Tools for Predicting Weather

Question

This activity will help you meet these educational goals:
You will collect data to answer scientific questions or test design solutions under a range of conditions.
Directions
Read the instructions for this self-checked activity. Type in your response to each question, and check your answers. At the end of the activity, write a brief evaluation of your work.

Activity
In this activity, you will visit the National Weather Service website and analyze the weather conditions for an area. Follow these steps to get started:

Go to the National Weather Service website, and select your state.
Click the Observed Weather tab. Under Product, select Daily Climate Report.
Select the town closest to yours from Location.
Alternatively, you can search for your location by following these steps.

Go to the National Weather Service website.
In the Local forecast by City and State window (upper left), type the name of your town. Click Go.
Select the town closest to yours from the list of names to open a new window.
Near the top left, click the link to your local forecast office. Under the forecast office name, click Climate and Past Weather. Then click Local from the menu that appears.
Click the Observed Weather tab. Under Product, select Daily Climate Report.
Select the town closest to yours from Location, and click Most Recent under Timeframe.
Click Go to create the climate data report.
In the report, MM indicates missing data. If the report for your town has too much missing data, choose another town of interest from the menu. Based on the report you get, answer the following questions.

Part A
What is the difference between your town’s minimum and maximum temperatures yesterday? In your answer, list one explanation for why temperature changes during the day.

Space used(includes formatting): 370 / 30000
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Part B
What do you think the Departure from Normal column means, and why is it important for weather scientists in terms of temperature and precipitation? In your answer, explain what conclusions you can draw about your town from this column.

Space used(includes formatting): 535 / 30000
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Part C
This chart describes wind intensity. Find the highest wind speed in your town yesterday in MPH. According to the chart, which level was it? (1 knot is nearly the same as 1 MPH.) Next, look outside and observe the wind. How would you classify the wind right now based on your observations? (Use the Appearance of Wind Effects column in the chart to help you.)

Space used(includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Part D
Go back to the National Weather Service website and click on a different town and state to get its weather conditions yesterday. How did the conditions compare to the conditions in your town?

Space used(includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Part E
Why does the weather office have multiple weather stations in a single state within a close distance of each other?

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Self-Evaluation
How did you do? Rate your work on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest score. Then write a brief evaluation of your work below. Note what you learned and what challenged you.

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Answer 1

Sure! Below are sample answers based on hypothetical weather data. Please adjust them according to the specific data you find on the National Weather Service website for your town.

Part A

The difference between my town’s minimum and maximum temperatures yesterday was 20°F (minimum of 50°F and maximum of 70°F). One reason temperature changes during the day is due to the sun's position in the sky. As the sun rises, it heats the Earth's surface, leading to higher temperatures throughout the day, peaking in the afternoon, before cooling down again in the evening as the sun sets.

Part B

The Departure from Normal column indicates how much the recorded temperature or precipitation differs from the historical average for that day. It is important for weather scientists as it helps them understand trends and anomalies in weather patterns. For instance, if my town's departure from normal for temperature was +5°F, this indicates that yesterday was warmer than usual, suggesting a possible trend of warming in the area.

Part C

The highest wind speed in my town yesterday was 15 MPH, which is classified as a "Breezy" level on the chart. Currently, I notice that gentle leaves are swaying and small branches are moving, so I would classify the wind as "Light Breeze," where the wind is noticeable, and the leaves rustle, but there is no strong effect on larger branches.

Part D

When I checked the weather conditions for a town 50 miles away, I found that their maximum temperature was lower by about 10°F than mine, and they experienced light rain while my town was sunny. This indicates that weather conditions can vary significantly even over short distances, often due to geographical features or microclimates.

Part E

The weather office maintains multiple weather stations within close proximity to monitor localized weather conditions accurately. Different areas can have varying topographies, urban development, and microclimates that affect weather patterns. Having multiple stations allows for more precise data collection and better forecasting which is essential for severe weather alerts and other critical services.

Self-Evaluation

I would rate my work a 5. I successfully gathered relevant data, analyzed it, and provided thoughtful responses to each question. I learned about the importance of comparing local weather data and how microclimates can influence weather conditions. The challenge was understanding some of the technical weather terms, but researching their meanings helped clarify everything.

Feel free to modify these answers based on the actual data and observations you make when you conduct the activity!