SYNOPTIC CHARTS

Answer the following questions on by using the synoptic chart and the
website below.

https://media.bom.gov.au/social/blog/2391/the-art-of-the-chart-how-to-read-a-weather-
map/

1. What is a synoptic chart?

A synoptic chart is any map that summarises atmospheric conditions
(temperature, precipitation, wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure
and cloud coverage) over a wide area at a given time.
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2. What is synoptic data?
Synoptic Data PBC facilitates the flow of Earth Data by providing easy access to
environmental information for government agencies, corporations, and the general
public to use in their everyday activities, operations, and decision-making
processes.

3. Study the weather map for 9 October 1992:

 (a) Name the feature approaching Sydney.
cold front
(b) Name the feature influencing Darwin’s weather.
Low-pressure trough
(c) What are isobars? What are the measurements for isobars?
Isobars are lines that connect places with the same air pressure.
Hector Pascal is the measurement for isobars. Instrument is
barometer.
(d)State the air pressure at the following places:
I Canberra: 1004 hector pascals
II Alice Springs: 1020 hpa
III Sydney: 1008 hpa
IV Adelaide: 1018 hpa
V Melbourne: 1004 hpa
(e) Name two areas that received rainfall in the past 24 hours.
Alice springs and Adelaide.
(f) State the wind speed and direction at the following places:
townsville: 24-32
II Port Hedland: 33-41 north west wind direction
4. What is the name of the best-known weather map?
Synoptic chart
5. What is wind?
Wind is nothing but moving air.
6. How is a specific wind named?
It gets its name from the direction it comes from.

7. Draw the following symbols:

(a) Cold Front:

(b) Warm Front:

(c) Tropical Cyclone:

(d) Cloud cover and a south westerly wind of 24 km/h.

8. What is the function of the barbs on the symbol of a cold

front?
It tells us the direction the front is moving.
9. What would the wind speed be if the isobars on a map are:
(a) widely spaced: a gentle breeze
(b) Closely spaced: strong breeze
10 What is the wind direction (air flow) in each of the following:
(a) High Pressure System (Anti Cyclone)
warm front:

1. temp - will increase

2. cloud cover- decreases
3. windspeed - decreases
4. precipitation- low possibility/ no rain

(b) Low Pressure System (depression)

cold front-

1. temperature - drop in temperature

2. cloud cover - increases
3. wind speed - increases
4. precipitation - strong possibility

11 What type of weather is normally associated with a:

(a) High Pressure System
Number above 1013
(b) Low Pressure System
Number below 1013
12 What is the value in hector pascals for normal or average air
pressure? 1013 hpa
13 Name the instrument and unit of measurement for each of the
following:

(a)Temperature: thermometer degrees Celsius

(b)Rainfall: Gauge mm
(c)Humidity: hydrometer measured in percentage the higher
percentage the more water vapor in the air.
(d)Air Pressure: barometer pascal [Pa]
(e)Wind Speed: anemometer km/h
(f)Wind direction: wind vane, compass direction