Weather ToolsMeteorologists use many tools to help them analyze weather data. The Beaufort wind scale was developed in 1805 by Sir Francis Beaufort of the Royal Navy. He wanted a consistent way to measure wind force on fighting ships. Today's version states the wind's effects on land as well as sea. Celsius and Fahrenheit are two scales used to measure temperature. Doppler radar is a type of radar that "sees" rain and snow and measures wind speed and direction. It is most useful for short-range forecasts on the day of the weather event. Infrared radiation is an invisible form of radiation given off by all objects both day and night. Satellites equipped with infrared sensors take images of clouds and of the Earth's surface. Nor'easters are storms that move north up the East Coast of the United States. Severe nor'easters can bring high winds, heavy precipitation, and low temperatures. A station model uses symbols to show weather conditions. Thunderstorms can produce dangerous weather conditions. The wind chill index combines temperature and wind speed to estimate how cold it "feels." Materials are available in PDF format. Acrobat 5.0 or higher is recommended. Download information can be found at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Download Microsoft Active Accessibility. |