Today's Weather ()

Name: ______Date: ______

What's the weather like today? Meteorologists look at lots of data to answer that question. That's what you'll do in this Planet Diary activity.

  1. Here's a satellite view of today's United States weather. Look at the color scale used for clouds below the map. Based on today's cloud cover, which parts of the country can expect unsettled or stormy weather today?
  2. Check out today's temperature map. Look at the color scale. Which part of the country is coldest today? Which is warmest?
  3. Unsettled weather is often found along weather fronts. Look at today's weather fronts. Cold fronts appear as blue lines with triangles; warm fronts are red lines with semi-circles. Describe the positions of today's cold and warm fronts.
  4. The map also shows areas of high (H) and low (L) barometric pressure. High pressure usually signals clear weather. Low-pressure often means unsettled weather. Where are today's high-pressure areas? Where are the low-pressure areas?
  5. Look at today's precipitation. Where is it raining or snowing?
  6. How closely do the locations of today's unsettled weather correspond to the locations of low pressure areas and weather fronts?

Exploring Hurricanes()

If you live along the Atlantic or Gulf Coast, you may know what it's like when a hurricane takes aim. People may be boarding up windows or dashing out to get food, batteries, and candles. Sometimes, a long line of cars snakes out of town as people evacuate their homes. In this activity, you'll learn all about how hurricanes form.

  1. Go to Hurricanes from Weather Wiz Kids. Read What Is a Hurricane? Where does a hurricane get its energy?
  2. Describe a hurricane's eye.
  3. Scroll to How Do Hurricanes Form? What allows warm air to rise above the ocean surface?
  4. What is the CoriolisForce?
  5. Why don't hurricanes form near the equator?
  6. Look at the numbered What Does a Hurricane Need?diagram. List the five things needed for hurricane formation.
  7. Scroll to What Is a Storm Surge? Describe a storm surge.
  8. Continue to When Does Hurricane Season Start? Study the diagram. How does hurricane season relate to sea surface temperature?

Tracking Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought scenes of unimaginable destruction to the Gulf Coast. Days before the hurricane made landfall, satellites were already tracking Katrina as it grew from a disorganized storm to a monstrous hurricane. Use the info about Katrina's category, track, and coordinates on the link to answer the questions below.

  1. On August 23, Katrina's storm category was ______(light blue). Its maximum wind speed was ______mph. Its lowest barometric pressure was ______millibars.
  2. On August 24, Katrina was a ______(light green). Its maximum wind speed was ______mph. Its lowest barometric pressure was ______millibars.
  3. On August 26, Katrina grew to a ______hurricane (yellow) as it hit Florida. Its maximum wind speed was ______mph. Its barometric pressure dropped to ______millibars.
  4. By August 28, Katrina grew into a ______hurricane (lavender). Its maximum wind speed was now ______mph while its barometric pressure plunged to ______millibars.
  5. Notice where Katrina was between August 24 and August 28. Think about how a hurricane gets its energy. Give a hypothesis relating the storm's dramatic gain in strength to its location.
  6. Look closely at your data. What can you conclude about the relationship between wind speed, barometric pressure, and the strength of a hurricane?
  7. Here's a satellite view of Hurricane Katrina striking New Orleans. Read the caption. How strong was the hurricane when it hit land?
  8. Describe the impact Katrina had on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The Scoop on Tornadoes

Do you remember how you felt when you first saw the tornado scene in the Wizard of Oz? For sure, a tornado is one of nature's most terrifying displays. In this activity, you'll explore how tornadoes form and look at common tornado myths.

  1. Go to the National Weather Service Nature's Most Violent Storms. Read the first paragraph under the heading Tornado! What is the definition of a tornado?
  2. Where and when do tornadoes occur most frequently worldwide?
  3. Scroll to What Causes Tornadoes? Describe the weather conditions in which tornadoes are most likely to form.
  4. Scroll to Waterspouts. How does a waterspout form?
  5. Continue to How Do Tornadoes Form? Summarize the steps in tornado formation.
  6. Scroll to Tornado Myths. State one tornado myth. Give facts to disprove it.
  7. Read this Planet Diary report Twister Swarm Batters South. Describe how clashes of contrasting air masses spawn tornadoes in the United States.
  8. What/where is Tornado Alley?

El Nino:

El Niño plays havoc with Earth's weather. Some areas get heavy rain and floods. Others have more forest fires and drought. What exactly is El Niño? You'll find out in this Planet Diary activity.

  1. Start at NASA's El Niño page. What is El Niño?
  2. What changes does it typically cause?
  3. Contrast ocean and atmospheric conditions in El Niño and non-El Niño years.
  4. Go to Learn More About El Niño. How did El Niño get its name?
  5. What is La Niña?
  6. Take a look at the JPL's Historical El Niño/La Niña watch. How do the map colors in the equatorial Pacific Ocean differ in El Niño and La Niña years?
  7. Go to NASA's El Niño/La Niña Watch. Explore the most recent satellite maps. Are we currently having El Niño, La Niña, or neither?
  8. El Niño can also affect hurricane formation. Read this Planet Diary report Busy Hurricane Season Predicted. Explain how El Niño affected the number of Atlantic hurricanes in 2009.

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