Overview About Weather
Weather is the change in atmosphere from day to day or hour to hour. Wind, lightning, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain, hail, snow, and many other things are all considered to be a part of the weather. Weather is not just something we can see outside when it rains. Weather is all around us, every minute of the day! The various aspects of weather are measured by weather stations around the globe. Wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and humidity are all indicators of the weather. In this article, we will be learning about the types of weather, causes and facts about Weather.
Weather
Types of Weather
Weather changes almost every day, we witness different conditions of weather. Some of them are shown below:
Humidity
The amount of water vapour in our air is known as humidity. We may say that the humidity has increased when there is a lot of water vapour present. Cold weather typically suggests less water in the air since warm air may store more water vapour.
Humidity
Temperature
What kind of weather will occur is greatly influenced by temperature, which is an important aspect. To determine whether a day is hot or cold, scientists use thermometers or scales in Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin. Most of the time, the air temperature is expressed in Celsius. Additional temperature information reveals atmospheric conditions, including how quickly or slowly the air's atoms are moving. Slow-moving molecules can identify a low temperature, while fast-moving atoms can identify a high temperature.
Temperature
Wind
The movement of air in the atmosphere is referred to as wind. This typically happens as a result of the temperature. Atmospheric pressure is the measure of the weight of air over a specific region of the Earth's surface. In areas of low atmospheric pressure (the force exerted by the air on the earth), a warm wind blows, and in areas of high atmospheric pressure, a cold wind blows.
Wind
Cloudiness
Another important aspect that affects weather is cloudiness. Additionally, it shows how hot or cold it is outside. Precipitations like rain or snow are created by clouds. An afternoon thunderstorm may develop as a result of early cloud cover. But not all clouds can cause severe weather to develop through precipitation. A cold day is indicated by the greater amount of clouds in the sky that prevent sunlight from reaching the earth.
Cloudiness
Precipitation
Precipitation, such as snow or rain, results from clouds. There are many different varieties of clouds, but the four most significant ones are stratus, cumulus, cirrus, and cumulonimbus. Most often, thunderstorms or tornadoes are caused by cumulonimbus clouds.
Precipitation
Causes of Weather
There are various causes of weather as shown below.
Since the Sun heats the Earth in different ways, weather develops in various locations. This creates various climates.
The poles receive the least heat since the Sun shines on them at a low angle, whereas the tropics receive the most heat because it shines directly down on them.
For heat to move, convection must be used. It happens when heat is transferred by the flow of gases or liquids. Convection, a form of heat transfer where heat energy moves from higher temperature to lower temperature, causes warmer air to rise higher in the sky because it is lighter than cooler air. Convection here can be explained as the transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid such as water.
There is water vapour present in the air at all times. We refer to this as humidity.
Condensation is the process through which water transforms from a gas to a liquid when it cools. The water can then start to descend from the sky as snow or rain. After rising, the air becomes colder and descends again.
When the air returns to the earth, it is dry since it already lost its water. The meeting of two air masses with disparate temperatures is referred to as a warm front or cold front.
Atmospheric circulation refers to the methods by which air circulates on Earth.
Facts About Weather
The most important facts about weather are shown below.
Since 1953, hurricanes and tropical storms have been given names.
Before it blows against a thing, the wind is silent.
Since 1880, the average global temperature has risen by 0.94°C (1.7°F).
Wildfires can generate fire whirls, which are essentially fire tornadoes.
On average, 1800 thunderstorms are active at any given moment, producing 100 lightning strikes every second.
1 billion tonnes of rainfall on the Earth every minute of the day.
An average water molecule will spend 10 to 12 days in the Earth's atmosphere.
On average, 100 lightning strikes the Earth each second.
A raindrop can only impact you at a speed of 18 mph.
Ordinary fog typically contains less than a gallon of water per cubic mile.
The Mississippi river froze over its whole length in 1899 due to extreme weather.
Summary
In this article, we learnt certain facts about weather like the average global temperature and speed of raindrops and we also learned about types of weather and causes of weather. Weather is the temporary state of the atmosphere at a specific location. It involves change in atmosphere daily, including change in temperature, humidity, precipitation (both in terms of kind and quantity), air pressure, wind, and cloud cover. Weather conditions generally change over a short period, unlike climate which remains the same for a considerable time. With this, we would bring this article to closure and hope we were clear and understanble.
FAQs on Weather - The Condition of Atmosphere
1. What exactly is weather?
Weather describes the condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and over a short period of time. It tells us if it is currently sunny, rainy, windy, or cloudy. For example, the weather in the morning could be cool and sunny, but it might become cloudy and windy by the evening.
2. What are the main elements that make up the weather?
The weather at any given place is determined by a combination of several elements. The most important ones are:
- Temperature: How hot or cold the air is.
- Sunlight: The amount of sunshine, which determines if it's a bright or a cloudy day.
- Wind: The movement of air from one place to another.
- Humidity: The amount of moisture or water vapour present in the air.
- Precipitation: Water falling from the clouds in the form of rain, snow, or hail.
3. How is weather different from climate?
The main difference between weather and climate is the time frame. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions of a place for a short term (like a day or a week). In contrast, climate is the average weather pattern of a place over a long period, usually 30 years or more. For example, ‘it is raining in Mumbai today’ describes the weather, while ‘Mumbai has a humid climate’ describes its climate.
4. Why is it important to know about the weather?
Understanding the weather is crucial for our daily activities and safety. It helps us decide what clothes to wear, allows farmers to plan their crop schedules, and enables pilots to navigate flights safely. Weather forecasts also provide vital warnings about severe conditions like cyclones or heatwaves, helping communities prepare and stay safe.
5. How does the sun affect the weather on Earth?
The sun is the primary driver of all weather on Earth. It heats the planet's surface, which in turn warms the air above it. This heating is uneven across the globe, causing warmer air to rise and cooler air to sink, which creates wind. The sun's heat also causes water to evaporate from oceans and lakes, forming clouds that eventually lead to rain. Without the sun, we would not have these weather phenomena.
6. Why does the weather change so frequently, sometimes even within the same day?
Weather changes frequently because the atmosphere is constantly in motion. Factors like wind can quickly move air masses with different temperatures and humidity from one place to another. A sunny morning can turn into a rainy afternoon if a moisture-filled air mass moves into the area. This dynamic nature of the atmosphere is why weather conditions are short-term and can be unpredictable.
