This Weather for Kids course is designed for parents to begin teaching their children about the weather and how it affects their world. It is primarily intended as a fun learning experience for both parents and kids, but it has a secondary goal of creating the basis for a life-long interest in science and nature.
Whether this interest grows to the point of further studies and an eventual pursuit of a career or studies in a S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field is not important at this point.
What is important is that kids and parents share a sense of discovery as they learn about the world around them.
Weather and Science should be part of the child’s curriculum in school. We feel that by sharing these topics outside of a school environment so the child will have greater enthusiasm towards their lessons.
What’s more, this enthusiasm will carry over into other subjects. Children who are raised in an environment where learning for its own sake is encouraged are more likely to have greater success throughout their education. Greater success in school is just the icing on the cake. There are more than seven billion people living on the planet, and every one of them feels the effect of weather.
Talking about the weather has always been one of mankind’s most common conversation topics. We all enjoy nice weather and complain when it is not, but if we understand the weather even a little bit, then frightening and dangerous conditions become less scary. If the child is less scared in a dangerous weather situation, she is more likely to make the correct decisions and stay safe.
Check out the first 5 Chapters of our Weather for Kids Course
In this section we will discuss weather instruments:
Instrument calibration
Temperature Gauges
Wind Gauges
Pressure Gauges
Humidity Indicators
Rain Gauges
The best way to know what the weather is doing is to step outside and feel it for yourself. Weather Measuring Instruments by themselves cannot tell us if it is a nice day, but they will measure the things that make the weather enjoyable or miserable. In this discussion, we will explore how both digital/electronic and traditional analog instruments function.
Calibration is an important concept to understand with any weather measuring instruments.
If an weather instrument is calibrated we know that whatever it is measuring will be the same as the measurements taken by other instruments. If the thermometer outside your window says the temperature is 72°F, then another thermometer in the same spot should read the same if both instruments are calibrated to the same standard.
This is very important if weather data is being shared over a weather station network like WeatherUnderground or the National Weather Service, but it is also reassuring to know that the instruments in your home weather station are accurate. Highest quality weather instruments are calibrated to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and the calibration can be tracked for the life of the instrument.
Temperature Gauges (weather instrument)
Thermometers are probably the most familiar weather instruments. Many homes have a thermometer or two mounted outside, and it is not uncommon for public buildings to have a temperature display incorporated into their signs.
Thermometers measure temperature, of course, but they do not always tell the full story when it comes to “how hot is it today?”
Measuring comfort seems subjective, but heat index and wind chill can be very useful for understanding human performance as well as comfort. Air temperature is just one element of these measurements, but it is a very important one.
If you are looking for simple and reliable temperature gauge that also show the comfort check our top pick from ThermoPro TP50 . Any gauge from your local store will also do a decent work, however the accuracy depends form brand to brand and instrument to instrument.
ThermoPro TP50 – Temperature Gauge – also indicates comfort level
Liquid thermometers are traditionally the most common. They are traditionally referred to as mercury thermometers, even though real mercury is difficult to find due to its expense and the danger of accidental mercury poisoning.
Liquid thermometers take advantage of the fact that liquid expands at a known and measurable rate in response to temperature changes. The warmer the temperature, the higher the level of liquid in the thermometer tube and the level is compared to a scale built into the thermometer case, or sometimes etched into the tube itself.
The other common form of analog thermometer is the dial type. These work on the principle that different metals expand at different rates in response to temperature change. Strips of two different metals are bound together and then formed into a coil spring. As the temperature changes, the different expansion rates will force the coil to tighten or straighten. The coil is attached to a simple clockwork mechanism attached to a dial where we can read the temperature.
Digital temperature gauges include thermocouplesand thermistors. A thermocouple is similar to the bimetallic element of a dial thermometer, except that rather than turning a dial as a result of temperature changes, the two metals in the element create an electrical charge that changes according to temperature.
Thermistors are a type of electronic resistor made of metal oxides encased in epoxy or glass. As temperature changes, so do the electrical resistance of the device, which can be measured and displayed.
Wind Gauges – Weather instruments
Wind direction and speed are measured by wind vanes and anemometers. Knowing the direction the wind is coming from is important in predicting the sort of weather it will bring with it.
