD AIR SINKS= HIGH PRESSURE
Wind direction- the direction that the wind is coming from
Example: the wind is coming from the west so the wind direction is WEST
Example 2: the wind is from the north so the wind direction is NORTH
Example 3: the wind is blowing to the east so the wind direction is WEST
Wind Speed-the rate at which wind moves in knots or mph
Large difference in air pressure= strong winds
Small difference in air pressure = weak winds
Example: Sea Breeze on a sunny summer day!
LOW
PRESSURE
HIGH
PRESSURE
NOTE: Winds appear to curve to the right in the northern hemisphere. This is
caused by the earth’s rotation and is known as the Coriolis Effect
Wind Questions:
1. What causes wind? ___________________________________________
2. Hot air _______________ and cold air _____________________
3. Hot air is associated with _____________________ pressure.
4. Cold air is associated with ____________________ pressure.
5. Explain the relationship between wind speed and differences in air pressure.
(2 complete sentences)
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6. The wind is blowing to the north. What is the wind direction?___________
7. What is the wind direction on this station model?________
8. As air circulates this is known as what type of energy transfer?
a. Conduction
b. Convection
c. Radiation
9. Which factor most directly affects the wind speed between two locations?
a. Cloud cover
b. Time of day
c. Air pressure
10.Wind appears to curve to the _______________ in the northern hemisphere
a. Left
b. Up
c. Right
11.The curving of wind in the northern hemisphere to the right is known as
a. Coriolis Effect
b. Pressure
c. Temperature
Clouds, precipitation and dew point
Dew Point- the temperature at which water vapor condenses out of the air
because the air is saturated
Q. How do clouds form?
A. Clouds form when air is cooled to the dew point and water condenses into
tiny water droplets or ice crystals. In-order for water vapor to condense it
must have a surface to condense on. These surfaces are known as
condensation nuclei. Some examples of this are dust or ice.
Q. How does precipitation occur?
A. Once the water droplets or ice crystals are too large they fall to the
ground as precipitation. They type of precipitation depends on the
atmospheric conditions in the clouds and on the ground!
Example: Rain falls when the temperatures are above freezing while
snow falls when the temperatures are below freezing!
Different types of clouds form depending on the altitude and conditions
Dark= Precipitation
Some examples:
Cirrus- High wispy
clouds
Cumulus- low puffy
clouds
Cumulonimbus- tall
dark thunderstorm
clouds
Stratus-flat low clouds
(gloomy)
Cloud Questions: (Answer in complete sentences)
1. What causes a cloud to form?
2. What is the dew point?
3. Why do you think dew forms on the grass in the morning? (Hint temp.)
4. What type of weather typically comes with dark clouds?
5. What type of weather typically comes with light white clouds?
6. How does precipitation occur?
7. When air rises it is forced to cool. When this occurs why do you think
clouds form?
8. List four types of precipitation:
9. Why is fog not a form of precipitation?
Field Maps and Isolines
Meteorologists measure weather variables all over the country. The meteorologists
take all these data and place them on a large map known as a field map.
Field Map- a region of space that has a measurable quantity or value at every point
The meteorologists then connect points with the same values…
These lines with the same field value are known as isolines.
Isobars- lines of equal air pressure
Questions( Answer in
complete sentences)
1. What is a field map?
2. What is an isoline? Provide an example?
3. Based on your knowledge of wind; will wind go into or out of a Low? Why?
Isotherm: lines of equal temperature
GENERAL RULE: As latitude increases temperature decreases
Isotherm questions:
1. Where are temperatures the highest and where are they the lowest? Explain
using the words north, south, high latitude and low latitude.
2. What is an isotherm?
3. An air mass that forms over water would be dry or moist?_______________
4. An air mass that forms over land would be dry or moist?_______________
Air Masses and Fronts
Weather forecasts are based on the movements of air masses. By observing
and predicting their paths meteorologists and forecast the weather to help
you plan your daily activities and decisions.
Air Mass- air with generally uniform characteristics
Source Region- the surface over which an air mass forms
Front- The boundary (on the ground) between two air masses
Arctic: A
Polar: P
Tropical: T
Formed over
extremely cold ,
ice covered
regions
Formed over
regions of high
latitudes where
temperatures are
relatively low
Formed over
regions of low
latitudes where
temperatures are
relatively high
maritime: m
mP- cold, moist
mT-warm, moist
Formed over
water, moist
Formed over
North Atlantic,
North Pacific
Formed over Gulf
of Mexico,
middle Atlantic,
Caribbean,
Pacific (south of
California)
Ct- warm, dry
formed over
southwestern
United States in
summer
continental: c
cA- dry, frigid
cP- cold, dry
Formed over
land, dry
Formed north of
Canada
Formed over
northern and
central Canada
Question:
1. What is an air mass? Provide a 5 examples?
2. Label the air masses below (hint there is not cA on the map)
3. Relative to position 2 on the map;
where would a cA air mass form?
