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A Quick Review of Weather Station Models

An article about Weather & Climate

Refer to Pressure Table and Weather Map Symbols on page 13 of the Earth Science Reference Tables

Here is an example:

model

  1. What is the wind direction and wind speed?

    Answer: From the northwest at 25 knots

    Explanation: The wind feathers are located in the northwest quadrant. Wind is always described as the direction in which it blows from.

  2. What is the temperature (dry bulb temperature)?

    Answer: 39ºF

    Explanation: Temperature is located on the upper left side of the station model

  3. What is the dew point? Is precipitation likely? Why or why not?

    Answer and Explanation: 38ºF, precipitation is very likely because the air must cool by only 1ºF in order to reach the dew point and for the air to be 100% saturated. Also, there is 100% cloud coverage.

  4. What is the decoded pressure?

    Answer: 986.5 mb

    Explanation: You need to decide whether or not to put a 9 or a 10 in front of the 865 and then move the decimal over one place to the left. It’s either 986.5 mb or 1086.5 mb. Looking at the Pressure chart on page 13 of your Earth Science Reference Tables, you will see that 1086.5 mb is too high (does not fit on the chart) and therefore the correct answer is 986.5 mb.

  5. What is the barometric trend?

    Answer: -1.0 mb and falling

    Explanation: The barometric trend is located in the middle of the station model on the right side. The – symbol indicates that the barometric pressure has falling in the past 3 hours by 1.0 mb. 10 represents the coded barometric pressure. To decode the pressure, move the decimal place over one place to the left. The \ symbol indicates that the pressure is steadily falling.

  6. What was the barometric pressure 3 hours ago?

    Answer: 987.5 mb

    Explanation: Since the barometric pressure has fallen over the past 3 hours, I know that it was higher 3 hours ago than what it is now. It was 1.0 mb higher 3 hours ago so 986.5 mb + 1.0 mb = 987.5 mb

  7. What type of pressure system is approaching? What kind of weather is associated with this pressure system?

    Answer: A low-pressure system (or a cyclone).

    Explanation: The falling barometric pressure indicates that warm, moist air is approaching. This type of weather is associated with a low-pressure system.