Moore Public Schools



The Atmosphere in Motion: How do meteorologists predict the weather?Weather refers to the present state of the atmosphere—air pressure, wind, temperature, and humidity. Meteorologists study weather by taking measurements of these conditions. The National Weather Service collects the measurements and records them on maps using a combination of symbols. These symbols form a station model which shows the weather conditions at one specific location.Some conditions shown on a station model are: wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, change in barometric pressure in the last three hours, fraction of sky covered by clouds, dew point temperature, type of precipitation, and temperature.With the information from a station model, meteorologists can predict the weather. For example, meteorologists know that high pressure is generally associated with fair weather and low pressure is usually associated with cloudy weather. If the barometric pressure is rising, weather is probably improving. The dew point indicates the temperature air is saturated and at which condensation occurs. These measurements, along with others, help meteorologists predict what kind of weather may be ahead.In this Virtual Lab you will explore weather data collected over several days at stations in a certain region of the United States. Then you will make a prediction about the weather at those stations. When making your predictions, remember that weather systems generally move from west to east. Use the data from the westernmost station model in a region to predict the weather for the region's other stations.Objective:Use station models to forecast conditions for weather stations in a region of the continental United States.-13906534988500Procedure:1. Go to the Virtual Lab link:. Click on the Southwestern region on the U.S. map. 3. Each circle represents a weather station model. Examine the Station Model Key to see what each symbol in a station model means.4. Day 1: Explore the weather conditions at each station by clicking each station model. Record the conditions at each station. Predict the next day's weather.5. Day 2: Click the Next Day button to display the station models for Day 2 and check your weather predictions. Record the conditions at each station on the Day 2 Data Table. Look at the patterns from Day 1 to Day 2. Predict the next day's weather.6. Day 3: Click the Next Day button to display the station models for Day 3 and check your weather predictions. Record the conditions at each station on the Day 3 Data Table. Look at the patterns. Predict the next day's weather.7. Day 4: Click the Next Day button to display the region's possible weather stations for the 4th day. City A is done for you. From the weather stations pictured. Predict the weather for the region's other three stations for this day. Match the letter of the location to the weather prediction on your paper below the selected pictures on the line that says “P_________”. Put an “X” on any of the model that are not selected.8. Choose a station model from the five models on the right of the screen. Drag the station model to a station on the map. Repeat this step for each station in the region. 9. Click Check to verify your predictions. Record the correct station models on the line that says “Ans__________”. The correct answer will be shown in beige. It may or may not match your predictions. If the station model is not a correct answer put an “X” on the ‘Ans” line. 10. Repeat steps 4-9 using other regions of the United States.Southwestern Region-Day 1Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma188-12SSE242clearnoneB. Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas203-7ESE or SE234clearnoneC. Houston, Texas248-12NNW218clearnoneD. New Orleans, Louisiana223-7NE or ENE197clearnoneSouthwestern Region-Day 2Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma2523-27S118clearnoneB. Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas2518-22S148clearnoneC. Houston, Texas248-12SSE186? or 75% noneD. New Orleans, Louisiana2213-17S171? or 50%noneSouthwestern Region-Day 3Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma2213-17SW or SSW060? or 75%Thunderstorm and rainB. Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas2423-27SSW082? or 75%noneC. Houston, Texas2513-17SSE128? or 75%rain showersD. New Orleans, Louisiana223-7SSW148Overcast or 100%rain935672420103P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans__B____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans__B____-13335320040Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.0Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.Western Region- Day 1Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Sacramento, California143-7ESE043complete or 100%rainB. Reno, Nevada1313-17SW or WSW003? or 50%noneC. Ely, Nevada1823-27S009? or 25%noneD. Salt Lake City, Utah2213-17SE or SSE031? or 75%noneWestern Region- Day 2Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Sacramento, California70 or nonenone or N/A150? or 75%fogB. Reno, Nevada1213-17WNW125? or 25%noneC. Ely, Nevada78-12NNW099complete or 100%noneD. Salt Lake City, Utah1313-17NNW or NW080? or 75%noneWestern Region- Day 3Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Sacramento, California88-12NW