Weather

Instrument
s&
Equipment
Weather forecasts today depend on collecting and analysing data and
measurements from around the world. As a variety of atmospheric
conditions need to be recorded, a wide range of equipment is needed
to obtain that information. Details of some of this specialist
meteorological equipment is given below.

CARL CEDRICK S. NAVARRO

GRADE IV EVERLASTING
 

 
Anemometer – measures the speed or force of the
wind. The speed that the cups rotate shows the wind
strength.
Barometer – measures air pressure. Pressure falls
when it is about to rain and rises when the weather is
dry. You can see this as the needle moves.
Hygrometer – measures the amount of moisture in
the air. It usually incorporates a needle that is made to
move by a paper strip which shrinks or stretches
depending on the dampness of the air (i.e.: the
humidity).
 
Rain Gauge – shows how much precipitation (rain,
snow or hail) that falls each day.
 
Sundial – is used to tell what time of day it is using
the shadows cast by the sun.
Thermometer – measures temperature in degrees centigrade (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F) using a liquid such as mercury that expands
when it warms up. It then moves up a thin tube marked with a
temperature scale, and will fall back down the tube as the temperature
falls and the liquid contracts. Thermometers are kept in a white
Stevenson screen which allows air to circulate but shields the
thermometer from direct sunlight. This ensures the measurements are
correct and accurate. Maximum and minimum thermometers record the
highest and lowest temperatures reached daily.
Wind Sock – shows the speed and direction of the
wind. They are most often used at airports, seaports
and on other open areas such as mountain roads.
Weather Vane – measures wind direction. It is always
recorded as the direction from which the winds are
blowing, ie: a south-westerly wind is blowing from the
south-west.