Place a STAR in this location!
4. What is the temperature, wind direction and wind speed of this station
model?
a. Temperature_________ F
b. Wind Direction ________
c. Wind Speed __________ knots
d. Pressure __________ mb
5. Between which two letters will the wind speed be the greatest? Why?
a. A-B
b. C-B
c. D-E
Why?
Fronts: Warm and Cold
Fronts are where major changes in weather occur, cold air mass replaces a
warm air mass the weather changes. Violent weather occurs at these
locations including rain, strong winds, and abrupt changes in temperatures.
Air masses typically move from WEST to EAST across the United States.
The weather that occurred in Chicago today will be in New York tomorrow!
Front- the line on the ground marking the boundary between two air masses
Cold Front- the ground location where a cold air mass advances against a
warmer air mass. The cold air mass is denser so it forces the warm up
rapidly. This causes the warm air rise, expand and cool. This rapid
condensation leads to heavy rain and/or thunderstorms. The temperature
drops rapidly as a cold front passes!
The cold front symbol
Warm front- where a warm air mass pushed up and over a cold air mass.
The warm air goes over the cold air gradually because it is less dense than
the cold air. As the warm air rises it expands, and cools. This causes
condensation to occur over a wide gently sloping boundary. This results in
thick clouds and widespread precipitation.
Warm front symbol
Questions:
1. What happens to the temperature as a cold front passes?
2. What type of precipitation do you get with a warm front?
3. Why does the warm air rise up and over
the cold air at a cold front?
4. Draw the front symbols on the map from
B-C and B-D!
5. Over what region did the mT air mass
form (based on the map)?
Hurricane (Cyclonic systems)! Extreme Weather!
Weather is extreme. Weather brings floods, causes landslides, and
delivers hurricanes, tornados, thunder and lightning. Weather destroys
homes, roads, and even the beach. Your life may be at risk from the
weather!
Cyclone- any inward and counterclockwise air
circulation around a low pressure center
Hurricane: -are huge cyclonic storms (Low Pressure
systems) that form in the summer over warm
ocean water. The energy from a hurricane comes
from the sun as it evaporates water to fuel the
hurricane! The wind blows counterclockwise
around the center! Winds can blow from 74 200+mph! Hurricanes can be larger than 500 km
diameter! Coastal flooding and winds cause
extensive damage during a hurricane!
Questions:
1. How do winds blow around a
hurricane?
2. What fuels a hurricane and gives
it its power!
3. To stay safe what should you do
if a hurricane comes to Long
Island? Go to the beach or move
to higher ground?
Review Questions:
1. What cause the clouds and
precipitation to form on the
windward side of the mountain?
a. Sinking, contracting, warming
air
b. Rising expanding and cooling
air
2. What type of air mass is between the
cold front and warm front?
a. mT
b. cP
c. cA
3. Wind blow from____________
pressure to ________________
pressure.
4. A(n) ________________________ is used to measure wind speed.
5. What type of front is shown here:
a. Cold front
b. Warm front
6. Why is the warm air forced up in a
cold front?
_________________________
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7. What is the relationship between temperature and latitude? (complete
sentence)
8. What causes weather? (complete sentence)
9. Weather mostly occurs in the ____________________ the lowest
layer of the atmosphere.
10.What type of front is shown here:
a. Warm front
b. Cold front
11. Draw in the 10, 15, 20 and 250C
isotherm on the field map:
12. An isoline of equal pressure is
known as a_______________
13.Identify the variables form the station model:
a. Wind Speed and direction
________knots _________(direction)
b. Temperature ____________F
c. Pressure ____________mb
14. The cp air mass is identified based on its:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
15. ________________________ and strong ___________________
cause extensive damage during hurricanes!
16.The lines 992, 996, and 1000 are lines of equal
_________________ known as
____________________.
17. Around a Low winds blow:
a. Clockwise and out of the center
b. Counterclockwise and into the center
Conclusion (5-7 sentences): Compare and contrast the weather during the summer
and the winter in Long Island. How are they similar how are they different? Be
specific and discuss all the weather variables!
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