MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO METEOROLOGY

A. Meteorology
- one of the oldest observa0onal sciences in human history and perhaps the most relevant to a
broad segment of society
- Some of our first observa0onal meteorologists and weather forecasters were shepherds,
farmers and sailors whose livelihoods and safety depended upon understanding and
predic0ng the weather.
- Shepherds guarding their flocks on the ancient hill- sides looked skyward for signs of changes
in the weather.
- Farmers no0ced that rain or drought could destroy crops if they were planted or harvested at
the wrong 0me. Sailors experienced severe storms at sea or long delays if they were
“trapped” in areas of calm.
- These groups gathered data through keen observa0ons, which proved important as a
founda0onal database of weather informa0on.

The following are old adages that relate to weather changes:

- Red sky at night, sailors’ delight.
- Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.
- Aches in bones and joints indicate changes in the weather.
- Wind that causes leaves to turn upward on trees indicates the coming of weather changes.
- Lack of dew on the grass in early morning indicates changing weather.
- A circle around the moon indicates impending precipita0on.

B. Common Meteorological Terms

• Air Mass: A large amount of air that has the same proper0es (temperature, water vapor,
and stability).
• Dew point: The temperature to which air must be cooled to create a cloud (or rain).
• Front: A boundary between 2 air masses.
• Humidity: Usually a reference to rela0ve humidity. A percentage of the amount of water
vapor in the air compared to the amount the air can hold.
• Pressure: The weight of the air above the ground, measured in inches of Mercury (" HG),
millibars (mb), or Pascals (pa)
• Stability: A measure of the buoyancy of air. Unstable air will tend to rise and sink easily,
while stable air will generally remain sta0onary in terms of ver0cal movement.
• Temperature: The average kine0c energy of an object, usually an air mass.

C. Meteorology is important because of the impact of air condiLons on life.

- First of all weather forecas0ng has vital role in urban administra0on. Ci0es preparing extreme
weather condi0ons such as tornadoes, snowstorms in order to prevent disasters.
- Second, long term weather forecas0ng is important for agriculture. Drought can cause
starva0on.
- Meteorology is important for farmers since crops need water to grow up.
- Meteorology is also important for both air and marine transporta0on. Windy weather effect
planes and ships. Lightnings can be dangerous for planes. Sea waves give hard 0mes to ships.
Airports stop their opera0ons and ships stay on harbors in extreme weather condi0ons.
- inform the world's governments on the rate of global warming and how they need to up their
game in preven0ng further temperatures rise
- inform the ci0zen on what temperatures to expect and hence plan accordingly

D. Weather forecasLng
- the applica0on of current technology and science to predict the state of the atmosphere for a
future 0me and a given loca0on; PAG-ASA

The weather forecas0ng has now become a science and it is performed by adop0ng the
following procedures (steps) :
1. recording of weather data (temperature, pressure, wind speed and direc0on, cloud forms,
humidity and precipita0on, visibility, storms etc.)
2. collec0on of weather data from weather recording (observa0ons centers) sta0ons sca[ered
world over including both land and ocean surfaces
3. transmission of weather data collected form major weather sta0ons to sub centers .

On the basis of dura0on of the validity of forecasts into three types as follows :
1. Short range weather forecasts
2.Medium range weather forecasts
3. Long range weather forecasts

A. Short range weather forecast

• Most useful predic0ons of weather wherein forecasts valid from few hours to 48 hours and
some0me 72 hours
• Based on maps weather charts , satellite images
• Determines change of atmospheric weather of a specific loca0on
• Persistent method & con0nuity methods are applied .
• Helps in transporta0on and fishermen .

B. Medium range weather forecast

• It covers the 0me span from 3 days to 3 weeks.
• This predic0on is helpful for farmers
• This predic0on is done by calcula0ng the average of past and present weather condi0on.

C. Long range weather forecast

• It covers a 0me span from a fortnight to a season of the year.
• These are basically statements ,exact accuracy is minimum .
• Not so detailed informa0on.
E. Units used in Meteorology