Predicting Weather by Clouds

1. Predicting WeatherbyClouds www.ussartf.org/predicting_weather.htm

2. What is Weather Weather is the wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation.

3. PredictingWeather • The instruments used to measure and predict the weather include; • Barometer to measure humidity • Anemometers to measure wind speed • weather vanes to measure wind direction • weather satellites, rockets, radar

4. Anemometer Meteorologists use anemometers to measure wind speed.

5. Weather vane • Wind vanes tell you from which direction the wind is blowing. • Knowing where the wind is coming from might give you clues to the temperature and the amount of water in the air www.geographyhigh.connectfree.co.uk/wd1.gif moving into an area.

6. Nimbus - Weather Satellite WEATHER SATELLITES are used to photograph and track large-scale air movements. Then meteorologists compile and analyze the data with the help of computers. • abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/images/nimbus1.gif abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/images/nimbus1.gif

7. WeatherRadar • Radar is an electronic instrument, which determines the direction and distance of objects that reflect radio energy back to the radar site. It stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. www.weather.gov.hk/wservice/tsheet/radmet1.jpg

8. Forecasting the Weather • Weather forecasting can be as simple as observation. • You can look up at the clouds. • Clouds can tell you many things about what the weather will do • High, wispy clouds usually mean good weather. • Overcast sky means rain or snow is on the way.

9. Cloud Classification Cloud Classification • Clouds are generally classified based on characteristics, such as, altitude, appearance, or origin. Altitude distinctions apply to those clouds that fit in various layers of the atmosphere as follows: • high clouds - have bases above 18,000 feet • middle clouds - have bases between 7,000 and 18,000 feet • low clouds - have bases below 7,000 feet

10. http://interactive.usc.edu/members/jchen/cloudchart.gif

11. Cumulus clouds • Cumulus clouds are puffy. • They have flat bottoms and are low in the sky. • Cumulus clouds usually mean fair weather. • If they grow tall, they can become thunderheads and bring rain. 

12. Cirrusclouds • Cirrus clouds are the highest clouds. • They usually mean fair weather. • Cirrus clouds look white and feathery. http://www.weatherwizkids.com/cloud.htmScience/clouds650.JPG

13. Stratus clouds • Stratus clouds are the low clouds. • Fog is a stratus cloud at ground level. • They look like a low gray blanket. • Stratus clouds bring rain or snow. arm2.static.flickr.com/1030http://www.weatherwizkid

14. http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/booksellers/press_release/studentscience/gif/watercycle1.gifhttp://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/booksellers/press_release/studentscience/gif/watercycle1.gif • Clouds are an important part of the water cycle. • The water cycle is the movement of water from the Earth into the sky and then back down to Earth again.

15. Whyarecloudswhite? Clouds are white because they reflect the light of the sun. Light is made up of colors of the rainbow and when you add them all together you get white.

16. Whydocloudsturngrays • If the clouds get thick enough or high enough all the light above does not make it through, and that makes it look shady and gray. • If there are lots of other clouds around, their shadow can add to the gray or multicolored gray appearance www.watercolorways.com

17. Classroom Weather Station