WEATHER MAP ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION

Weather maps give the current weather conditions for an entire region. This enables the meteorologist to see how weather conditions are interacting with each other for a large area. This interaction can then be used to help forecast weather for any location on the map. Weather maps can be found in local newspapers, magazines, and of course seen on television during news broadcasts or the weather channel.

MATERIALS :Weather Map, Station Model Reference Page,Colored Pencils,Textbook Page 457

OBJECTIVES:During this lab activity you will:

  1. Use past experiences with plotting and interpreting weather station models and their symbols in order to analyze the weather conditions at a particular locality on the map of North America.
  2. Be able to draw warm and cold fronts on a weather map and determine the type of weather associated with the passage of the front.

PROCEDURES

  1. The Weather Observations Chart, on the next page, gives information of weather variables as measured at different stations in the United States and Canada. This information must be plotted on the map, using the correct placement of numbers and symbols as shown on the Reference Tables.

a. Wind directions are given from which the wind is blowing. Place a line indicating the correct direction of the wind around the station model circle for each city given. Draw each of the wind arrow shafts in black pencil.

b. Wind speed must be represented by placing “feathers” on the shaft of the wind arrow. Refer to the station model reference page or your notes for the correct symbol to use and draw the “feathers” for your wind speed in black pencil.

c. Air pressures are recorded in millibars. Remember to convert the pressures to short form. If the pressure begins with “10”, drop the “10”. Write all air pressures on the station model in red pencil.

d. Temperatures are given in degrees Fahrenheit. Write the temperature in its correct position around the station model circle in blue pencil.

e. Present weather is given for some cities. Draw in the appropriate present weather symbol in green pencil.

f. The amount of cloud cover at each station is to be drawn in black pencil.

  1. Draw isobars at 4 millibar intervals, starting with an air pressure of 1004.0. Continue with isobars for pressures of 1008.0, 1012.0, 1016.0, 1020.0, and 1024.0, in black pencil.
  1. Find the observation station that has the lowest atmospheric pressure and put a large “L” just above it in black pencil. This represents the center of the low pressure system.
  1. Find the observation stations with the highest atmospheric pressure and with a black pencil put a large “H” in the middle of the three stations. This represents the center of the high pressure system.
  1. Draw the warm and cold fronts on the map in the appropriate colored pencil, using the station models as guides. Look up the symbols for the appropriate fronts in thestation model reference page or your notes.

Hint:

  1. The cold front extends southwestward from the low pressure center (L). The front will be located between stations where winds change from southwest to northwest and temperatures decrease suddenly.
  1. The warm front extends eastward of the low pressure center (L). This front will be located between stations where winds change from northeast to southeast and temperatures rise suddenly.

