1CEE 1331MeteorologyLab 6 Interpreting and Making Weather Maps

Introduction Weather maps are one of the primary outputs generated by all the methods that are used to observe our weather. The data from ground-based systems, weather balloons, weather radar, and satellites can be combined into a single figure. Good weather maps allow nonexperts to know what current conditions are at a variety of places. Weather maps are also prepared to summarize predictions i.e. forecasts! of what the weather will be like in the future. "n today#s lab, you will examine and create weather maps, with a particular focus on winds, wind speeds, and wind directions across the $nited %tates. Part 1: Current Conditions in allas !a" #our personal obser$ations &ust before you begin the rest of this lab, and during daylight hours, go outside and note the local weather, including sky cover and wind conditions. 'pproximate temperature ((((((((((( %ky cover ((((((((((( Winds (((((((((((((( )recipitation *+,! (((((((((((( -verall weather ((((((((((((( .ompared to yesterday (((((((((((((((((((((((((((( !b" %he obser$ations o& the 'ational Weather (er$ice and ')** Go to the /$nisys Weather0 website, http1++weather.unisys.com, which has tremendous amounts of great meteorological data. There are lots of good weather maps on this site. %elect /'nalyses - %urface 2ata0 on the left hand site index. This will take you to the surface data page. 3rom the surface data page, click on the map called /.urrent %urface 4ap0 at the top center of the page to get a larger image of the current surface map. 5ither print this map directly, or right click on it, /save as0 a .gif file, insert the gif into 4icrosoft Word, and print the Word file. These maps use bold red lines to indicate warm fronts, blue lines to indicate cold fronts, and pink lines to indicate occluded fronts. There are also station models on the map, which you can interpret using the keys on pages '-6 and '-7 of your textbook. Then, go back to the main page http1++weather.unisys.com+!, click on /%atellite "mages0 on the left hand side, and then click on the /.omposite 8iews0 link on the right hand

side. ,ow click on the small map at the center of the screen to see a larger map. This composite view will show a radar image of precipitation green, yellow, red! on top of the latest "9 satellite image of cloud cover. 'gain, either print this map directly when you are looking at it, or right click on it and save it for printing within a Word document. !c" *nalysis o& current conditions ,ow that you have your own observations, plus data from the ,W%, answer the following :uestions1 ;. $sing the terminology and principles you have learned this semester in class, in ;< sentences describe the weather conditions in 2allas when you made your observations, including temperature, sky cover, and wind speed and direction. =e sure to note whether you think the conditions are changing rapidly or will be stable for the next few hours. <. What are the dates and times the weather maps you obtained from the $nisys web site +ere created by ,nisys not the time you printed them!> The maps will be labeled, usually with ?ulu Time ?! or Greenwich 4ean Time G4T! at the top or bottom. $sing information from your textbook and or the internet, convert these times to .entral Time. @ow long ago did $nisys make these maps, compared to when you walked outside and made your own personal observations of the weather> 2o you think they will still be good indications of current and future weather> A. 2o the weather maps help you understand and explain the current local weather conditions you personally observed> What information on the weather maps supports what you observed, and what information on the weather maps seems to disagree with what you observed>
B.

=ased on what you remember the weather was like this morning and yesterday, how has the weather changed over the last ;<, <B, and A7 hours> .an you explain the change or lack in change in the weather with the features shown on the maps you printed from $nisys> "f you donCt remember what yesterdayCs weather was like, you can go to www.accuweather.com, enter the zip code, and then at the bottom of the page click on the )ast Weather .heck.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Part -: .igh and Lo+ Pressure (yste/s )$er the ,0(0

;.

Go to the following website1 http1++weather.unisys.com+surface+sfc(con(pres.html *ou will see a D)resD map of the $.%., with the barometric pressure shown in a color scale.

<. 4ap ' a. $sing one of the attached blank $.%. maps, draw the location of maEor high and low pressure systems across the $.%., using D@D and DFD. b. .ircle and shade in areas of the $.%. where the isobars are really close together thin bands!, and also the areas where the isobars are really far apart broad bands!. A. 4ap = a. ,ow, click on the DWspdD button at the top, to examine the wind speeds across the $nited %tates. $sing the color scale at the bottom, you can examine the parts of the country that have either high or low wind speeds. -n the second copy of the blank map, indicate the parts of the country with high winds, and the parts with low winds you can ignore tiny citysized dots of high or low winds!. b. @ow do the parts of the country with high winds compare to the regions of the D)resD map where the pressure lines the isobars! are close to each other> 'nalysis Guestion! c. @ow do the parts of the country with low winds compare to the regions of the D)resD map where the pressure lines the isobars! are far apart and broad> 'nalysis Guestion! ,oteH1 *ou can also observe current barometric pressure on this website, in case the unisys site is down for maintenance1 http1++www.usairnet.com+weather+maps+current+barometric-pressure+ and wind speeds on this one1 http1++www.usairnet.com+weather+maps+current+wind-speed+I B. ,ow click on the D%treamD button at the top of the $nisys map, to examine wind directions across the $.%. 5xamine the locations near the high and low pressure systems you drew on your first blank map. $sing arrows, draw the directions of the winds that are happening very near and one to two states away from the high and low systems on your first blank map. 3igures J.;6 and J.<K of your textbook show the DtypicalD pattern of winds around high and low systems. 're the actual winds today behaving as the DtypicalD winds usually do around highs and lows> 5xplain what the winds /typical0 patterns are, and how the winds today compare specifically.

Lab 1eport *our lab report should contain a cover sheet, with your name, the title of the lab, and the date you completed the lab. 't the beginning of your lab report, please write a A-B sentence paragraph explaining the lab procedure what you did, instruments used etc.!. *our lab should include all the items and answers to :uestions in parts " , "", and """. =e sure to include our maps with your the answers to your :uestions from )art ;, and then your work and answers to complete )arts < and A. )lease turn in your hand drawn isotherm map, and the answers to the :uestions in each section. *our report will be graded on its neat presentation, completeness, and your ability to provide accurate and reasoned answers. )lease describe all your reasoning.