CHARTING WEATHER PATTERNS

Weather is a very personal phenomenon. We want to know if it is rainy or sunny to help us decide what to wear. A farmer or fisherman needs to know if a storm will influence their decision to harvest or fish. Before a plane goes into the air, the pilot must check to see if the weather conditions could prevent his flight from continuing. Problems in communication, especially wireless transmission, can also be caused by weather patterns.

Do not confuse weather with the climate. Climates can be considered the average weather conditions over a long period of time. The climate is influenced by latitude, land and water distribution, altitude, land barrier, air movement, ocean currents, permanent storm areas, temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloud cover, high and low pressure centers, and other weather phenomena. Climate defines the seasons for each geographic region. For example, spring in the mid latitudes brings mild climate, but in the low latitudes spring brings little change in the weather.