Meteorology Fun 4 Kids

By Shemar Dsouza and John Bayolken

Wind Currents

Winds are named after the direction from which they come from.

The globe has six major wind belts, three in each half of the earth.

From pole to equator they are the polar easterlies, the westerlies and

the trade winds. All six belts move north in the northern summer and

south in the northern winter.

The Westerlies blow from the west

Trade winds blow mostly from the northeast toward the equator.

The Easterlies blow from the east.

Land can gain and lose heat faster than water. During the day the land

warms faster than the water. The air above land warms, becomes

thinner and rises bringing in cooler air l from the sea. At night the

opposite happens and the cool heavy air from the land flows out to

sea. These land and sea breezes are important along the coast.

The Atmosphere

The Atmosphere is a very important factor to

earth. The atmosphere is a layer of gases

that surround the earth. It helps sustain all

the life on earth.

The Sun helps the atmosphere, it gives the

energy through convention for the

atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere took over 2

billion years to form and within the

atmosphere is actually 3 different

atmospheres. Earths 3rd atmosphere is the

one we know of today. It contains co2 and

oxygen which lets us breathe. The

atmosphere wouldn't be possible without the

Ocean Currents

An ocean current is a continuously flowing

stream of water made by the movement of

ocean water. Ocean currents can travel

over long distances and are very

powerful. Currents help transform the

climate of different areas flowing either

cold or warm water to an area.

Ocean currents are caused by

temperature or salt difference in the

water. They are also affected by the pull of

the moon.

High/Low Pressure

Low Pressure is located in an area where

the pressure is lower than other areas.

Low pressure can cause clouds,

precipitation, and other bad weather such

as tropical storms and cyclones.

High pressure is located in an area where

its pressure is higher than areas around

it. High pressure areas are caused when

the air in the high areas cools it becomes

heavier and moves toward the ground.

These areas can cause anti cyclones. (The

background)

Convection

As the air rises, it cools causing some of the water

vapor in the air to press together. Atmospheric

convection is the product of temperature difference.

Different types of dry and moist air lead to

imbalance. If this happens during the day it leads to

increased winds, low lying clouds and it lowers the

temperature it takes dew to form.Wet convection

leads to thunderstorms , which is often responsible

for bad weather throughout the world. Threats of

thunderstorms include hail, and tornadoes.

Warm air has a lower density than cool air, so warm air

rises within cooler air. Clouds form as warmer air

carrying moisture rises

Fronts

Cold Fronts:A huge moving mass of cold

air.

Warm Fronts: A huge moving mass of warm

air.

Stationary front: When a cold and warm

front collide and don't move past each

other.

Occluded Fronts: When a cold front

overtakes a warm front

Hurricane/Tornado

Hurricane: A cyclone that forms at earth's

sea level. It is formed in low pressure

areas and are known also as tropical

cyclones. The ocean is important to the

forming of hurricanes and hurricanes

wouldnt be possible without the ocean.

Tornado: Tornadoes are formed when both

high pressure and low pressure air

interact. A low pressure draws in high

pressure air to form the tornado.

Tornados form on land unlike hurricanes.

Sun and Sun's Energy

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar

System.The sun is responsible for every living thing

on the planet. We wouldn't be alive without the suns

energy. Earth's land, oceans and atmosphere absorb

solar radiation that comes from the sun. Warm air

containing water droplets from the oceans rises,

causing atmospheric circulation or convection. The

sun and the suns energy drives convection within

the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and

ocean currents. We wouldn't be alive without the sun

Isotherm And Isobar

An Isothermal process is a change in the

system in which the temperature stays the

same.

An isobar is the line of equal or constant

pressure on a graph, plot or map. Isobars

are lines drawn on a map joining places of

equal average atmospheric pressure.

Types of Precipitation

Types Of Precipitants...

- Rain

- Snow

- Sleet

- Hail

Precipitation is formed when the

atmosphere cannot hold anymore water

vapor and then condenses and falls back

to earth as either rain, snow, sleet or hail.

Types of Clouds

Types of Clouds

- Cirrus

- Cumulus

- Stratus

- Cirrostratus

- Cumulonimbus

- Stratocumulus

- Nimbostratus

- Altocumulus

- Altostratus

Dew Points

The dew point is the temperature below

which the water vapor in a volume of

humid air at a given constant.

The dew point basically depends on the

humidity in the air.

How Scientists Use Images

The first satellites were used to measure

the new space and environment but now

they are used for communicating,

analyzing earth's crust and also to see

weather. The scientists then take those

pictures and check that area out with their

tools and etc.

Meteorological Instruments

Compass - navigational instrument for finding directions.

Anemometer measures wind speed.

Barometer measures air pressure. It tells you whether or not the pressure is rising or falling.

Thermometer measures the air temperature. Most thermometers are closed glass tubes containing liquids such as alcohol or mercury.

Weather Balloon measures weather conditions higher up in the atmosphere. Hygrometer measures the water vapor content of air or the humidity.

Rain Gauge measures the amount of rain that has fallen over a specific time period.

Wind Vane is an instrument that determines the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Weather Maps Meteorologists use weather maps to forecast the weather.