What Does A Weather Map Show

Meteorologists are scientists who study the atmosphere and predict the weather.

What does a weather map show. The most common type of surface weather map normally issued by a central weather office shows the distribution of surface isobars lines of constant pressure and the location of fronts and severe weather areas such as hurricanes and other storms. Patterns on the map show areas where rainfall or snowfall is predicted plus special symbols for thunderstorms hail sleet and ice. The picture shows an advanced weather map with isobar lines drawn on it. Weather maps show different weather indicators to tell about prevailing weather conditions in an area.

Such maps have been in use since the mid 19th century and are used for research and weather forecasting purposes. Some may show the atmospheric pressure or temperature. Weather maps come in different types telling a different weather story with each one. Weather maps as they appear on tv in a newspaper or here are called surface charts or more correctly mean sea level msl charts.

On a weather map a cold front is usually drawn using a solid blue line with triangles pointing in the direction of the warm air that will be replaced. Also remember that winds flow from high to low areas so this gives meteorologists a chance to predict local wind patterns as well. Generalized weather maps show predicted rain or snow. They do not show what is happening at higher levels where the wind flow may be doing something entirely different.

A weather map displays various meteorological features across a particular area at a particular point in time and has various symbols which all have specific meanings. Just as equations are the language of mathematics weather symbols are the language of weather so that anyone looking at a map should be able to decipher the same exact information from it that is if you know how to read it. They use computer systems satellites and their own observations to forecast the weather. Detailed maps show the cloud cover at reporting stations with coded circles.

They show what is happening at a set time where most of us need it at the earth s surface. A weather map and its symbols are meant to convey a lot of weather information quickly and without using a lot of words. A synoptic weather map will show areas of high pressure marked with an h areas of low pressure marked with an l and fronts which are the leading edges of current weather systems. Notice that it is easy to locate high and low pressure zones as a result of the lines on the maps.