Weather Forecasting

Key Questions

• Why are weather predictions important?

  Answer:

  Weather has a massive impact on human kind in terms of fatalities and property damage.

  Explanation:

  Although we often look at the more violent aspects of weather when we think of human fatalities due to weather (hurricanes and tornadoes make great new stories), the vast majority of human fatalities due top weather are from heat. On average heat waves and drought kill 100,000 people every year. Although some storm events can kill a great many people (the Bhola cyclone in 1970 killed 500,000 people in India) the yearly average is closer to 10,000 people.

  The cost of damages due to tropical storms and tornadoes is a high number although probably not as high as the cost of lost crops due to drought, which maybe as high as 8 billion dollars a year. In fact the U.N. estimates that droughts are the costliest of all natural disasters (take that geologists lol).

  http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/172030/icode/

  With enough warning time you can prepare for pretty much every single weather disaster. That is the most important reason for forecasting.

  That all being said, people like to prepare for weather that isn't going to kill them too. It is nice to have an umbrella when you need it, and farmers like to know what days is the best to plant, etc. etc.

  James J. · 3 · Jul 15 2015
• What is the process of putting together a weather prediction?

  Answer:

  Meteorology

  Explanation:

  "Prediction" is very imprecise. From looking out of the window to trying to estimate temperatures or precipitation fifty years from now, it always depends on as much knowledge of the atmosphere-earth interface as possible. That means it always has a considerable amount of built-in error that increases the further out a "prediction" is made.

  So, the process of making weather predictions is best summed up as the science of meteorology. It never stops, it is never enough, but if you don't have it, you are only guessing.

  "Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting."
  https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/meteorology.htm

  SCooke · 1 · Nov 1 2017

• Why is weather forecasting so difficult?
• What is steady-state forecasting and what is it most useful for ?
• How is long-range weather forecasting different than short-range forecasting?
• Why is it important to be able to make accurate weather forecasting?
• How do changes in pressure relate to changes in weather?
• How have satellites influenced modern weather forecasting?
• What is a barometer and how is it useful for weather forecasting?
• Why are upper atmosphere measurements so important for weather forecasting?
• What is the process of putting together a weather prediction?
• Why are weather predictions important?
• What instruments are used for weather forecasting?
• Why are weather forecasts unreliable?
• How are computers used in weather forecasting?
• How does weather forecasting utilize statistics and probability?
• Does the wind direction affect the presence or absence of clouds? Why?
• How do we use technology to predict the weather?
• What are some of the measurement devices we use to describe the weather?