We’ve pulled all our contour drawing resources into one place, and made a short video guide to drawing contours onto maps.
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Category: Blog
All news and events in this section
There are two tropical cyclones currently active in the Indian Ocean – one each side of the Equator, and therefore spinning in opposite directions.
You can follow their development on nullschool (which will also let you look back if you missed them), or read more about them at severe weather Europe.
For more on the Coriolis Effect, and why the storms are spinning in opposite directions, have a look at our YouTube video.
For resources designed for teaching about tropical cyclones, covering the processes, hazards, impacts and responses associated with the development of Tropical Cyclones look here. Aimed at KS3 (11-14) and including lesson, homework and assessment resources, the flexible scheme of work uses contemporary case studies
Several recent research papers have investigated the impact of rainforest deforestation on local rainfall and temperature.
Find some teaching resources linked to the animation above here.
To make it easier for A level geography candidates to consider incorporating weather measurements into their Independent Investigations/ NEA, we have made this video.
Weather data can be used for lots of interesting investigations, and is also a useful addition to others – the weather can affect both physical processes and human ones. Are the responses people give to surveys affected by the weather? How does this extend to other forms of behaviour – how people travel, what activities they choose to do? What impact do microclimates have on land use – and vice versa?
Weather data can be obtained directly (primary sources) using instruments – which may be simple (homemade or cheaply available) or highly precise, professional instruments.
In this short film, we give an overview of what sorts of weather instruments are appropriate for you to use and how to use them correctly.
The Royal Meteorological Society can lend weather instruments to A level students for their Independent Investigation.
To find out more get in touch.
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Free Online Weather CPD for teachers
We are delighted to announce that the 10th run of our free, online weather subject knowledge course for geography teachers (and anyone else with an interest in the weather), Come Rain or Shine, will start again on 7th October 2019 and will remain open for 15 weeks. The first 3 weeks are supported by mentors – so if you have any questions they will be seen and answered. However, access to the course is free for 5 weeks from whenever you start it – plenty of time to download all the resources. The course will take roughly 9 hours in total to complete.
Learning Objectives of the course:
- Describe the weather features associated with depressions, anticyclones and the four main air masses which affect the UK.
- Interpret a synoptic chart (also known as a weather chart) to provide details about wind speed and direction, precipitation and cloud cover.
- Describe some of the physical processes which give rise to weather, such as convection, condensation, pressure gradients and the Coriolis force.
- Investigate local weather conditions using readily available instruments.
- Explain some of the processes which transfer energy through the Earth system, including the transient effects of volcanoes and changes in the Earth’s orbit, and how these processes relate to the Earth’s climate.
- Apply your understanding of mid-latitude weather systems to the analysis of weather data and images.
The BBC have featured the research being done at Swansea University looking at how tree rings can tell us about past weather and climate. This is the research which forms the basis of our Tree Ring Resources – using tree rings to teach weather, climate, correlation, photosynthesis, regression, the carbon cycle, isotopes and more.
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Passage of a Depression
We are delighted to have worked together with Fuzzy Duck to produce this animation (which will be interactive shortly) showing the cloud, wind, rainfall, temperature and pressure associated with the passage of a depression.
Find the animation and an associated worksheet here.
As Hurricane Dorian continues to leave a trail of destruction, our new Tropical Cyclones Scheme of Work, covering the processes, hazards, impacts and responses associated with the development of Tropical Cyclones is particularly timely. Aimed at KS3 (11-14) and including lesson, homework and assessment resources, the flexible scheme of work uses contemporary case studies.
We are delighted to announce a new and exciting short animation explaining the physics behind the Coriolis Effect.
The film can be found on our In Depth – the Coriolis Effect page.
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Year 12 Meteorology Experience Day
The University of Reading will be running an experience day in October half term for any year 12s interested in meteorology. More information here.