Explain how computers help to make forecasts. In this lesson, students will use the skills of a meteorologists to study weather maps and apply the knowledge and experience gained about weather elements and weather trends to provide a twenty-four hour prediction for each of the thirteen weather stations in their project. A weather forecast is a prediction of weather conditions. Forecasts help to save lives, property and crops. The National Weather Service must regularly collect weather information from the land, sea, space and radar networks in order to make a 48 hour forecast for every U.S. location.
Computers play a major role in weather forecasting.
Computers help to quickly collect weather data, calculating how the weather pattern might change and providing maps that show the type of weather a meteorologist might expect. The computer maps are helpful, but they are still imperfect. A meteorologist must study the maps and apply knowledge and experience about weather in his or her specific location before an accurate forecast can be made. Short term forecasts from the next day are usually quite accurate, but forecast accuracy significantly decreases beyond the next few days. Although you may not have high-speed computers, massive satellites, and expensive radar, students can use a few rules to make a short term forecast.