Unit 2 Water and Weather - Spokane Public Schools

6.2 Weather PatternsAs you have learned, our weather is part of Earth’s atmosphere. We can learn abouttoday’s or tomorrow’s weather by listening to a meteorologist. You can also find outabout weather on your own by looking at clouds in the sky and by taking your ownweather data. This section is all about observing weather patterns.MeteorologyWhat is ameteorologist?Tools used bymeteorologists tohelp peopleA meteorologist is a person who uses scientific principles toexplain, understand, observe, or forecast Earth’s weather. Manymeteorologists have college degrees in physics, chemistry, ormathematics. Radio and television weathercasters are oftenprofessional meteorologists.Meteorologists use satellite and computer technology to informpeople about the weather. For example, meteorologists can usedata to predict hurricanes. Before 1960, a hurricane could hitwithout warning. Since 1960, weather satellites have helpedpredict and track hurricanes. Figure 6.6 shows a satellite image ofHurricane Hugo about to make landfall on the coast of SouthCarolina in 1989. Government organizations like the NationalHurricane Center (NHC) monitorstorms that might becomehurricanes. The NHC issueshurricane watches and warnings sothat people can evacuate athreatened area.meteorologist - an individualwho uses scientific principles toforecast the weather.Figure 6.6: A weather satellite imageof Hurricane Hugo making landfall onthe coast of South Carolina in 1989.What is it like to be ameteorologist? Find out byinterviewing a meteorologist orby researching the job of ameteorologist on the Internet.Write about your findings in areport. Include photographs orpictures in your report.128UNIT 2 WATER AND WEATHER