Reading Station Models
Station Models – watch this video for some help: https://youtu.be/0nFGZl1h2OM?t=8
Routine surface meteorological observations are represented on weather maps by a standard notation of symbols and numbers. In order to correctly interpret the data, it is important to understand what types of data the different numbers and symbols represent. This skill is not only important for reporting weather conditions for a given station, but also for determining the positions of significant meteorological features like fronts.
Use this following weblink for clarification on present weather symbols:
1. Note the most important elements in station models (Temperature, Weather (current), Dewpoint, Barometric Sea-level Pressure (pressure), Sky Cover (cloud cover) and Wind speed/direction). These symbols and numbers are critical to remember- they are same on each station- this makes it uniform to read on any weather map.
2. Wind Direction and Speed
Wind is plotted in increments of 5 knots (kts), with the outer end of the symbol pointing toward the direction from which the wind is blowing. The wind speed is determined by adding up the total of flags, lines, and half-lines, each of which have the following individual values: Flag: 50 kts. Line: 10 kts. Half-Line: 5 kts.
If there is only a circle depicted over the station with no wind symbol present, the wind is calm.
1. Provide the wind speed direction and speed for the station models below.
Wind speed__________ Wind speed__________ Wind speed__________
Wind direction________ Wind direction________ Wind direction________
Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure on a station model is written as a three-digit number, a short hand description of the actual pressure. The way to correctly note and write the pressure at a given station is to add either a ‘9’ or ‘10’ to each measure, then add the decimal mark to the tenth at the end of the pressure. The ‘9’ or ‘10’ are added depending on the pressure measure, for example; all numbers above 600 are have a ‘9’ added to the front, all numbers below 500 have a ‘10’ added to the front. The following are two examples:
If the pressure listed is ‘238’ (below 500, so place a ‘10’ in front) à 10238 –then add the decimal mark à 1023.8mb
If the pressure listed is ‘821’ (above 600, so place a ‘9’ in front) à 9821 –then add the decimal mark à 982.1mb
So all pressures need to between 960mb and 1050mb. This is due to the fact on the Earth’s surface pressure usually falls within this range of atmospheric pressure.
Therefore on a station model 1041.0 mb would be written as:
1010.3 mb would be written as: 978.3 mb would be written as:
1. Write the correct pressure on each station:
Pressure: __________ Pressure: __________ Pressure: __________
Station Model Practice
2. Interpret the following station model (note extra information is provide here, but not all is needed for the answer)
Temperature __________
Dew point __________
Wind direction ________
Wind speed _________
Weather ________
Sky cover _________
Pressure ________
Temperature __________
Dew point __________
Wind direction ________
Wind speed _________
Weather ________
Sky cover _________
Pressure ________
Present Weather Symbols can be found here: https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/wxmaps-max/jetstream-max-surface-weather-plot-symbols#ww
More Stations to Read:
Use the following map of station models at airports to answer the questions. Use correct units. Note this map has a few airports for the stations; note their locations relative to the areas nearby. Not all weather elements are presented in this kind of map, but station models can be read still.
1) What is the dewpoint temperature in Rockford, IL? ________________________________________
2) What is the temperature in Dubuque, Iowa? ______________________________________________
3) What is the reported cloud cover over Chicago, Illinois? _____________________________________
4) What is the barometric pressure in Aurora, IL? _____________________________________
For these questions, you may have to look up the city/town to find where they are on the map.
5) The present weather in Wray, Colorado, is ____________________________________________
6) The wind speed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is _______________________________________
7) What is the speed and direction of the wind in Forsyth, Montana? ________________________________
8) What is the cloud cover and pressure in Brookings, Oregon? _____________________________________
9) What is the temperature & wind speed in Stillwater, Oklahoma? _________________________
