THE WEATHER MAP 

The weather map is the most fundamental tool for understanding and predicting the weather. A large
number of weather map and charts are produced, at various hours of the day and in many forms, including a
large number of facsimile products, both land-line and marine radiofacsimile. Facsimile products are exact
reproductions of the original documents and are transmitted by wire or radio.

Weather maps received as facsimile products include numerous analysis charts, a great variety of prognostic
charts, and many other charts including satellite photographs, weather depictions, wave-height charts, cloud
studies, radar summaries, and sea-temperature and ice-information charts. A few of the common terms used
to refer to certain types of facsimile products or other weather charts are given below. 

Analysis Charts. These are maps that show the existing conditions at a given moment. They show the
pressure pattern, especially the centers of high and low pressure. They may also show the weather fronts and
other observational data from each observation station. Among the charts distributed by the National
Weather Service are several Surface Analysis and Upper-Air Analysis charts, Surface Pressure Change
Analysis, Maximum and Minimum Temperature Chart, the Observed 24-Hour Precipitation Amounts Chart,
Winds Aloft and Tropopause Chart, and Observed Snow Cover. The Surface Analysis Chart is the one
generally thought of as "the weather map." There are many printed forms of this chart, including the official
Daily Weather Map, and a great variety of simplified versions found in newspapers and magazines and on
television weather programs. 

Prognosis Charts. These are forecast charts. They show the expected or forecast conditions for an area at a
specified future time. They show the expected pressure pattern and may include additional forecast
information. Prognosis charts (progs) include the surface progs for 12,24,26, and 48 hr., the Low-Level
Significant Weather progs, Precipitation-Probability progs, Heavy-Snow Guidance Forecasts, Daily
Minimum and Maximum Temperature, the Severe Weather Outlook, the Wind-Wave/Swell/Combined Sea
Height Forecasts, and numerous upper-air and wind charts. 

Synoptic Charts. This is a term that refers to weather observations that are both in overall summary form
and made simultaneously at many observation points. Thus, the analysis chart is essentially a synoptic chart
and is frequently referred to as such. 

Significant Weather Charts. These are charts that focus on only the major weather patterns, such as frontal
systems, cloud patterns, precipitation regions, and for areas, Such charts may be either analysis (showing
recent conditions) or prognosis (showing forecast conditions). 

Nephanalysis Charts. These are charts that present analysis of satellite photographs of clouds (nepho-
indicates "clouds"). A satellite ice chart is included in this category, and some ice-edge information is
commonly included on the nephanalysis chart itself. 

Sea Conditions Chart. A variety of charts, both analysis and prognosis, depict sea conditions (primarily
from marine radiofacsimile). Some show the sea-surface temperatures, some show significant wave heights,
and some show the limits of sea ice. 

Upper-Air Charts. This is a term for a large variety of charts, both analysis and prognosis, of upper-air wind,
pressure, thickness, wind shear, vorticity, and significant weather. Such upper-air charts are presented for a
variety of upper air pressure surfaces (heights). 

Extended Forecast Charts. These are charts that present forecasts (prognoses) three or more days in advance.
Among these charts are the Extended daily Sea Level Prognosis, Extended Daily Precipitation Prognosis,
Daily Minimum and Maximum Temperature Forecasts, and Five-Day Mean Minimum and Maximum
Temperature Anomalies and Quantitative Precipitation classes and the Average Monthly Weather Outlook.
The surface-analysis chart is basic to all others. It tells you present or very recent weather conditions. It also
presents the symbolic language of meteorology that is the basis for understanding most other weather
charts. 

SYNOPTIC CHART

The word 'synoptic' simply means a summary of the current situation. In weather terms this means the pressure
pattern, fronts, wind direction and speed and how they will change and evolve over the coming few days.

Temperature, pressure and winds are all in balance and the atmosphere is constantly changing to preserve this
balance. This is why the UK sees such changeable weather.
 PROGNOSTIC CHARTS
1. A prognostic chart is a map displaying the likely weather forecast for a future time.
Suchcharts generated by atmospheric models as output from numerical weather prediction and
contain a variety of information such as temperature, wind, precipitation and weather fronts.

synoptic wave chart

(oceanography)
A chart of an ocean area on which is plotted synoptic wave reports from vessels, along with computed wave heights f
or areas wherereports are lacking; atmospheric fronts, highs, and lows are also shown; isolines of wave height and th
e boundaries of areas having thesame dominant wave direction are drawn.
ICE CHARTS

An useful tool in solving equilibrium problems is an ICE chart.

 "I" stands for the initial concentrations (or pressures) for each species in the reaction
mixture.
 "C" represents the change in the concentrations (or pressures) for each species as the
system moves towards equilibrium.
 "E" represents the equilibrium concentrations (or pressures) of each species when the
system is in a state of equilibrium.

Admiralty Routeing Charts

These charts are essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages. They include routes
and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses, with
expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year. Five charts
cover the oceans of the world; North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific and
the Indian Ocean.
Routing Charts are published by United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the US
equivalent published by NOAA is called US Pilot Charts.
Five charts cover the oceans of the world; North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South
Pacific and the Indian Ocean. There is a Routing Charts for each month.
List the data that is available on a Monthly Routeing Chart.

The data that is available on a Monthly Routeing Chart are as follows :

• Ice information - maximum ice limits.

• Position of ocean weather ships.

• Recommended tracks and distances.

 • Bailie wind rose.

• Areas of low visibility predominant.

• Mean air temperature guide.

• Beaufort wind force of 7 and higher predominant.(TRS).

• Dew point and mean sea temperatures.

• Loadline demarkation limits.

• Scale.

In addition,

Loadlines for the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Suez;

Iceberg limit and pack ice limit;

Ocean Currents - predominant direction and speed in knots.

Wind ROSE diagram that summarizes information about the wind at a particular location over a specified
time period. A wind rose was also, before the use of magnetic compasses, a guide on mariners’ charts to
show the directions of the eight principal winds. The modern wind rose used by meteorologists gives the
percentage of the time the wind blows from each direction during the observation period; it sometimes
shows the strengths of these winds and the percentage of the time calm air or light winds are observed. This
wind rose usually has eight radiating lines, whose lengths are proportional to wind frequency, and shows
wind strength by the thickness of the lines or by feathers attached to them. The frequency of calm or nearly
calm air is given as a number in the centre.
Wind Rose
Wind & current are vector quantities because they both possess two properties, those of
magnitude and direction.
The most important vector quantity in marine climatology is the wind. Wind observations
are usually summarized in the form of wind roses. These are diagrams showing, for each
area, the percentage frequency of winds from each direction by means of arrows, the length
of each arrow being proportional to the percentage frequency. Every arrow is divided into
segments, each segment representing winds between certain limits of strength.
Following fig. Illustrates the type of wind rose used in marine charts prepared by
meteorology office. The directions used are cardinal and inter cardinal compass points, all
directions between NNE and ENE are classed as NE and so on. Within 30° of equator,
however, the intermediate points are used because trade winds and monsoons are more
constant in direction than the winds at higher latitudes, and the use of only eight points
might blur this constancy.
For each direction the percentage frequency of Beaufort force groups 1-3, 4, 5-6, 7 & 8-12
are shown by the lengths of sections of the arrows. The thickness and shading of the sections
indicate which group of wind force they represent.
The frequency of calm or nearly calm air is given as a number in the centre.