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Weather or Not?Meteorology is the science of the atmosphere and the variations in atmospheric conditions that produce weather. Meteorologists are the people who study weather. Throughout history, people have been fascinated and awed by the power of nature. As a result, people have tried to predict the weather so that they might control it. Ben Franklin made some of the first recorded weather forecasts in Poor Richard's Almanack. If you have cable television, you already know that the Weather Channel broadcasts nothing but weather reports, twenty-four hours a day. Clearly, people care about the weather.What's the weather like today? Once upon a time, people answered that question by looking outside. Today, we watch television or listen to the radio. Meteorologists use advanced computer and satellite technology to get instant weather reports. At any moment, we can know the weather. What will the weather be like tomorrow? That question is a little tougher. Once upon a time, people had no idea what future weather would be. Today, we can get reliable weather forecasts and warnings. Meteorologists track storms in order to warn people of approaching danger. We can't control the weather, but we can control some of its destruction. While Ben Franklin chased storms on horseback, modern meteorologists chase storms from high-tech weather centers using computerized data obtained by satellite. Try This... |