Test Your Knowledge of Weather Forecasting Science and Technology

Study Notes

Weather Forecasting: Science and Technology Application

Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict atmospheric conditions for a given location and time.
Weather forecasts are made using quantitative data collected from the atmosphere, land, and ocean and using meteorology to project how the atmosphere will change at a given place.
Weather forecasting relies on computer-based models that take many atmospheric factors into account, with human input required to pick the best possible model to base the forecast upon.
The inaccuracy of forecasting is due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere, computational power, error involved in measuring initial conditions, and incomplete understanding of atmospheric and related processes.
Weather forecasts are used for various purposes, including protecting life and property with weather warnings, temperature and precipitation forecasts for agriculture and commodity markets, and utility companies estimating demand overcoming days.
Many people use weather forecasts for daily planning of activities around heavy rain, snow, and wind chill.
Weather forecasting is a part of the economy and in 2009 the US spent approximately $5.8 billion on it, producing benefits estimated at six times as much.
People have attempted to forecast the weather informally for millennia and formally since the 19th century.
The birth of forecasting as a science is credited to Francis Beaufort and his protégé Robert FitzRoy, who formed the basis for all of today's weather forecasting knowledge.
Numerical weather prediction began in the 20th century with advances in the understanding of atmospheric physics, which led to the foundation of modern numerical weather prediction.
The main inputs from country-based weather services are surface observations from automated weather stations, weather buoys at sea, radiosondes, weather satellites, meteorological radar, pilot reports, ship reports, and research flights.
The length of the time step chosen within the model is related to the distance between the points on the computational grid and is chosen to maintain numerical stability, with global models run between six to 16 days into the future.
The simplest method of forecasting the weather is persistence, which assumes that the current weather conditions will continue.Methods and Applications of Weather Forecasting
Weather forecasting can be based on persistence, which relies on today's conditions to forecast tomorrow's weather, but it is accurate only during steady-state weather patterns.
Measurements of barometric pressure and the pressure tendency have been used in forecasting since the late 19th century to forecast weather. The larger the change in pressure, the larger the change in weather can be expected.
The condition of the sky is one of the more important parameters used to forecast weather in mountainous areas. Thickening of cloud cover is indicative of rain in the near future.
Nowcasting is the forecasting of the weather within the next six hours and is possible to forecast smaller features such as individual showers and thunderstorms with reasonable accuracy.
Human input is generally confined to choosing a model based on various parameters, such as model biases and performance, and using a consensus of forecast models can help reduce forecast error.
The analog technique requires the forecaster to remember a previous weather event that is expected to be mimicked by an upcoming event. It remains a useful method of observing rainfall over data voids, such as oceans.
Severe weather alerts and advisories are a major part of modern weather forecasting and are broadcast through the media using emergency systems.
The low temperature forecast for the current day is calculated using the lowest temperature found between 7 pm that evening through 7 am the following morning.
Specialist forecasting is provided to sectors with specific needs for weather forecasts, including air traffic, marine, agriculture, forestry, and utility companies.
Electricity and gas companies rely on weather forecasts to anticipate demand, which can be strongly affected by the weather.
Private companies pay for weather forecasts tailored to their needs.
Military weather forecasters provide pre-flight and in-flight weather briefs to pilots and provide real-time resource protection services for military installations.
Air Force Weather provides weather forecasting for the Air Force and the Army.

Description

Test your knowledge on the science and technology behind weather forecasting with this informative quiz! From the history of forecasting to the various methods and applications used today, this quiz covers it all. Challenge yourself to see how much you know about the inputs, models, and human input required to predict atmospheric conditions. Whether you're a weather enthusiast or simply curious, this quiz is perfect for anyone interested in the fascinating world of weather forecasting.