or WNW175none or 0%noneB. Reno, Nevada138-12NNW164? or 25%noneC. Ely, Nevada88-12NW or WNW156? or 50%noneD. Salt Lake City, Utah138-12WNW or NW156? or 75%none-1275953340P_________ Ans__B_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans___C____P_________Ans__X_____P_________ Ans__B_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans___C____P_________Ans__X_____-17145269240Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.0Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.Midwestern Region-Day 1Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Cedar Rapids, Iowa38-12ENE286? or 25%noneB. Chicago, Illinois53-7E257none or 0%noneC. Indianapolis, Indiana913-17N or NNE219none or 0%noneD. Columbus, Ohio213-17NNE180? or 75%snowMidwestern Region-Day 2Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Cedar Rapids, Iowa1613-17SW or SSW103none or 0%noneB. Chicago, Illinois918-22SSE119? or 50%rain showersC. Indianapolis, Indiana1513-17SSW160? or 50%noneD. Columbus, Ohio93-7SSW193? or 25%noneMidwestern Region-Day 3Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Cedar Rapids, Iowa168-12SSE011? or 50%rainB. Chicago, Illinois138-12S or SSW 041? or 50%fogC. Indianapolis, Indiana2318-22WSW080? or 50%noneD. Columbus, Ohio2118-22WSW089? or 50%none1041992358479P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans___X____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans___B____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans___X____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans___B____P_________Ans__D_____96520916305Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.0Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.Southeastern Region- Day 1Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Birmingham, Alabama 1618-22 or 13-17N166? or 25%rain showersB. Columbia. South Carolina1613-17WSW058complete or 100%rainC. Atlanta, Georgia913-17NW or WNW123complete or 100%fogD. Knoxville, Tennessee58-12NNW144complete or 100%rainSoutheastern Region- Day 2Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Birmingham, Alabama 213-7SSW192clear or 0%noneB. Columbia. South Carolina193-7NNW167clear or 0%noneC. Atlanta, Georgia19nonenone198clear or 0%noneD. Knoxville, Tennessee133-7NNE198clear or 0%noneSoutheastern Region-Day 3Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Birmingham, Alabama 258-12S161? or 75%noneB. Columbia. South Carolina268-12WSW or SW169clear or 0%noneC. Atlanta, Georgia243-7SSW192clear or 0%noneD. Knoxville, Tennessee2213-17WSW153clear or 0%none935672281038P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans___B____P_________Ans__X_____0P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans___B____P_________Ans__X_____96520222885Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.0Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.Northeastern Region-Day 1Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania318-22 or 13-17NNW139complete or 100%snowB. Philadelphia,Pennsylvania108-12ENE or NE088complete or 100%rainC. Baltimore, Maryland108-12ENE or NE073complete or 100%rain showersD. New York,New York103-7ENE or NE112complete or 100%rain thunderstormsNortheastern Region-Day 2Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania88-12WSW192? or 75%noneB. Philadelphia,Pennsylvania1118-22NNW117clear or 0%noneC. Baltimore, Maryland1118-22WNW or NW141clear or 0%noneD. New York,New York108-12N090clear or 0%noneNortheastern Region-Day 3Temperature(C)Wind Speed(knots)Wind DirectionBarometric Pressure (millibars)Cloud Cover amountType of precipitationA. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania218-12WSW or SW0923/4/ or 75%noneB. Philadelphia,Pennsylvania178-12WSW or SW102clear or 0%noneC. Baltimore, Maryland193-7WSW or SW112? or 25%noneD. New York,New York158-12NNW 095? or 25%none9356749486P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans__B_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__X_____P_________Ans__C_____P_________Ans__B_____P_________Ans__D_____P_________Ans__X_____96520251460Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.0Prediction answers will vary. There should be a label for B, C, and D then two models labeled X.Journal Questions1. How did your Day 4 predictions compare with the actual weather conditions, as shown on the beige station models?_______Answers will vary ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2. What observations and weather attributes did you find most helpful in predicting the weather conditions? Why?Example: The change in barometric pressure is a helpful indicator of change in weather conditions. (the change in the last 3 hours can be most helpful) A drop in pressure, to lower pressure means that there is an increase for the chance of precipitation and cloudier conditions. Rising pressure means a decrease in rain chances and lower cloud cover. If the temperature is dropping also, then there may be a higher chance for drastic weather changes or severe whether if a cold front connects with a warm front. 8966795831648003. Meteorologists have predicted?the following weather for OKC for the next three days: 21492512616270034102451495912 ................
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