Reading Comprehension 1 If you walked outside and it was raining, that would be the weather of the day. If you lived in an area where it rained almost every day, that would be the climate of the area. For example, if you lived in a desert, it would be dry and warm most of the time. The climate of a desert area is therefore dry and warm because the climate is the usual weather in a certain area. Weather and climate are the conditions in the air in a certain area. 2 Weather is the condition of the air in a specific place and at a specific time. Weather in a specific place can change often and quickly. It could rain in a certain place in the morning and be sunny and clear by the afternoon. A perfectly calm day can quickly change into a sudden thunderstorm. 3 Weather can effect air pressure. Air pressure is the weight of the air pressing on everything in the environment. Air pressure can be measured with a device called a barometer. When the air pressure changes, the weather will soon change. When air pressure rises, clearer weather is on its way. When air pressure falls, wet weather is usually near. 4 Climates in certain areas can be very humid. This means there is a lot of water vapor in the air. Water vapor in the air is called humidity. Areas near large bodies of water can be very humid. This happens because water will evaporate and enter the air as water vapor. Evaporating water creates more humidity. Water vapor in the air can cool down. When this happens, the water vapor condenses and turns into tiny droplets of water. Droplets of water in the air cling together and form clouds. When more water condenses, the water droplets get large. When they are too heavy, gravity will pull them down to the Earth. Water falling to the Earth is called precipitation. There are several types of precipitation including rain, hail, snow, drizzle, and sleet. 5 When water vapor in the air condenses and forms clouds, there are different types of clouds that are formed. Two kinds of clouds are cirrus clouds and cumulus clouds. Cirrus clouds are feathery clouds and look like white streaks high in the sky. Cumulus clouds are white clouds that look piled up or fluffy. Cumulus clouds are often seen in calm weather. Rain clouds are called nimbus clouds. 6 There are several types of very severe weather. Thunderstorms occur when a large mass of cold air slides under a large mass of warm air. Heavy rains come down very quickly. Flashes of lightning are also often seen during a thunderstorm. Lightning is basically an electrical charge released into the atmosphere. A tornado is a funnel of strong winds that spiral upward. They can reach very high speeds and be very powerful. Tornadoes can destroy trees, houses, and other large objects. A hurricane is a very large and often violent tropical storm. Hurricanes can be hundreds of kilometers wide and the winds of one of these storms can be very fast. Hurricanes form over the ocean and are made up of swirling winds. They usually produce a lot of rain. A blizzard is a heavy snowstorm with strong winds. Blizzards produce heavy snowfalls.
7 A weather map is used to track the movement of wind and weather in certain areas. Weather maps can also be used to predict the weather in a certain place. Weather maps often show where weather fronts are. A front is where one air mass meets another air mass and pushed it aside. An air mass is a large pocket or bubble of air. The numbers and symbols on a weather map tell a person the characteristics of the air masses on the map. These characteristics often include the air pressure, temperature, cloud cover, speed of moving wind, and type of precipitation.
Concept Questions 6 What does the word climate mean in paragraph 1? A The usual weather in a place. B The amount of air pressure on a certain day. C A description of an ecosystem. D Condensation in the atmosphere. 7 What does the term air pressure mean in paragraph 3? A The amount of water vapor in the air. B The weight of the air pressing on everything in the environment. C The amount of precipitation in a certain area. D The type of clouds in the atmosphere. 8 The word barometer in paragraph 3 A A device that measures water B A tool that reflects sunlight C A device that measures air pressure D A timing device 9 The word humidity in paragraph 4 A the force of the wind B a large body of water C the water vapor in the air D water falling to the Earth 10 What does the word precipitation mean in paragraph 4? A Water on the Earth s surface. B Water falling to the Earth. C The amount of snow in an area. D The type of climate in an area. 11 What does the word front mean in paragraph 7? A The place where one air mass meets another. B The type of weather in a place. C The place where it is raining. D A large bubble of air. 12 The term air mass in paragraph 7 A a pocket of air B the force of wind C the place where air changes mass D a type of weather map
Essential Vocabulary climate: the usual weather in a place air pressure: the weight of the air pressing on everything in the environment barometer: a device that measures air pressure humidity: water vapor in the air precipitation: water falling to the Earth nimbus clouds: rain clouds front: the place where one air mass meets another air mass air mass: a large pocket of air
Content and Vocabulary Practice 1) The climate of an area is Name 2) Describe the climate of a desert. 3) List the different types of precipitation. 4) List and describe the four major types of severe weather. 5) What is the purpose of a weather map?