How Do Forecasters Predict Weather?
You wake up on a bright morning, expecting a sunny day.
But the weather forecast says that rain will arrive later.
Just to be safe, you pack an umbrella.
Then, sure enough, it starts raining that afternoon.
You may wonder, then, how forecasters predict the weather.
Weather forecasts are based on accumulated information about the air, sea, and land around us.
Scientific instruments are used to measure changes in temperature, humidity, wind speed, and other aspects of the weather.
Numerical data, such as air temperatures, are then processed by supercomputers that use complex mathematical formulas to make weather forecasts.
Much of this data comes from the advanced equipment used in weather stations around the world.
However, some data is provided by ordinary humans who report their observations to local weather forecasters.
Of course, weather forecasts are sometimes wrong.
For example, you may hear a “heavy snow” warning, but it may not snow.