Freezing level

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/freezing-level

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the vertical temperature profile?Determined by the rate at which temperature decreases with altitude
2. What is the forecasting parameter?Crucial for predicting precipitation type (snow, rain, freezing rain)
3. Why does the freezing level change with seasons?In summer, the sun heats the air and the freezing level can go above 4,500 meters (about 15,000 feet). In winter, cold fronts bring cold air and the freezing level can drop close to sea level.
4. How does the freezing level affect whether we get snow or rain?If the freezing level is high and the air near the ground is warm, snow can melt into rain. If the air near the ground is cold, snow stays as snow or can freeze into ice when it hits the ground.

Isotherm: A line on a map or chart connecting points of equal temperature.
Supercooled Water: Liquid water that remains liquid below its freezing point.
Numerical Weather Prediction: The process of forecasting weather using mathematical models and computer simulations.