Meteorology is
one of the oldest
observational
sciences in
human history
and perhaps the
most relevant to
a broad segment
of society. Some
of our first observational meteorologists and weather
forecasters were shepherds, farmers and sailors whose
livelihoods and safety depended upon understanding
and predicting the weather.
Shepherds guarding their flocks on the ancient hillsides looked skyward for signs of changes in the
weather. Farmers noticed that rain or drought could
destroy crops if they were planted or harvested at the
wrong time. Sailors experienced severe storms at sea
or long delays if they were “trapped” in areas of calm.
These groups gathered data through keen observations, which proved important as a foundational
database of weather information.
The following are old adages that relate to weather
changes:
• Red sky at night,
sailors’ delight.
• Red sky in
morning, sailors
take warning.
• Aches in bones
and joints indicate
changes in the
weather.
• Wind that causes leaves to turn upward on trees
indicates the coming of weather changes.
• Lack of dew on the grass in early morning
indicates changing weather.
• A circle around the moon indicates impending
precipitation.
Can these adages be explained scientifically? Can
they become crude weather predictors? Perhaps after
an in-depth examination of some of the weather activities included in this booklet, these statements can be
reexamined. Additional weather adages may be added
to this list. See Appendices II and V for more adages.
Ask your students to think of others.
Questions for the Students: Can you think of ways
that weather changes affect activities and events in
modern society? Do you think weather has important
consequences for most people in modern society?
Why? Why not?
one of the oldest
observational
sciences in
human history
and perhaps the
most relevant to
a broad segment
of society. Some
of our first observational meteorologists and weather
forecasters were shepherds, farmers and sailors whose
livelihoods and safety depended upon understanding
and predicting the weather.
Shepherds guarding their flocks on the ancient hillsides looked skyward for signs of changes in the
weather. Farmers noticed that rain or drought could
destroy crops if they were planted or harvested at the
wrong time. Sailors experienced severe storms at sea
or long delays if they were “trapped” in areas of calm.
These groups gathered data through keen observations, which proved important as a foundational
database of weather information.
The following are old adages that relate to weather
changes:
• Red sky at night,
sailors’ delight.
• Red sky in
morning, sailors
take warning.
• Aches in bones
and joints indicate
changes in the
weather.
• Wind that causes leaves to turn upward on trees
indicates the coming of weather changes.
• Lack of dew on the grass in early morning
indicates changing weather.
• A circle around the moon indicates impending
precipitation.
Can these adages be explained scientifically? Can
they become crude weather predictors? Perhaps after
an in-depth examination of some of the weather activities included in this booklet, these statements can be
reexamined. Additional weather adages may be added
to this list. See Appendices II and V for more adages.
Ask your students to think of others.
Questions for the Students: Can you think of ways
that weather changes affect activities and events in
modern society? Do you think weather has important
consequences for most people in modern society?
Why? Why not?
The Structure of the Atmosphere
Surrounding the Earth is a gaseous envelope or
atmosphere, held in place by the planet’s gravitational
attraction. The Earth’s
atmosphere is a complex
dynamical, physical, and
chemical system. Dynamic processes cover a
large range of scales from
the microscopic-scale
dynamics of evaporation,
condensation, cloud
formation and precipitation, to small-scale,
localized vertical and
horizontal wind motions,
to medium-scale
cyclones, anticyclones,
hurricanes, typhoons,
tornadoes, thunderstorms,
fronts, etc., to the large scale general circulation
of the atmosphere.
Physical processes in the atmosphere include the
transfer of incoming solar radiation through the
atmosphere to the surface, the heating of the surface,
the emission of outgoing infrared radiation, the
absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases,
the evaporation of water, the condensation of atmospheric water vapor into clouds, and precipitation.
Chemical processes include the transformation and
production of atmospheric gases, such as atmospheric
ozone, via chemical reactions involving many dozens
of gases in the atmosphere.
While the Earth’s atmosphere extends upward for
hundreds of kilometers until it merges with interplanetary space, more than half of the atmosphere’s total
mass is below an altitude of only about 6 kilometers
(3.75 miles) above the surface. The
lowest region of the atmosphere, the troposphere,
extends from the surface to an altitude that varies from
10 to 15 kilometers (km) (6.2 to 9.3 miles (mi.)),
depending on latitude and season. The top of the
troposphere is called the tropopause. The regions of
the atmosphere above the troposphere are the
stratosphere (from between 10 and 15 to 40 km
(between 6.2-9.3 and 25 mi.)), the mesosphere (40 to
80 km (25 to 50 mi.)), the thermosphere (80 to 500 km
(50 to 310 mi.)) and the exosphere (begins at about
500 km (310 mi.)). The exosphere merges with
interplanetary space. The ionosphere is the region of
atmosphere between 40 and 300 km (25 and 185 mi.).
It is the region of positively-charged atoms and
molecules and negatively-charged electrons.
You can download the FREE Meteorologist lesson plan here. #homeschoolsciencelessonplans
https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/sites/default/files/lesson_plan_files/Meteorology%20-%20An%20Educators%20Resource.pdf
The higher the clouds the better the weather.
High clouds indicate fine weather will prevail.
Lower clouds mean rain.
If all stars are out at night,
it will be a nice day tomorrow.
When dew is on the grass,
no rain will come to pass.
A setting red sun means it’ll be hot tomorrow.
If the sun goes pale to bed ’twill rain tomorrow.
Red sky at night, sailors’ delight.
Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.
The evening red and morning gray
are sure signs of a fine day,
but evening gray and morning red
will bring rain upon your head.
If red the sun begin his race,
be sure the rain will fall apace.
if red the sun set in gray,
the next will be a rainy day.
When clouds look like rocks and towers,
the Earth will be refreshed by showers.
If clouds look as if scratched by a hen,
get ready to reef your topsails then.
Herringbone sky, neither too wet nor too dry.
(Cirrus clouds have a herringbone pattern.)
Mackerel sky, not 24 hours dry.
Mackerel sky, storm is nigh.
Mackerel sky, mackerel sky —
never long wet, never long dry.
Mackerel skies and mares’ tails
make ships carry shortened sails.
Mares’ tails mean storms and gales.
Horses’ manes and mares’ tails,
sailors soon shall shorten sails.
If clouds are gathering thick and fast,
keep sharp look out for sail and mast,
but if they slowly onward crawl,
shoot your lines, nets and trawl.
When the wind is blowing in the North
No fisherman should set forth,
When the wind is blowing in the East,
’Tis not fit for man nor beast,
When the wind is blowing in the South
It brings the food over the fish’s mouth,
When the wind is blowing in the West,
That is when the fishing is best!
No weather is ill, if the wind be still.
Every wind has its weather.
Yellow sky at sunset, wind in the morrow.
Rainbow in the morning,
travelers take warning;
rainbow at night,
traveler's delight.
Rainbow in the eastern sky,
the morrow will be dry.
Rainbow in the west that gleams,
rain falls in streams.
Grasshoppers chirp louder and louder
the hotter it gets.
If wooly fleeces deck the heavenly way,
be sure no rain will mar a summer's day.
When bees are out flying, there will be fair weather.
When they stay close to the hive, rain is coming.
(Bees do not swarm before a storm.)
March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb.
March winds bring April showers.
April showers bring May flowers.
Find more adages at these Web sites:
http://users.tpg.com.au/sharenet/wea/forecast.html
http://www.moonsmuses.com/weatherlore.html
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