Traditional wind vanes are a common sight commonly seen on barn-tops and chimneys. They are mounted on the highest spot available so as to read wind direction without interference.
They consist of a pointer and a flat vertical material mounted behind a pivot point. As the wind acts on the flat element, the pointer points in the direction the wind is coming from. When mounting a wind vane, especially an electronic one, it is important to use a compass to ensure the instrument is mounted in relation to true north.
Mechanical Anemometers are instruments that measure wind speed. They take their measurement by counting the rotations of the shaft over a period of time. Cup anemometers have a vertical shaft with three or four hemispherical cups mounted on arms perpendicular to the shaft. Three cup anemometers are considered more accurate because there is less interference.
If you don’t want to buy, you can make a DIY anemometer at home. Check the procedure here and watch the video on how to make an anemometer at home.
Propeller or vane anemometers have horizontal shafts with a propeller mounted on the end. The propeller itself is intrinsically more accurate at sensing wind speed, but must be held directly into the wind, so the unit is often incorporated into a wind vane. The advantage of the cup type anemometer is that it will sense wind strength from any direction.
Kestrel 5500 one of the best Wind Meters on the market
You can also teach your kids how to make a DIY Anemometer at home. It’s really fun and easy. Watch this “How to make Anemometer” video.
Wind-chill is a measurement of relative comfort. Cold weather “feels” colder since moving air removes heat from a body faster than still air. There are charts and formulas for measuring wind chill at various temperatures and wind speeds, but most electronic weather stations which have an anemometer and a temperature gage will derive wind-chill from installed software.
Pressure Gauges
Atmospheric or barometric pressure measurements are helpful in predicting weather. Generally steady or rising pressure indicates fair weather while a falling pressure means a storm or foul weather is approaching.
Barometers are the instruments used to measure atmospheric pressure.
The earliest type of barometers were the liquid type. This instruments air made by drawing liquid up into a clear (glass) tube and sealing the top of the tube. The liquid is held in the tube by the vacuum created in the top portion. The open bottom is placed below the surface of an open reservoir. As air pressure increases, the liquid in the tube rises.
A more common mechanical barometer is the aneroid type. These operate by comparing pressure between the inside and outside of a sealed “can”. The can has a flexible top that will flex in or out as the outside pressure changes. A very simple aneroid barometer can be made at home by placing a rubber diaphragm over a jar.
Pull a piece of a balloon over the mouth of the jar and seal it with a rubber band.
Tape a long pencil to the diaphragm as a pointer.
As pressure drops, the diaphragm will swell out and the point of the pencil will point lower, and pressure rises the diaphragm will be forced inward and the pencil will point higher.
Electronic pressure readings used by most home weather stations (and some Smartphones) are taken by a piezoresistive strain gauge. These devices have the advantage of being extremely sensitive and accurate in a small size.
Humidity Indicators
Is a measurement of the amount of moisture in the air. At specific temperatures and pressures, air can only hold a certain amount of water vapor. Relative humidity measures the amount of water vapor present compared to the amount air at the local temperature can hold. When relative humidity is 100% the air is said to be saturated.
At high relative humidity levels, liquid water cannot evaporate, and when humidity passes 100% water vapor condenses into liquid. As the temperature falls, the air will reach its saturation point, also called the “dew point”.
Humans regulate their body temperature with the evaporation of sweat. As humidity increases, evaporation of the sweat on the skin is less effective. This is the basis for the “heat index”, which measures how hot it “feels” at different temperature and humidity levels. Human performance, health, and comfort can be compromised at high heat index levels.
Measuring humidity is done with an instrument called a hygrometer. One type of analog hygrometer is a psychrometer, which consists of two thermometers. One thermometer is kept dry while the other has a moist fabric over the bulb. A
s the moisture in the fabric evaporates it cools the thermometer relative to the dry temperature and comparing the two readings give relative humidity.
Electronic hygrometers are usually of the capacitance type. The sensor has a polymer layer which absorbs moisture from the surrounding air, which changes the device’s capacitance. Most electronic weather stations mount the temperature gauge and the humidity gage near each other and use software to calculate heat index and dew point.
Analog Rain Gauges are among the most simple of all weather instruments to understand. Rainfall is measured by the amount of participation to fall over a certain area. Thus, all a rain gauge needs is a straight walled vessel with an open top. It can be as simple as a tin can placed on level ground. The disadvantage to such a simple instrument is that the observer needs to check it personally on occasion, measure the amount of liquid inside, and then dump out the water.
