Focus on
Geographic Inquiry

Observation

First observations must be taken of the various weather elements. Here we see the launch of a radiosonde (the white box attached to the balloon), an instrument that measures temperature, pressure and humidity through the atmosphere. Ground based observations and satellite images are also used to collect weather data.

Analysis

Data from hundreds of ground-based observations, radiosonde, pilot reports, and satellites are fed to three World Meteorological centers located in Australia, Russia and the United States. From here the worldwide weather information is sent to to a country's national meteorological center. The data is fed a variety of computer models, equations that relate to atmospheric energy and motion, for analysis and visualization of weather. The output of these models are used explain the present weather and predict future weather.

Explanation

Weather Channel Graphic
Click to graphic to enlarge

Discussion: a cold front from southern Canada into the Central Plains will be across Central Wisconsin by evening. Showers and a few thunderstorms can be expected in the vicinity of the front.

The output of computer analysis, along with many years of observations and training, help the geographers and meteorologists explain the weather occurring at a place.

Weather maps of present activity and text explanations are issued on a regular basis. Text discussions are provided to help explain what is visualized on the weather map.

Prediction

Weather Channel Graphic
Click to graphic to enlarge

The ultimate goal of our inquiry is to make predictions. In weather analysis the out put of data from our weather models is fed back into the model, run again increasing the time increment into the future. The results of the run are continually fed back into the computer until the desired time is arrived (e.g., 24 hour period, 48 hour, etc.) From these computer runs a prediction or forecast can be made.

A forecast map is a prediction of what we expect the weather to be like at a future time. Note the forecast position of the fronts (warm front = red; cold front=blue). A cold front in the upper Midwest is expected to sag southward kicking off showers in Iowa and Nebraska.