Around the world, weather stations record the type of weather every day – they monitor the temperature continuously, the amount of rainfall and the hours of sunshine. Air pressure, which affects the weather, is also recorded. Measuring the ‘humidity’, or amount of moisture in the air, helps to predict clouds, fog or rain.

Satellites can be used in long-range weather forecasting – predicting the weather for a period of weeks. They orbit the Earth photographing it and recording weather patterns. Information sent back to the Earth could include warnings of a fast-developing storm in the tropics, or of a sudden snow melt in a mountainous region.

 

 

 

 

Recording sunshine

A sunshine recorder uses a large round lens to focus the Sun’s rays and burn a mark onto a piece of card. As the Sun moves across the sky, the burn mark leaves a trail showing how long the Sun has been shining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather satellite Tiros orbits the Earth recording the weather.