Refers to the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.

Weather has several components…

the measure of the average amount of motion in particles

a natural movement of air of any velocity

especially : the earth's air or the gas surrounding a planet in natural motion horizontally

The amount of water vapor present in the air

Relative Humidity -is a measure of the amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the amount needed for saturation at a specific temperature

Water that falls from the clouds

Air temperature determines the form of precipitation that falls

5 main types of Precipitation: Rain, Sleet, Snow, Freezing Rain, and Hail

RainRain SleetSleet

SnoSnoww

HailHail

Masses of small water droplets or tiny ice crystals that float in the air.

Three main types are cirrus, cumulus, and stratus.

Other clouds are a mixture of these three main types.

A large body of air that has properties similar to the part of the Earth’s surface over which it develops.

Warm air = expanding or rising airleaves behind Low (L) pressure

Cold Air = sinking airleaves an area of High (H) pressure

bars-connect points of the “same”Examples: temperature and wind speedThe further away the lines the lower the wind speed

connects areas of equal pressure BAR comes from BARometric pressure

Connects areas of equal temperature“therm” means temperature

Air pressure – the Air pressure – the pressure that an pressure that an air mass exerts air mass exerts on the Earthon the EarthTemperature – Temperature – measure of the measure of the heat or cold for heat or cold for an air mass; an air mass; measured in ° measured in ° Fahrenheit or Fahrenheit or ° Celsius° Celsius

Dew Point – Dew Point – measure of the measure of the moisture in the moisture in the air; it is the temp air; it is the temp the air must cool the air must cool to in order to to in order to reach saturationreach saturation

Wind Direction & Wind Direction & Speed – the Speed – the direction FROM direction FROM which the wind which the wind blows and its blows and its speed (in knots)speed (in knots)

Observed Observed Weather – Weather – describes describes precipitationprecipitation

Cloud cover – Cloud cover – percentage of the percentage of the sky covered with sky covered with cloudsclouds

A boundary between two air masses of different density, moisture, or temperature.

The front edge of a moving mass of clod air that pushes beneath a warmer air mass like wedge

The front edge of advancing warm air mass that replaces colder air with warmer air

A front that forms when a cold air mass over takes a warm air mass and lifts the warm air mass off the ground and over another air mass

A front of air masses that moves either very slowly or not at all

Thunderstorms

Lightning

Tornadoes

Hurricanes Blizzards

Watches- conditions are favorable Warnings- conditions already existExamples- Tornadoes, Flooding,

Thunderstorms, Blizzards, Winter Mixes and Hurricanes

Two sources of forecasting weather

Data collected from upper atmosphere

Data collected on the Earth’s surface