What is Weather?
Weather is a mixture of day-to-day conditions of an atmosphere at a place with respect to humidity, temperature, wind and speed determine the weather of a place.
It can be sunny, cloudy, cold or clear and most weather happens in the troposphere, the part of Earth's atmosphere that is closest to the ground.
A natural phenomenon that maintains equilibrium in the atmosphere.
It is different in different parts of the world and varies over minutes, hours, days and weeks.
It also varies according to longitudes, latitudes and pressure differences. The disasters like cyclones, Tornadoes causing property loss or life loss are called severe weather conditions.
Types of Weather
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Depending on the condition of the atmosphere, we named these conditions as the ‘weather’.
It is of various types that are discussed below:
Cold
Cloudy
Humid
Rainy
Sunny
Hot
Windy
Stormy
Hurricanes
Cyclones
Tornadoes
Wet
Dry
Snow
Typhoons
Sand-storms
Snow-storms
Foggy
Thunderstorm
Sleet
Wildfire
Thundersnow
Hail
Blizzard
Mist
Avalanche
Elements of Weather
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There are nine main elements or components (or parts) of weather that are discussed below:
Temperature
Wind velocity and direction
Humidity
Rainfall
Snow
Cloud formation
Sunshine
Thunder
Lightning
These all are the important elements and they together describe the weather of any place at any given time.
Elements of Weather and Climate
There are many elements or components of weather and climate that describe the weather and climate of a geographical location at a given time that are discussed below:
Temperature
Atmospheric pressure
Cloudiness
Topography
Solar irradiance (sunshine)
Humidity
Precipitation
List of Weather Conditions
There are six main components or list of weather conditions that are as follows:
Atmospheric pressure
Precipitation (It Could be rain, hail, sleet or snow)
Temperature
Wind
Humidity
Cloudiness
These components together determine the weather of a given place at any given time.
List of Weather Seasons
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There are five weather seasons namely,
Winter
Summer
Autumn
Spring
Monsoon
Instruments Used to Measure Weather
Every physical quantity has a standard measurement (units or SI units).
For measuring each quantity there is always something called an instrument that is required to measure its magnitude.
Just like a line is measured by using a scale, body temperature by a thermometer, weight by a weighing machine.
Similarly, the weather is also measured by using an instrument.
There are various instruments to measure weather of a geographical location at a particular time.
Let’s discuss some common instruments:
Anemometer
An instrument that measures the wind speed.
Wind Vane
It tells the direction of the wind.
Sling Psychrometer
It measures the relative humidity.
Thermometer
It measures the air temperature.
When air around the tube heats up the liquid (of mercury or alcohol), the liquid rises up and that tube estimates the actual temperature.
Hygrometer
An instrument to measure the humidity of the air.
Rain Gauge
It measures the amount of rain fallen over a time-period.
Weather Balloon
It measures the weather conditions high up in the atmosphere.
Weather Satellites
It captures photographs to track large-scale air motions taking place over the Earth’s surface from space.
Barometer
Used by meteorologists to measure air pressure.
When the barometer readings rise up, it indicates dry and sunny weather.
When the barometer readings fall, it indicates rain and stormy weather.
Weather Maps
It shows the atmospheric conditions over a large portion of the Earth’s surface.
The weather measurements are formatted in special format and transmitted to WMO (World Meteorological Organization) to help the weather forecast model.
Importance of Weather Recording
Weather forecasting is the process of predicting weather conditions through application of the principle of physics.
There are several reasons why it is important to record the weather that are as follows:
The weather recording helps people make important decisions about various aspects of their day and their future activities.
In today’s time, people use instruments like thermometers and rain gauges so that they are able to make their own measurements and predictions precisely about the daily weather, especially the temperature.
Weather conditions can help people ascertain minor things like, "What clothes should I wear today?" to major things like, "Is it safe to travel on plane?".
Measuring the weather has become a lot more advanced.
Meteorologists are now able to warn people about bad weather that is approaching and that could have dangerous or disastrous consequences.
Estimating the weather has the ability to aid people, businesses, farmers, transport systems and provide warning/ alerting systems.
It is also important in determining an area's climate, that implies measuring the weather over a lengthy period of time, for which weather measurements are constantly broadcast throughout the day on television and radio so that people are kept updated on changes.
FAQs on Weather
1. What is weather?
Weather describes the day-to-day atmospheric conditions of a particular place. It includes short-term changes in elements like temperature, humidity, rainfall, and wind speed. For example, the weather can be described as sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy on any given day.
2. What are the key elements that determine the weather of a place?
The primary elements that determine the weather of a place, as per the CBSE syllabus, are:
- Temperature: The degree of hotness or coldness of the air, measured with a thermometer.
- Humidity: The amount of water vapour present in the air, measured with a hygrometer.
- Rainfall: The amount of precipitation, measured by an instrument called a rain gauge.
- Wind Speed: The speed at which air is moving.
These elements are recorded daily to create a comprehensive weather report.
3. How is weather different from climate?
The main difference between weather and climate is the timescale. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions over a short period, such as a day or a week. In contrast, climate is the average weather pattern of a place, calculated over a very long period, typically 25 years or more. For example, stating "it is cloudy today" describes the weather, while stating "deserts have a hot and dry climate" describes the climate.
4. What is the importance of the sun in causing weather changes?
The sun is the primary source of energy that drives almost all changes in the weather. It heats the Earth's surface unevenly, which causes changes in air temperature and pressure. This difference in pressure creates wind. The sun's energy also powers the water cycle by causing evaporation from oceans and lakes, which leads to the formation of clouds and eventually precipitation like rain.
5. How do meteorologists predict the weather?
Meteorologists, who are scientists studying weather, predict the weather by collecting and analysing vast amounts of data on current atmospheric conditions. They use instruments like thermometers, barometers, and rain gauges, along with advanced technology like weather satellites and radars. This data is fed into powerful computer models that simulate how the atmosphere is likely to behave, allowing them to create a forecast for the upcoming hours and days.
6. What is the difference between precipitation and rain?
Precipitation is a broad term for any form of water, whether liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface. On the other hand, rain is a specific type of precipitation consisting of liquid water drops. The main forms of precipitation include rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, and hail.
7. Why does the weather change so frequently, sometimes even within a single day?
Weather is highly dynamic because it is a result of complex and constant interactions in the atmosphere. Factors like wind can rapidly move large masses of air with different temperatures and humidity from one region to another. For example, a sudden shift in wind direction can bring in clouds and moisture, causing a sunny morning to quickly turn into a rainy afternoon. This continuous movement and interplay of air, heat, and water cause the rapid, short-term changes we experience as weather.
