Weather Phenomena

SOL 4.6SOL 4.6Follows along with

Interactive Notebook notes

Weather Includes:

Temperature

Wind

Precipitation

Weather Instruments (Tools)

TemperatureTemperature- the measure of the amount of - the measure of the amount of heat energy heat energy in the atmospherein the atmosphere

Measured using a Measured using a THERMOMETERTHERMOMETER

Additional Weather Instruments

Wind Speed is measured using an Wind Speed is measured using an ANEMOMETERANEMOMETER

Wind Direction is Wind Direction is measured using a measured using a WEATHER VAINWEATHER VAIN..

Additional Weather Instruments

A A RAIN GAUGE RAIN GAUGE is is used to measure used to measure the amount of the amount of precipitationprecipitation..

Precipitation Includes:

RainRain

SnowSnowFormed by ice crystals*

More types of Precipitation:

SleetSleet

HailHailFormed by ice crystals*

Mixture of snow and rain

Air Masses and Fronts

Air MassesAir Masses: formed when air in the atmosphere : formed when air in the atmosphere is heated at the equator and cooled at the poles.is heated at the equator and cooled at the poles.

FrontsFronts: formed when two air masses of different : formed when two air masses of different temperatures and humidity* bump into each temperatures and humidity* bump into each

other.other.

*Humidity *Humidity is the amount of water vapor is the amount of water vapor in the air.in the air.

Types of Fronts

Cold frontCold frontWarm frontWarm front

Cold air mass pushes into a warm air mass.

Warm air mass pushes into a cold air mass.

Additional Weather Tools

Air pressure Air pressure is the result of the mass/weight is the result of the mass/weight of the air and temperature pushing on its of the air and temperature pushing on its surroundings. (atmospheric pressure)surroundings. (atmospheric pressure)

Measured using Measured using a a BAROMETERBAROMETER

Do weather forecasters use air pressure to predict the weather?

High pressure High pressure areas are formed when areas are formed when air is air is cooled.cooled.

Low pressure Low pressure is formed when is formed when air is warmedair is warmed. . Weather associated with low pressure areas Weather associated with low pressure areas

are: clouds, rain, and wind.are: clouds, rain, and wind.

StormsThunderstorms

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

ThunderstormsStrong winds, heavy rain, thunder, and lightning.

Most common in

Virginia, but when?

How are they formed?

Hurricanes

Form over warm water

Largest Storm on Earth!

How do they begin?

What are some of the characteristics of a hurricane?

TornadosColumn of warm air begins to spin upward forming a funnel cloud.

What types of wind speed and what can

they do?

CLOUDS

Clouds are formed when warm air Clouds are formed when warm air carrying carrying water vapor rises water vapor rises from the from the Earth and the water vapor Earth and the water vapor cools down cools down and and connectconnect to each other. to each other.

Are all clouds the same?Are all clouds the same?

Cumulus Fluffy, white Fluffy, white

clouds with clouds with flat bottoms. flat bottoms. Cumulus Cumulus clouds usually clouds usually indicate fair indicate fair weather. weather. (Middle)(Middle)

Resemble?

Cirrus Feathery, wispy, Feathery, wispy,

clouds; associated clouds; associated with fair weather. with fair weather. They often indicate They often indicate that rain or snow that rain or snow will will fall within fall within hourshours. . (High)(High)

Made from?

Stratus

Flat, smooth, Flat, smooth, gray clouds that gray clouds that blanket/cover blanket/cover the whole sky. the whole sky. (low)(low)

What type of weather?

• Foul weather Foul weather storm clouds that storm clouds that bring heavy bring heavy rains and rains and thunderstorms.thunderstorms.

Cumulo-nimbus

How are they formed?

Spot the cloud!Low and flat …..Low and flat …..

Stratus

Spot the cloud!Middle level, Middle level, fluffy …..fluffy …..

Cumulus

Spot the cloud!High level, High level, wispy …..wispy …..

Cirrus

Spot the cloud!Rain bearing, Rain bearing, storm clouds …..storm clouds …..

Cumulo-Nimbus

Let’s Review

It’s time to play the…It’s time to play the…

Cirrus CloudsCirrus Clouds Cold FrontCold Front Wind/Weather Wind/Weather VaneVane

ThermometerThermometer HurricaneHurricane

High pressureHigh pressure SnowSnow Air MassesAir Masses Cumulous Cumulous CloudsClouds

Low pressureLow pressure

PrecipitationPrecipitation BarometerBarometer SleetSleet Cumulo-nimbus Cumulo-nimbus CloudsClouds

HailHail

Rain GaugeRain Gauge Warm FrontWarm Front Air pressureAir pressure CloudsClouds ThunderstormThunderstorm

TornadoTornado AnemometerAnemometer Stratus CloudsStratus Clouds WeatherWeather MeteorologistsMeteorologists

The ABC’s of Weather

Draw a letter from the bag. Share a word or phrase Draw a letter from the bag. Share a word or phrase that begins with the letter to summarize weather.that begins with the letter to summarize weather.

Tara Moore, Elementary Lead Science TeacherTara Moore, Elementary Lead Science TeacherSuffolk Public SchoolsSuffolk Public SchoolsOctober 2005October 2005Some cloud slides adapted from John Harris, Radley College, UKSome cloud slides adapted from John Harris, Radley College, UK