Weather Satellites and Metfax
Weather Satellite Images
An increasing number of schools have use or access to live weather
satellite images. Systems are available for Nimbus, Acorn and
Macintosh computers. Most provide the possibility of displaying a
time-lapse sequence of images showing how weather systems develop
over time.
Available sectors include not only Europe, Africa and the Middle East
but also Asia, Australia, the Americas and Whole Earth all in a
variety of formats: Visual, Infra-Red, and Water Vapour. It is simply
a matter of programming for the correct transmission times and the
sequences are then stored onto disc.
Typical uses include: demonstration of atmospheric circulations
around areas of High and Low pressure, global wind and pressure
belts, temperature variations and specific heat capacity contrasts
between land and sea, diurnal temperature changes, fronts and their
development, cloud types and simple forecasting. It is easy to put a
sheet of acetate over the screen to annotate particular features such
as fronts or to issue outline maps of particular areas for pupils to
present their own observations and analyses.
The attraction of getting a "real time" view of weather systems makes
meteorology come to life, especially if the monitor can be located in
a central area where pupils can keep a check on the weather as it
develops (even the Cricket Team has begun to take a close interest).
There were stunning sequences of the recent hurricanes. It was
possible to measure not only their respective sizes and rates of
progress but also to predict where they might be heading next!
More Satellite Images with Questions
Click on image for full-size versions
Metfax
MetFAX is a weather service run by the
The Met.Office
It is easy to receive up to the minute satellite images of
weather,
synoptic charts and forecasts. All you need is access to a FAX
machine.
Link to a worksheet
Try the following numbers (calls last between 3 and 5 mins at 36p
cheap or 48p peak rate/min)
0336-400-439 Meteosat Infra-Red of Europe (updated 0730, 1330,
1930)
0336-400-487 Plotted map of UK Weather Reports (updated 3 hourly)
0336-400-484 UK weather map, fronts, isobars (updated 0345, 0945,
1545, 2145)
For info: The Met.Office Education Services, Sutton House, London Rd,
Bracknell, RG12 2SY
Sample MetFax Worksheet
Date .............................. Time ........................
1 Draw a map of the pattern of atmospheric pressure over GB (plot
isobars every 4mb
eg 1000, 1004); mark in areas of high/low pressure and any weather
fronts.
2 Describe the weather at the following locations: London, Penzance,
Lerwick (Shetland)
Malin Head (Ireland), Bergen (Norway), Paris
3 Describe and suggest a brief explanation for the general weather
situation over GB (comment on pressure, wind circulations, cloud,
temperatures, weather experienced).
4 Suggest a weather forecast for Oxford over the next 24 hours (with
reasons).
5 Comment on anything that interested or surprised you eg land and
sea temperatures, inland compared to coastal conditions.