Weather Observations Chart

WEATHER OBSEVATIONS Weather Station / Wind Speed (kts) / Wind Direction / Air Pressure (mb) / Temp.
(°F) / Present Weather / Cloud Cover
( % )
Seattle / 5 / SE / 1024.0 / 42 / 0
Bend / 10 / NE / 1024.0 / 40 / 0
San Francisco / 10 / NE / 1020.0 / 48 / Fog / 25
Los Angeles / 15 / N / 1020.0 / 41 / Fog / 0
Phoenix / 10 / NW / 1018.0 / 45 / 0
Ely / 10 / N / 1020.0 / 37 / 0
Dubois / 20 / NW / 1024.0 / 38 / 0
Helena / 15 / SW / 1020.0 / 41 / 0
Medicine Hat / 20 / SSW / 1020.0 / 40 / 0
Bismarck / 20 / N / 1016.0 / 48 / 0
Casper / 10 / NW / 1017.0 / 50 / 0
Pueblo / 10 / NW / 1016.0 / 47 / 0
Roswell / 20 / NW / 1016.0 / 48 / 0
Del Rio / 20 / SW / 1012.0 / 55 / 25
Galveston / 5 / SW / 1011.0 / 75 / T-Storm / 100
Dallas / 30 / NW / 1011.0 / 60 / 0
Oklahoma City / 45 / NW / 1011.0 / 57 / 0
Burwell / 20 / NNW / 1012.0 / 52 / 25
Kansas City / 10 / NW / 1008.0 / 58 / 0
Minneapolis / 15 / NW / 1012.0 / 51 / 0
Sioux Lookout / 20 / SW / 1016.0 / 46 / 25
Chicago / 10 / NW / 1007.0 / 58 / 0
Little Rock / 10 / NW / 1008.0 / 60 / 50
New Orleans / 5 / SW / 1008.0 / 73 / T-Storms / 100
Nashville / 5 / S / 1000.0 / 68 / Rain / 100
Cincinnati / 5 / NE / 1004.0 / 57 / 50
Detroit / 10 / NE / 1007.0 / 54 / 25
Sault Ste. Marie / 15 / NE / 1011.0 / 50 / 75
Ert / 5 / E / 1012.0 / 48 / 50
Quebec / 10 / NE / 1010.0 / 50 / 25
Boston / 10 / NE / 1010.0 / 52 / Fog / 100
Buffalo / 5 / ENE / 1008.0 / 52 / 50
New York / 10 / ENE / 1010.0 / 56 / Fog / 100
Hatteras / 15 / N / 1008.0 / 65 / Rain / 100
Charleston / 15 / SE / 1006.0 / 70 / Rain / 100
Atlanta / 5 / SE / 1004.0 / 80 / 25
Jacksonville / 5 / SSE / 1007.0 / 78 / 0
Tampa / 5 / S / 1008.0 / 82 / 25
Miami / 10 / SE / 1010.0 / 85 / 0

Weather Map Analysis

Name ______Date _____Period ______Earth Science

LABORATORY QUESTIONS

  1. What kind of air pressure system is presently affecting the:

Northwest coast of the U.S. ______

Southern Gulf States area of the U.S.______

  1. According to your map, in which pressure systemdo you find precipitation? (High or Low)

______

  1. What type of precipitation is associated with the cold front? (Use ‘Fronts’ Notes)

______

  1. What type of precipitation is associated with the warm front?(Use ‘Fronts’ Notes)

______

  1. When the isobars on a weather map are spaced far apart, what does this indicate about the wind speedsnear those isobars? (High wind speed or Low wind speed)

______

  1. According to your map and your knowledge of weather, how do the winds around a low pressure center circulate? (Clockwise or Counterclockwise)

______

  1. According to your map and your knowledge of weather, how do the winds around a high pressure center circulate? (Clockwise or Counterclockwise)

______

  1. What kind of front will soon pass over Galveston? ______In what direction is it moving? ______

What kind of change in weather can Galveston expect? Temperature (warmer/colder), Air Pressure(increase/decrease), and Wind Direction(shift to which new direction)

Temperature:______Air Pressure: ______Wind Direction: ______

9. What kind of front will soon pass over Hatteras? ______In what direction is it moving? ______

What kind of change in weather can Hatteras expect? Temperature (warmer/colder), Air Pressure (increase/decrease), and Wind Direction (shift to which new direction)

Temperature: ______Air Pressure: ______Wind Direction: ______

10. Why are there little to no clouds present over the western portion of the United States?

______

PRESSURE & TRENDS

Sea-level pressure is plotted in tenths of millibars (mb), with the leading 10 or 9 omitted. Below are some sample conversions between plotted and complete sea-level pressure values:

410 = 1041.0 mb103 = 1010.3 mb987 = 998.7 mb872 = 987.2 mb

The pressure trend has two components, a number and symbol, to indicate how the sea-level pressure has changed during the past three hours. The number provides the 3-hour change in tenths of millibars, while the symbol provides a graphic illustration of how this change occurred. Below are the meanings of the pressure trend symbols: