Weather Tools
This tool measures the amount of precipitation that falls.
What is a rain gauge?
These clouds are low, sheetlike gray clouds. They can look like a gray blanket covering the whole sky. Some of these clouds can bring rain.
What are stratus clouds?
This front forms when 2 air masses meet and stop moving. They bring clouds and precipitation that can last for several days.
What is a stationary front?
This is a large storm that forms and gets its energy from the warm ocean waters. It brings strong winds and heavy rain.
What is a hurricane?
This is an air current in the upper atmosphere that flows west to east. It is a boundary between a cold air mass and a warm air mass. It can bring cold air from Canada when it dips south OR bring warm southern air up when it moves north.
What is a jet stream?
This tool shows wind direction.
What is wind vane or weather vane?
These clouds are white and puffy. You see them in nice/fair weather.
What are cumulus clouds?
This is when a cold air mass bumps against a warm air mass. STRONG Storms happen and temperaturs drops afterwards.
What is a cold front?
These are the winds that travel west to east across the US.
What are the Prevailing Westerlies?
This is an unusal warming of the Pacific Ocean and will bring more rain.
What is El Nino?
This tool measures wind speed.
What is an anemometer?
These clouds are high in the sky. They are wispy and look like little feathers and are made up of ice crystals. You see these clouds in nice/fair weather, but they can mean rain in a few days.
What are cirrus clouds?
How weather patterns usually move in the United States.
What is West to East?
This is wind blowing FROM the sea that usually happens during the day. The warm air over the sand rises and the cool air over the ocean rushes in to take its place.
What is sea breeze?
This is a warm ocean current in the Atlantic Ocean that brings warm water up from the Gulf of Mexico. It moves past NC and keeps our weather mild.
What is the gulf stream?
This tool measures air pressures?
What is a barometer?
These clouds are large and dark. They bring rain, thunder, and lightning.
What are cumulonimbus clouds?
A warm air mass meets a colder air mass. They often bring light rain and the temperature will rise afterwards.
What is a warm front?
This is caused by warm vapor moving up a mountain and cooling down. Clouds forms and precipitation falls. It leaves one side of the mountain wet and the other side dry.
What is a rain shadow?
This is an unusal cooling of the Pacific Ocean and will bring less rain than normal.
What is La Nina?