Meteorology

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/meteorology

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 foundational drivers?Weather phenomena are driven by solar radiation, Earth's rotation, and ocean currents
2. What is the forecasting scales?Meteorological forecasts are made at microscale, mesoscale, synoptic scale, and global scales
3. How do scientists predict the weather?They use tools like barometers, thermometers, satellites, and computers to measure air pressure, temperature, and other data, then run models that calculate what will happen next.
4. Why is weather forecasting important for farmers?Farmers need to know when it will rain or be hot so they can plant, water, and protect their crops, helping the plants grow healthy.

Atmospheric Sciences: The overarching field encompassing meteorology, climatology, atmospheric physics, and chemistry.
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP): The process of forecasting weather by using mathematical models and computer simulations of atmospheric processes.
Chaotic Nature of Atmosphere: The inherent unpredictability of atmospheric systems due to their sensitivity to initial conditions (butterfly effect).