Video: What is the weather forecast?

﻿- Hello, you wonderful lot. I Miss Sully and welcome to your geography lesson. This is the first lesson out of 11 in the weather and climate unit. In today's lesson we're going to be looking at the weather forecast and we're going to look at how weather reports and symbols can be used to describe a weather of a specific place. You will need a pen and paper for today's lesson. So please feel free to pause the video now. So you can get everything in front of you. Also use this time to clear any distractions away. Great. Now that we've got everything we need, let's write down the lesson title which is on the screen. And that is what is the weather forecast? So write that at the top of your page. Okay. Now that's done. Let's get started. Well, that affects us in many ways. It's even helps us on a small scale like deciding what to wear that day, but it also helps us with large scale issues like managing impacts from big weather events, such as evacuating a place if a hurricane is on the way. So meteorologists measure weather conditions in different places and use this information to report and make forecast about future weather conditions. But what weather conditions do we measure? Firstly, we have temperature and temperature can significantly influence weather. For example, if temperatures are reaching below zero degrees Celsius, we might experience frost. But if temperatures are reaching highs of 30 degrees Celsius, we could experience a heatwave. A thermometer is what's used to measure temperature in degrees Celsius. Our second weather condition is precipitation which is the geographical term for the water vapour that falls from clouds, which can be in the form of drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pallets and hail. You might not have hear that keyword before, so from now on make sure to use precipitation. I'd like to see you pushing your geographical vocabulary so we are speaking and writing like geographers. Precipitation is measured using a rain gauge which is a funnel inside a graduated container. The depth of the rain in millimetres can be read from the side of the container. Thirdly, we have air pressure, but before we move on, what is air pressure? Pressure is the continuous physical force exerted on or against an object. Therefore, air pressure is the force exerted onto a surface by the weight of the air. And in the case that where we're discussing that object is the Earth's surface. Air moves above the earth surface due to different air pressure which can be caused by different temperatures. Low pressure is when the warm moist air rises creating clouds. When there is low pressure, we tend to have a lot of rain. The opposite of low pressure is high pressure which is when cool air is sinking, which leaves clear skies so that there are usually no clouds. Air pressure is measured by a barometer. Next is wind, that can actually be divided into wind direction, which is represented by the compass and that is used to measure the distance it's travelling from and wind speed. Wind speed can be measured using an anemometer. Finally, we have clouds cover which is measured in units called oktas. Each okta represents one eighth of the sky covered by cloud. Now that we've covered some weather conditions, let's see what you remember. On the screen you can see different images which it represent a certain condition that can influence the weather. On your piece of paper have a goal, a bullet pointing the different weather conditions. I'm going to set a 30 second timer and your time starts now. Half way. . Time's up, great work so we have temperature, precipitation, air pressure, wind direction and speed and cloud cover. But hang on a minute. What's the geographical definition of weather? Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere and it generally last days and weeks at the longest. Please pause the video to write down the keywords and definition on your piece of paper. Okay. Let's test our understanding of that keyword. Is the correct definition of weather option one? Which is weather is the long-term state of the biosphere. Is it option two? Weather is the long-term state of the atmosphere. Is it option three? Weather is the short-term state of the biosphere or is it option four? Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere. Five seconds to write down the correct option; one, two, three, or four. Five four three two one. It's option four. So well done if you got that correct. Synoptic chart symbols can be found on maps that summarise atmospheric conditions or weather. It displays information on temperature, precipitation wind speed and direction, air pressure and clouds coverage so everything that we went over at the start of the lesson. All this information is gathered from weather stations, aeroplanes, balloons and satellites. In regards to clouds cover, the more oktas means the more clouds cover there is which means there are more clouds in the sky. And in regards to wind speed, the more knots means the faster the wind. Let's have a look at what the symbols look like when they are all combined together. So first of all, we have a number which is positioned above the symbols. This number represents the temperature in degrees Celsius. So that means the temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. The circle represents clouds cover. So we will need to use the table on the screen to help us. So we need to look for a black circle with a white stripe running down it. So let's look down