Meteorology
Division: B – Middle School
NC Essential Standards Alignment: 7.E.1
Event Rules: See the National Rules Manual
National Event Page: Here
Description:
Participants will use scientific process skills involving qualitative and quantitative analyses to demonstrate an understanding of the factors that influence Everyday Weather through the interpretation of meteorological data, graphs, charts and images.
Materials:
Each team may bring one three ring binder of any size containing information in any form from any source attached using the available rings. Sheet protectors, lamination, tabs and labels are permitted. No material may be removed from the binder during the event. Each team may bring two stand-alone non-programmable, non-graphing calculators. Materials may not be removed from the binder when rotating through stations. Students are expected to have a US map with the state names in the binder.
FAQs
9/22/25: Which system of measurement will be used for the event? Which temperature scale do they need to know for the event?
Most of the time, on a weather log, temperature is written as Fahrenheit in the US, but may be in Celsius elsewhere. I think it just depends on the materials given with the question. The NOAA How to read Surface Weather Maps gives both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
The rules for Meteorology do not specify metric measurements only. There are resources available on the National Science Olympiad Meteorology webpage that may be helpful for teams as they prepare.
- I know that I have noticed that wet bulb/dry bulb charts for measuring relative humidity show up in Fahrenheit sometimes and sometimes in Celsius.
- I have also noticed that barometric pressure can be given in millibars or inches of Mercury (Hg).
- Wind can be measured in mph or knots.
Students likely can tell the units if they are looking at the context of the question and or date/images provided. Focus on making students aware of the various units that could be used for each kind of weather data.
Scoring:
High score wins. Points are awarded for the quality and accuracy of responses. Pre-selected questions/sections will be used as tiebreakers.
Event Resources:
Meteorology 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules)
Meteorology 2018 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2019 rules)
NOAA’s Education twitter feed – https://twitter.com/noaaeducation
American Meteorological Society Education program twitter feed – https://twitter.com/
Archived storm reports from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center: https://www.spc.noaa.
Archived weather maps that were the day’s forecast, from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center: https://www.wpc.ncep.
Archived watches from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center: https://www.spc.noaa.
Archived products from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in general: https://www.spc.noaa.
Severe Weather & Storms:
Weather Wiz Kids – Tornados, Hurricanes, Rain and Floods, Safety, and many activities.
Hurricane Sandy – a summary
Arizona Haboob of 2012
NOAA Weather Safety
Severe Storms Study Guide
NASA – Meteorology Educator’s Guide
Tropical Tidbits – great blog explaining current weather phenomena
American Meteorological Society – lots of good info and links
Climate:
Weather World
NOAA – Climate
NOAA – Ten Climate Science Activities
Earth Climate Course
Earth Climate System – good notes
NOAA – Climate Education
http://climatekids.nasa.gov/
NASA Precipitation Education page, lots of good activities, scroll towards the bottom for a water cycle dice game
Climate Variability Activity
Effects of Climate Change
PBS – Clues from Past Climates
PBS – Disappearing Plants | Clue into Climate