Table of Contents

Water in the Atmosphere

Clouds

Precipitation

Air Masses

Storms

Predicting the Weather

Weather

The Driest Place on EarthThere are places in the Atacama Desert where a single drop of rain has never been measured.

Water in the Atmosphere

Water in the Atmosphere

The Water CycleWhere do the words in the Word Bank go to describe the water cycle?

Water in the Atmosphere

Relative HumidityRelative humidity is affected by temperature.

How Clouds FormClouds form when warm, moist air rises and cools.

Clouds

Cloud TypesThere are many different types of clouds.

Clouds

Clouds and WeatherWhat kind of weather can be predicted from each type of cloud?

Clouds

Water DropletsCloud droplets condense to become larger droplets.

Precipitation

Rain GaugeThe rain gauge, measuring in centimeters, collects ten times the actual depth of rain that falls.

Precipitation

Freezing PrecipitationWhat would be the air and ground temperature ranges for each type of precipitation?

Precipitation

Air Masses

Types of Air MassesAir masses can be classified according to temperature and humidity.

North American Air MassesAir masses can be warm or cold, and humid or dry.

Air Masses

Air Masses

Types of FrontsWhat type of weather is brought by each front?

Air Masses

Cyclones and AnticyclonesWhich image is a cyclone and which is an anticyclone? What is the air motion direction of each?

Lake-Effect SnowAs cold, dry air moves across the warmer water, it becomes more humid as water vapor evaporates from the lake surface. When the air reaches land and cools, lake-effect snow falls. Which cities receive lake-effect snow?

Storms

Storms

How Thunderstorms FormA thunderstorm forms when warm, humid air rises rapidly within a cumulonimbus cloud. What is indicated by the blue and red arrows?

Storms

HurricaneWhere is the eye of the hurricane? Where are the strong and weak areas?

Hurricane KatrinaThe diagram shows the path of Hurricane Katrina. What are possible paths the hurricane could have taken after reaching land?

Storms

Storms

Tornado FormationAbout 1,200 tornadoes occur in the United States every year. Weather patterns on the Great Plains result in a “tornado alley.”

Types of Tornado Damage

Storms

Predicting the Weather

Weather Map SymbolsThe tables below show what various weather symbols represent.

Predicting the Weather

Newspaper Weather MapThe symbols on this map show fronts, high- and low-pressure areas, the high and low temperature readings for different cities, and precipitation. The color bands indicate different temperature ranges.

Weather Map

Predicting the Weather