our table and there we will find the symbol, which shows seven oktas. The parts of the symbol that look similar to a key gives us information about the wind. So firstly, let's look at wind speed. Similarly to clouds cover, we need to find the same shape in the table. So look down the column of wind speed and there it is, wind speed is 20 knots. For the wind direction, we need to use the compass. So the symbol is pointing towards the Southwest. This means the wind is travelling from the Southwest and that is all of the information we have using the symbols. It's now your turn to describe the weather conditions from the combined synoptic chart symbols. The symbols have been broken down into wind speed, wind direction, clouds cover, temperature and also precipitation. Make sure to use the table and compass to help you. So pause the video to complete this task and list the different weather conditions and their measurements. Good luck. Excellent work. Let's review the answers. Make sure to give yourself a big tick if it's correct or amend if needed. Once assessing your own work, check everything included the units. Firstly, the wind speed is 10 knots so remember to include the unit, which is knots. Next, the wind is travelling from the North East. Clouds cover is three Oktas so remember to include Oktas. The temperature is 11 degrees Celsius, you can remember to include degrees Celsius. And finally precipitation, which was an example we used is drizzle. So really well done if you got that one. Now that we know how the weather is measured and presented, I want you to think, are weather forecasts always accurate? There have been plenty of times where I've checked the weather forecast and seen it's meant to be sunny and when I go out it's raining and I forgotten my rain coat. So why is it sometimes not exactly correct? Meteorologists use computer programmes called weather models to make forecasts. Meteorologists can't collect data from the future so they have to make estimates and assumptions to predict the weather often the future. The atmosphere is changing all the time so those estimates are less reliable for further you get into the future. In recent months due to travel restrictions there's less air travel and as mentioned earlier some measurements are collected from aeroplanes which is why you might've noticed the weather forecast are even less accurate recently. Great work today. Let's show our full understanding by answering the main tasks. Firstly, I'd like you to work up the temperature, clouds cover, wind speed and precipitation seen in the combined synoptic chart symbols. There aren't any clues on this screen so I need to be extra resilient and to use the table carefully. Pause the video to complete this task and write the answers on your piece of paper. Brilliant work on question one. Before we go through the answers, I'd like you to explain why weather forecasts are not always accurate. On the screen you can see a possible structure to use. You don't have to use them but they are there to support you if needed. Again, pause the video to complete this task. Great stuff. Let's check our answers. So remember to give yourself a bigger tick if you're correct but also add anything you missed to your paper. The full question one the temperature is one degree Celsius, clouds cover is eight oktas, wind speed is calm and precipitation is snow. And then for question two, here's an example of what you could have written. Weather forecast are not always accurate because meteorologists can't collect data of the future for the weather, which means they make estimates and assumptions. This means that weather forecasts are less accurate the further you get into the future. So anything that you've mentioned around that information give yourself a big... Excellent work today. I'm so impressed with you. It will be great to see you creating your own weather diary using the symbols that we've used today. If you'd like to share today's work or your own weather diary, please ask your parents or carer to share your work on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter by tagging @OakNational and #LearnwithOak. I can't wait to see what you've done. So that's it for today's lesson. Just remember to head on over to the exit quiz. Bye.

Exit Quiz: What is the weather forecast?

Lesson summary: What is the weather forecast?

In this lesson, we will be learning about weather forecasts and how we can use weather reports and symbols to describe the weather of a specific place.

Geography

Y7 Geography

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Huge well done for completing this lesson! Let's see what you can remember.

Geography

What is the weather forecast?

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What is the weather forecast?

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Q1.Choose the 3 weather conditions.

Q2.Weather is...

Q3.The temperature shown in this combined synoptic chart symbol is...

Q4.The wind direction shown in the combined synoptic chart shows that it is travelling from the...

Q5.Weather forecasts are...

What is the weather forecast?

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Q1.Choose the 3 weather conditions.

Q2.Weather is...

Q3.The temperature shown in this combined synoptic chart symbol is...

Q4.The wind direction shown in the combined synoptic chart shows that it is travelling from the...

Q5.Weather forecasts are...

Lesson summary: What is the weather forecast?

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