Understanding Weather Maps

Understanding Weather Maps

• Weather maps are used to plan for the day by showing what the weather will be like in a certain area for the day and coming days.
• Meteorologists, scientists who study the atmosphere, use computer systems, satellites, and observations to forecast the weather.

Reading a Weather Map

• Most weather maps have a legend that acts as a key to understand the symbols on the map.
• The legend explains what each symbol on the map represents, such as 'H' for higher pressure indicating nice, clear weather.

Types of Weather Maps

• Satellite maps take pictures of Earth from space, showing cloud cover and major weather changes.
• Doppler radar maps use the Doppler effect to detect how a target is moving, displaying information about storms and precipitation.
• Precipitation maps display where different types of precipitation will occur, using symbols or colors to indicate rain, snow, etc.
• Temperature maps show the temperature of a particular area for a given time.
• Front maps show cold fronts (cold air replacing warm air) and warm fronts (warm air replacing cold air).
• Wind Speed maps display how rough the winds will be, useful for planning outdoor activities like flying a kite.