Q&A for How to Read a Weather Map

The white lines indicate isobars. The closer together they are, the stronger the wind will be.

Wind direction is indicated by the direction from which it originates. For example, a southerly wind blows from the south to the north.

This means that every location on that line is at the same pressure (isobar). These lines are closer together and range in pressure, indicating a higher wind in that region. The wind would be going into the low pressure areas and coming out from the high pressure ones.

Types of severe weather phenomena vary, depending on the latitude, altitude, topography, and atmospheric conditions.

Wind speed is usually listed in knots. 1 Knot = 1.15 Miles Per Hour (MPH), so you can determine the wind speed yourself with this equation.

The term isobar is a line of equal or constant pressure on a graph, plot, or map; an isopleth or contour line of pressure.

Isobars connect equal pressure readings (iso = equal, bar=barometer) There are stations all over the globe which, either with a human or a machine, register what the pressure is at that spot. These pressure readings are all assembled on a chart, then lines are drawn to connect the same pressure readings. Close isobars = strong winds (the pressures are changing in a small space of distance) and spaced out isobars = calmer air.

The black line, an isobar, shows connecting points of equal pressure.

A trough of low pressure that contains weather phenomena is seen as a brown line.

The blue line means there is a cold front, and the red lines means there is going to be a cold front.

The equator is usually closer to the sun, so it is usually hotter near the equator.

The numbers represent the temperature of the area and how hot or cold it will get.

The T stands for tropical cyclone.

A tropical cyclone is a hurricane or typhoon. They occur in equatorial regions over the sea.

The difference is one of scale. For Celsius, the ice and steam points of water are 100 Celsius degrees. The two scales coincide at -40 degrees (thus -40ºF and -40ºC are the same).

It means that winds on the back (western) side of the high are generally from a southerly direction, which typically means warmer temperatures.

Sleet is simply frozen raindrops. It occurs when the layer of freezing air along the surface is thicker, which causes the raindrops to freeze before reaching the ground.

Yes. Wind shift clockwise around the high pressure area and reverse (anti-clockwise around the low pressure area in the Northern hemisphere. It is opposite in the Southern hemisphere.

When a blue line alternates with a red line it, means the cold air is overtaking the warm air and when a red line alternates with a blue line it, means the warm air is overtaking the cold air.

The arrows on a map indicate the direction of the wind, the direction in which the wind is blowing.

The numbers represent the air pressure amount. For example, 1024 would be high air pressure.

You would need to use an anemometer. This tool is used for that exact purpose. It is basically cups on a stick. The cups catch the wind, turning a dial on the bottom and this shows you how fast the wind is going.

Some weather protocols use GR to indicate "hail," from the French word "grête."

It stands for "kiloPascal," an international unit of barometric pressure.