Electronic rain gauges measure rainfall amounts using a self-emptying tipping bucket sensor. The device consists of a funnel which directs rainfall into the bucket assembly. The bucket is divided into two chambers on either side of a teeter-totter mechanism. As the upper chamber fills, the bucket tips and that chamber spills its contents while the next chamber fills.
Every time the bucket tips, an electric switch is closed, and rainfall is measured by counting the number of times the connection is made.
Q1: What is the functional difference between a thermocouple and a thermistor?
Q2: What is the advantage of a cup type anemometer over a propeller type?
Q3: The cup type anemometer can read wind speed regardless of wind direction.
Q4: What does a falling barometer generally indicate?
Q5: Falling barometric pressure usually indicates an approaching storm or foul weather.
Q6: How does a psychrometer measure relative humidity?
Q7: How is rainfall measured?
Answers:
A1: thermocouple measures the voltage generated by two dissimilar metals at different temperatures while a thermistor changes electrical resistance as temperature changes.
A2: The cup type anemometer can read wind speed regardless of wind direction.
A3: Falling barometric pressure usually indicates an approaching storm or foul weather.
A4: The psychrometer measures the difference between a wet-bulb and a dry-bulb thermometer. As greater evaporation will lower the wet-bulb temperature, there will be less temperature difference at high humidity levels.
A5: The amount of rain falling over a specific area.
In this section, we present some simple weather experiment projects which will give you a hands-on lesson about how weather and weather instruments work, and how to make a homemade weather instrument at home.
None of these projects can completely replace a fully featured electronic weather station, but they are useful for understanding what the weather station is displaying. These procedures will also help you on how to make weather instruments for school projects.
Weather Experiment #1: Make a Cloud In a Bottle
Have you ever looked up at a cloud and wondered how a cloud is made and how it gets up there? In this simple demonstration, we will see the process in miniature inside of a 2-liter soda bottle. What happens inside of the bottle is very similar to what occurs in the atmosphere.
The mechanism of this weather experiment is to pressurize the air inside the bottle and then releasing it. The pressure release is very sudden in the bottle while it happens rather slowly in nature, but the results are basically the same.
Weather Experiment #2: A Homemade Thermometer
This demonstration shows us how a liquid thermometer works. There are many variations on this weather experiment, and it is very simple to do with just a few materials that you probably have around the house. Some people have made these thermometers using plastic water bottles.
The problem with the plastic is that it is flexible so it is easy to get a higher reading if you accidentally squeeze the bottle. However, either glass or plastic will work for demonstration purposes.
What keeps the bottle thermometer from being a useful weather instrument is the difficulty in calibrating the instrument and devising an accurate and readable scale. We are including this second link which shows how commercial and scientific grade thermometers are made.
Experiment #3: Making and Using Homemade Barometers
As you may recall from our discussion of weather instruments, there are two common types of non-electronic barometers, the liquid barometer and the aneroid barometer. Simple aneroid barometers are quite easy to make as you will see in the video. What makes this project even more interesting is that your homemade barometer is actually useful for making short-term weather predictions.
The homemade barometer does not have to be calibrated in atmospheres or Inches of Mercury to make predictions, rather, observe the change in the reading. If the needle is lower than the last time you looked at it, there may be a storm coming. If the needle is rising it indicates rising pressure and fair weather is on the way.
Traditional liquid barometers are made using mercury as the liquid. However, mercury is not only expensive to obtain, it is highly toxic to work with. It is possible to make a scientifically accurate barometer using water, but the tube must be very long. This video shows how to make a smaller barometer that is accurate enough for weather prediction and will look nice on a shelf.
Experiment #4: A Simple Wind Vane
Knowing which direction the wind is blowing from can be important for predicting the weather in your area. Wind blowing from the interior of the continent is usually dry and cold, depending on the time of the year, while wind coming from the sea may be warm and moist, bringing storms.
A wind vane is one of the most basic weather instruments. You may have seen decorative wind vanes on top of barns and other tall structures. Even though they seem like they are decorations, they can serve a useful purpose. The wind vane project in the video will not last as long as a metal one, but it will demonstrate how the device works.
