Basics
True or False:
Weather reflects the short-term conditions of the atmosphere
and
Climate reflects the long term conditions of the atmospheric conditions.
True!
True or false: Cumulus clouds are puffy, have flat bottoms, and are low in the sky.
True
It's a chilly rainy day and you have the option between: A) Wool socks or B) Cotton socks
What do you pick to stay warm and dry?
A - Wool socks are awesome for cold and wet temperature. It is nice and breathable and very insulating. Think about the sheep that have wool as a protection from the elements, they were onto something!
A storm might be coming if you see:
A) Light fluffy clouds
B) Dark thick clouds
C) A green moose
B! Dark clouds are a clue for a storm.
This is because light gets absorbed versus being scattered, which means less light getting through. That is, a cloud gets thicker and denser as it gathers more water droplets and ice crystals — the thicker it gets, the more light it scatters, resulting in less light penetrating all the way through.
What do birds do before a storm?
Due to the inner ear pressure they feel from the pressure change, they will fly low, resting on lower trees or powerlines, and may be quieter.
Weather starts with:
A) The ocean
B) Fire (the sun)
C) The moon
D) Squirrels
Weather starts with Fire; with the sun! The heat from the sun warms up the Earth. The Earth absorbs the heat energy from the sun and reflects it back into our atmosphere, heating the air around us!
Cirrus clouds are:
A) White feathery and high up
B) Fluffy and low
A! Cirrus clouds are white and feathery and high up. See examples in the workbook.
It's a cloudy day and you're getting ready to go canoeing. Should you apply sunscreen?
Yes, did you know there can still be UV rays on cloudy days? Safe and protected skin is happy skin!
True or false: Never go out in a boat during a storm. If you are on the water and you see bad weather approaching, head for shore immediately.
True!
Your hair is really frizzy today, the air feels a bit damp, and some leaves are curling up. This means:
A) It's humid and this is a clue for a storm
B) It's extra cold today, bundle up!
C) Nothing, just a coincidence
A - It's humid and this is a clue for a storm
Name as many elements of weather as you can!
They are temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness
Your mentor points to a Stratus cloud in the sky. You can tell it's a Stratus cloud because it resembles:
A) Wide blankets of gray, foggy, low down in sky
B) Puffy, flat bottoms, low in sky
A!
Stratus: Wide blankets of gray, "high fog", low down in the sky. See workbook for example.
Can animals predict the weather?
If your dog always comes inside right before it rains, you may think that animals can predict the weather. It’s probably more accurate to say that animals react to certain environmental signals that accompany weather changes, not to the weather itself. A prevalent opinion is that animals can detect certain events, like earthquakes, as soon as they happen, even if the originating event is a great distance away. The majority of researchers say that animals make greater use of their existing five senses, especially when compared to humans. The most critical sense is hearing.
How can you increase your safety if you experience a thunderstorm outdoors?
If you are caught outside with no safe shelter anywhere nearby the following actions will boost your safety!
True or false: Chickory, dandelion, and tulips often close up before rain.
True. They do this to preserve the pollen and keep the nectar from being diluted.
Why is there different weather in different places around the world?
There are differences in climate around the world because of differing amounts of radiation received from the Sun at different parts of the Earth at different times of the year. More heat from the Sun is received near the equator than near the north and south poles where the angle of the Sun's rays is lower.
True or false: This is how clouds are made: As COLD air rises it's under less pressure, so it expands and HEATS. But once its HOT, it can't hold as much water so it condenses.
False: As warm air rises it's under less pressure, so it expands and cools. But once its cold, it can't hold as much water so it condenses. This is how clouds are made!
See more: https://go.nasa.gov/3yelLRW
You are packing for a hike when you notice clouds that look heavy and dense like mountains. You hear a friend mention they may be cumulonimbus clouds. What do you do?
A) Reschedule for a time with more gentle weather or wait it out
B) Go hike and bring a raincoat
These are also known as thunderclouds. Cumulonimbus look like thunderstorm clouds, like mountains of very tall cumulus clouds. If you notice these, you can prepare to take shelter as this is safest during thunderstorms.
How long should you wait after hearing the last lightning strike in a severe storm before venturing outside again?
Wait AT LEAST 30 minutes after the last lightning strike in a severe storm before venturing outside again.
Name something pinecones might do before a storm that is a clue it might be about to storm.
Pinecones close up when it's really humid, and humidity is a sign of a storm coming! Pinecones open their scales when it’s dry in order for wind to carry them and scatter their seeds. When there is moisture in the air however, they seal their seeds until it’s dry outside again. “Open Pine, Weather’s Fine”
Which statement is true:
A) Water changes temperature more easily than land.
B) Land changes temperature more easily than water.
C) Salamanders are not cool.
B! Land changes temperature more easily than water.
Water reflects most solar radiation that reaches its surface back to the atmosphere. Since land absorbs more solar radiation the land surface retains more heat as do the vegetation for energy. Thus, land surfaces warm more quickly than water.
PS. Salamanders are very cool.
What kinds of clouds do you see outside today? Hint: Check workbook for guide.
Refer to the workbook to check!
If you know that hot air holds more water vapour than cold air and humidity = the presence of water vapour, would Nunavut or Ottawa be more humid?
Ottawa has a warmer climate with more hot air, so it would hold more water vapour and have more humidity than colder Nunavut. Humidity is the presence of water vapour in the atmosphere.
Why is there more rain in the spring in Canada?
It's like the reason we get dew. Spring is the rainiest season in the Northern Hemisphere because warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air, and the air gets warmer during the spring. Warmer, moist air is less dense than the colder, dryer air of the upper atmosphere. As the warm air rises and cools, it can no longer hold on to the moisture and water droplets come down as rain.
If cows are standing up and the ant hills are low and small, the weather this afternoon will likely be:
A) Clear
B) Changing
B! Ants build their hills up before a storm and cows often lie down. Cool trick, eh?