Read

Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere, over hours or days. Climate is the average weather over a long time, usually 30 years.

Weather stations measure temperature with a thermometer kept in a box called a Stevenson screen, rain with a rain gauge, wind speed with an anemometer and wind direction with a weather vane. Air pressure is measured with a barometer, and cloud cover is counted in eighths of the sky (oktas).

A wind is named after the direction it comes from: a west wind blows from the west.

Experiment: Run a class weather station

1. Choose an open spot in the school grounds, away from walls and trees. Put the rain gauge there.
2. Every day at the same time, read the temperature in the shade (not in sunshine).
3. Hold up the wind streamer. Use the compass to find where the wind comes FROM, and note how strong it is (calm, light, strong).
4. Look at the sky: how many eighths (oktas) are covered with cloud?
5. Read the rain gauge in millimetres, then empty it.
6. Compare your readings with the forecast from the day before. Was the forecast right?

Day	Temperature (°C)	Wind from	Cloud (oktas)	Rain (mm)	Forecast right?
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Questions

1. Draw a weather map symbol for a cold front and a warm front, and label them.

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2. Explain why the wind blows. Use the words 'Sun', 'pressure', 'high' and 'low'.

3. Was the forecast right on most days of your weather station week? Give an example.

4. What is the difference between weather and climate?

Sources for every fact on this sheet: echoesof.science/school/weather/sources/

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