Experiment #5: Rain Gauge
Monitoring a simple rain gauge is a good way to develop the habit of observing and recording weather conditions. Your weather notes can be used for a school science presentation, not to mention that it is good information to have on hand. The rain gauge can also be used to monitor irrigation. Simply place the gauge on the lawn when you turn on the sprinkler and you will keep the grass green without overwatering.
Interested in becoming a storm chaser? You’re in the right place!
In this article we will:
Learn who storm chasers are and why they do it.
How the National Weather Service uses information gathered by storm spotters and storm chasers to help everyone be safer.
How to find a storm-chasing mentor.
How to conduct your own storm chase.
You may have seen exciting video footage of a tornado or thunderstorm on TV or YouTube, or perhaps you have seen storm chasers on reality TV or in the movies Twister (1996) or Into the Storm (2014). Some of the footage you see is from people who just happen to have a camera handy when a storm comes their way, but the best of it is probably shot by Storm Chasers who make it their business to go out and observe radical weather first hand.
Seeing a violent storm up close, feeling the strength and violence of the wind and feeling the bite of the rain and hail can be a frightening and exciting experience at the same time. In fact, the whole idea of storm chasing seems a little crazy to most people who are more likely to seek shelter when that a storm is coming.
For people who do enjoy the thrill of experiencing violent weather firsthand, there is the satisfaction that even a clip of a storm shot with a phone camera can help researchers and scientists to better understand tornadoes and thunderstorms.
Photo by Brian A Morganti/stormeffects.com
What Is A Storm Chaser?
A Storm Chaser is anyone who looks for heavy weather conditions, no matter what their motivation. They may be interested in collecting scientific data, producing news or media coverage, seeking adventure, or simply curious to know what it is like in a severe storm. Very few people actually make a living as storm chasers. Most of the footage and data available comes from people who take up storm chasing as a hobby.
The National Weather Servicedoes not encourage people to take up storm chasing, in fact, since their mission is the protection of life and property from the damaging effects of weather, NWS does all they can to keep people away from dangerous storms. However, the Service does provide training for Tornado and Thunderstorm Spotting, and spotters are a vital link in the heavy weather warning system.
As exciting and dangerous as storm chasing can be, it is probably not the best pastime for an adrenaline junkie. Yes, there will be a lot of adrenaline if you actually find yourself face to face with a tornado, but the chances to actually see a storm up close can be few and far between. Probably the easiest way to enjoy storm chasing is to sign up for a storm chasing tour group.
These can cost thousands of dollars, and even though they take reservations months in advance of tornado season, none of the operators can really guarantee to get you up close and personal with a major storm. You can expect to spend the entire 6-10-day tour crisscrossing the Great Plains in a van with the possibility of seeing nothing more than some beautiful scenery.
Check out F5 Tours, Silver Lining Tours, or Tempest Tours to see what is included in their packages.
It is possible for a new storm chaser to “go for it alone”, but it is better and safer to find a mentor, an experienced storm chaser who knows what they are doing to show you the ropes. Of course, the best mentors will be someone who has a great deal of storm-chasing experience, and they are also the sort of people who will have little patience with someone who is not going to take the hobby seriously.
An online forum likeStormtrack is a great place to learn about storm chasing and to introduce yourself to experienced storm chasers.
Here are some tips that will help an experienced storm chaser take you seriously. Begin by learning as much about storms and weather as you can.
Training as astorm spotter with the NWS is a good way to show that you take learning about weather seriously.
Making observations on a home weather station and recording them is another way. Remember, you don’t always have to chase storms to learn about them, sometimes they will come to you. Learning to understand everything that your weather station is displaying and what it means is a great education for a beginning storm chaser. With the correct accessories, you can even display your home weather station data on your personal weather website and connect to an online weather station network.
Storm Chaser Equipment & Skills Needed
There are a few skills that storm chasers need to develop in order to get the most out of their hobby. The first is to learn how to monitor a VHF radio for weather alerts from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Portable VHF radios are probably the most useful because you can leave them plugged in while you are monitoring and take them in the vehicle with you during a chase. Our recommended choice is the Uniden MHS75 that you can find on Amazon.
