8U4L3a Weather, Instruments, & Symbols

8U4L3 Weather, Instruments, & Symbols

8.MS-ESS2-5. Interpret basic weather data to identify patterns in air mass interactions and the relationship of those patterns to local weather.

Open Ended

What is the difference between these two statements: "It is usually cold and snowy in Boston during the winter" and "Today it was cold and snowing."

Glue in your notes sheet!

Climate

• If we are talking about how the weather usually is someplace, we aren't talking about the weather, we are talking about climate.

• For example - Arizona is usually very hot.

• Another example - it usually snows a lot in Boston.

Climate is the average of many years of data.

It gets reported as averages, by seasons, or how someplace "usually" is.

Weather

• What is happening on a specific day or at a specific time

• Shown as the day to day conditions at a specific location

• It is a specific time and place.

Weather is the outdoor conditions at a specific time and place.

Think about what the weather person reports on TV or what your phone shows you on the weather app

Multiple Choice

Average pattern of weather for a particular region

• Climate
• Weather

Multiple Choice

Changes from minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, day-to-day

• Climate

• Weather

Multiple Choice

The rainy season is from March - June each year.

• Climate
• Weather

Multiple Choice

Last week it was cold and rainy in East Bridgewater.

• Climate
• Weather

Multiple Choice

Winters in Maine can reach temperatures below zero.

• Climate
• Weather

Multiple Choice

Texas has long, hot summers.

• Climate
• Weather

Multiple Choice

It was 85 degrees yesterday in Miami.

• Climate

• Weather

Open Ended

How do the knowledge and understanding of weather maps benefit humans in their daily lives?

How do I know if the weather is changing? Is there a storm coming?

A barometer measures the air pressure - a change in air pressure is an indication that a storm is coming!

How much rain did we get?

A rain gauge will tell you how much rain fell over the time period you are measuring. Think of it as a small bucket with a ruler on the side of it!

How fast is the wind going?

An anemometer measures the wind speed. The faster the wind, the faster it turns!

How can I tell if rain, snow, or other precipitation is falling over large areas?

A radar will tell you! It sends sound waves out that bounce off the water in the atmosphere, showing where the water is and what direction it is moving.

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a rain gauge?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is an anemometer?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is radar?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a barometer?

There's more!

WOW! So much is involved with telling you about the weather!

How hot or cold is it outside?

A thermometer tells you the temperature whenever it is placed.

What direction is the wind going?

Wind Vanes come in all different styles - but it is an instrument that shows you what direction the wind is blowing.

What is really happening at different levels of the atmosphere?

A weather balloon is released into the atmosphere. As it goes up, it takes different readings (temperature, humidity, air pressure) and sends the data down to the earth.

How much water that we can't see is in the air?

A sling psychrometer measures humidity. It has two thermometers - get one wet and swing them both around, water evaporates and changes the temperature on the wet thermometer. Because more water will evaporate the dryer the air is, the difference in temperatures lets you find out the amount of water in the air.

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a weather balloon?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a wind vane?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a thermometer?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is a sling psychrometer?

Different Types of Precipitation

• sleet - solid very small ice pellets

• snow - precipitation in the form of ice crystals

• hail - frozen spheres of precipitation (larger than the ice pellets of sleet - usually looks like small rocks)

• rain - liquid precipitation in the form of water drops that fall from a cloud

I know rain and snow - but how do I know the difference between sleet and hail?

Sleet is a lot like rain but it is colder and icy. Hail is actual ice balls that can get big and do a lot of damage!

Multiple Choice

Which symbol shows rain - drops of water coming from the clouds?

Multiple Choice

Which symbol shows sleet - a mix of ice and cold water coming from the clouds?

Multiple Choice

Which symbol shows snow - ice crystals falling from he clouds?

Multiple Choice

Which symbol shows hail - balls of ice falling from the clouds?

How sunny or cloudy is it outside?

• Sunny - very few clouds

• Cloudy - a thick cloud cover that blocks the sun

• Partly Cloudy - a mix - but usually more sun than clouds

Multiple Choice

Last Question! What do you think the symbol for partly cloudy is?

Great Job! Let's talk more about weather!

Weather Vocabulary

• air pressure - the measure of the weight of air above us in the atmosphere

• atmosphere - the layer of gas surrounding the earth (often called air)

• average - to mix all of the data to find a middle number or range

• climate - the average weather conditions in a certain place over time

• hail - a type of precipitation that is large frozen ice spheres

• humidity - the amount of water vapor in the air

• instrument - a device used to measure something

Weather Vocabulary (page 2)

• rain - a type of precipitation that is liquid water

• sleet - a type of precipitation that is frozen ice pellets

• snow - a type of precipitation that is frozen ice crystals

• specific - exact or precise

• sphere - a three-dimensional round shape (like a ball)

• temperature - a degree of hotness or coldness that can be measured using a thermometer

• weather - the outdoor conditions at a specific time and place