A STORM IS COMING

What are the atmospheric readings as a storm approaches and departs a reporting station? Are there patterns or are they random?

For weather data from various weather stations, use Use the The Unisys Weather Map (click on Current Surface Map or Regional Data Plots),  WW210 (scroll down and click on surface observations map of the U.S. or your local region) from the University of Illinois, and/or Florida State University Weather Charts.

Please follow these directions:

  1. Obtain a weather map handout from your teacher.

    2. Mark the position of the storm on the weather map. Get the position of the storm from  Radar Summary from Intellicast/WSI Corp. or Radar Sumary from the Weather Channel (Click on Show map in motion on the bottom left) or use the Radar Plots from Unisys .
  2. Draw a line on the weather map showing the direction the storm has gone from to the direction it is going to.
  3. Choose at least six weather stations on or close to the line you drew. For example, station 1 should be furthest in front of the storm. Station 2 should be next. Station 3 and 4 should be under the storm. Station 5 should be behind the H or L. Station 6 should be furthest behind the storm.
  4. Then look the weather readings at the weather stations as the storm approaches the stations, is on the stations and passes the stations.
  5. Record the following data in a data table and then graph each of the results:
  6. Also record what happened to the wind direction in front of, under and behind the storm.

What are your conclusions? As a storm approaches and departs a reporting station do the pressure, temperature, relative humidity, or wind direction have patterns or are they random? If there are patterns, what are they?


Last modified 9/01/2001.

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