Once you have determined that there is a storm in your area to chase, locate it on a map and program the information into a GPS device. It is best for storm chasers to work as a team of at least two. The driver needs to keep his full concentration on not only the normal hazards of driving, but heavy weather can present sudden and unexpected hazards, such as flooded roads, downed power lines, low visibility, and other confused drivers who are not prepared for the same dangers.
One of the team members should take care of all the navigation duties, tracking the storm’s progress from the radio, finding its location on the map, and tracking the data from a GPS device. When the tornado or thunderstorm is in sight, drive parallel to its track to follow it. When it is safe, pull to the side of the road, turn on the hazard flashers, and take pictures of the event. It is best to remain inside the vehicle while recording to protect against a lightning strike.
Even though your team will be tempted to get as close as possible to get the best pictures, keep the following in mind for safety.
The hazards of driving in heavy weather include standing water on the road which can cause hydroplaning and a loss of control, low visibility, hail which can make the road slick and damage the vehicle, and heavy winds that can make it hard to control the vehicle.
Break off the chase and move towards safety when lightning begins striking every 15 seconds or hail begins falling in sheets.
After a successful storm chase, you can submit a recording to the event to a branch of the National Weather Service who will use your images to create a better understanding of weather hazards, post the video on your website or on YouTube, and then congratulate yourself for facing and experiencing Nature’s fury up close and personally.
The Final Question: Can I Make Money From Storm Chasing?
In all honesty, most will never make a living from storm chasing. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. Storm chasers can definitely earn a decent living from multiple streams.
Selling Storm Footage
Based on research done in 2020 online, it seems to be the case that news cases will often be willing to pay $400-$600 for quality storm footage. Take that with a grain of salt: the value of the footage will vary a lot. Certain areas, such as those with higher risk, may pay (substantially) higher too.
Offering Storm Chasing Tours & Expeditions
Once you’re a very experienced storm chaser, you can make money by taking people on tours yourself. It’s entirely possible to earn thousands of dollars from taking other enthusiasts out with you to experience the thrill.
YouTube
Although it’s potentially a less reliable income stream, definitely consider uploading your footage to YouTube & monetizing. Bonus points for personality: viewers will buy into you personally, as much as they will quality storm footage.
What a Meteorologist does and who do they work for
What education a meteorologist need
How the Military needs meteorologists and how they are trained
How to become a meteorologist with a home weather station
Photo by Washington Post
A meteorologist is a scientist who studies weather and the atmosphere. They work for government agencies, private business, in education, consulting and research services, and for TV and radio stations. The public is most familiar with meteorologists who provide weather forecasting in media.
Most professional meteorologists will attain a four-year college degree in meteorology or a related science. The course of study will be heavy on math because modern weather forecasting depends upon compiling data from hundreds or thousands of observation sites then creating and analyzing computer models based on the data.
If you plan on studying meteorology, it is best to start in high school. If your school offers calculus, computer programming and physics courses, you can start college ahead of the game. If you just want a straightforward and funny tool for your kid to start with, check out the Scientific Explorer Wacky Weird Weather Kit. We guarantee that both you and your child will have a ton of fun with this game.
Scientific Explorer Wacky Weird Weather Kit
Another option to receive the latest “Hands On” meteorological training is through military service. Both the US Navy and Air Force require up to date and accurate local weather information to accomplish their missions. Both services use enlisted specialists to collect and interpret both locally collected weather data as well as satellite data.
An enlisted weather specialist will be required to complete Enlisted Basic Military Training (“Boot Camp”) for their service, and then attend a specialized technical school. The Navy’s Aerographer’s Mate (AG) Class A Technical School and Air Force Weather Specialist technical training is held at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. Your local Military recruiter can provide more detailed career information.
Many of the instruments that a professional meteorologist uses are just like the ones that come with a home professional weather station. In fact, many weather hobbyists are able to connect their weather stations to a central data collection point so that weather scientists can use the data collected by amateurs for weather modeling and forecasting.
Review Quiz:
Q1: Why is studying math so important for meteorologists?
Q2: What are two military enlisted career specialties that work with weather and gathering meteorological data?
Answers:
A1: Meteorology is a science of observation, and the most efficient and accurate way to make sense of the thousands of data points gathered around the world each day is through complex computer-based mathematical models.
A2: Air Force Weather Specialists and Navy Aerographer’s Mates.
