Atmospheric Weather Variables

Weather is influenced by a number of factors. These factors are key variables that control
weather and how they work together to do so. Although it may seem like it sometimes,
weather forecasters don't just make up their predictions. They use the best available science,
as well as three key variables that are critical to understanding weather: air pressure,
temperature and air density. These variables are essential because, like a well-organized set
of drill sergeants, they control how air behaves, and thus, they control the weather.
WEATHER VARIABLES
A. Solar Radiation Energy
 Solar radiation is expressed in units of watts per meter squared (W / m2). Solar radiation is
radiant energy from the fusion process or the incorporation of hydrogen nuclei in the sun into
a hydrogen atom. This fusion process produces energy in the form of long-wave emission
forwarded to the Earth's atmosphere to the surface. This process is what causes the solar
thermal energy can be felt in the atmosphere to the earth's surface.
 Solar radiation is the most important factor that plays a role in weather formation processes in
the Earth's atmosphere because of the radiation is the sun "hot" is obtained for the "driving
force" cycles in the atmosphere that cause weather changes from time to time. In
meteorological observation synoptik (surface), solar radiation is observed by means
solarimeter.
B. Air Temperature
 The air temperature is the degree of 'all hot-ness "of the air in a room or area restrictions. Unit
air temperature is generally expressed in degrees Celsius or Kelvin in SI (International Units).
 The air temperature occurs because of the flow of heat energy from the sun through long
wave radiation into air molecules in the atmosphere and other objects molecule on the surface
of the earth. Physically each molecule's ability to absorb and store solar radiation varies so
different temperatures terbut molecules.
 Air heating can occur through two heating process, namely the direct heating and indirect
heating.
a. Heating directly
Direct heating can occur through several processes as follows:
1. The process of absorption is the absorption of solar radiation elements, such as
gamma rays, X-rays and ultra-violet. Elements that absorb solar radiation are oxygen,
nitrogen, ozone, hydrogen, and dust.
2. The process of reflection is solar heating of the air but reflected back into space by
drops of water (H2O), clouds, and other particles in the atmosphere.
3. The process of diffusion of sunlight experienced diffusion of light in the form of
short-wave blue and violet scattered in all directions. This process causes the blue
sky.
b. Indirect heating
Indirect heating can occur in the following ways:
1. Conduction is the provision of heat by the sun on the bottom of the air layer and then
a layer of air that provide heat to the lining of the air above it.
2. Convection is the provision of heat by the movement of air vertically upward.
3. Advection is the provision of heat advection by air motion horizontal (landscape).
4. Turbulence is the provision of heat by the air motion is irregular and swirling upward,
but there are some of the heat is reflected back into the atmosphere.
C. Air Pressure
 1. Pressure physically defined as the force per unit area (F / A). Air pressure is the force
exerted on the air molecules per unit area of the column. The air pressure occurs due
to air molecules in a column suffered heavy force due to gravity. Meanwhile, the air
pressure changes occur due to differences in temperature on a column of air that
causes differences in expansion of air so that the air pressure is different.
2. The units of measure the air pressure is millibars (mb) or hector-pascal (hPa). 1 mb =
1 Hpa = 3/4 mmHg (pressure mercury) or 1,013 mb = 76 cm Hg = 1 atmosphere
3. The air pressure is different at each point depends on the intensity or solar radiation,
altitude, and latitude location somewhere. The higher the elevation of a point lower
air pressure at that place. This happens because the air mass cantered on areas that
have a lower elevation due to the force of gravity so that the regions with higher
elevations, the air mass in units of columns lighter than in lower elevation areas. Thus
the air pressure will be lower in areas that have a higher elevation.
4. At high latitudes, the air pressure in the area was strongly influenced by the air
temperature due to the circulation of the sun's apparent latitude of the earth. For
example, in December in the southern hemisphere is dominated by pressure area is
lower than in the northern hemisphere due to the apparent movement of the sun in
December were in the vicinity of the 230LS and vice versa.
5. For standard air pressure based on the pressure at sea level (mean sea level pressure)
in the amount of 1013.25 mb. The air pressure in meteorological observations,
measured by a barometer aneroid or mercury barometer. Changes in air pressure over
time affects the weather conditions change because it will lead to weather
disturbances ranging from local scale to the global scale. Air pressure information is
also very important in aviation activity.
D. Wind
1. The wind is generally defined as the movement of air masses due to the difference in
air pressure in different places. In observation of Meteorology, wind velocity
observed in substance and direction of the wind. Wind speed unit commonly used in
meteorological observations are knots (Northicalmiles) and units of wind direction
expressed in degrees.
2. The winds were observed in meteorology is the wind on the surface and winds at each
vertical air layer. Surface wind is observed from a height of approximately 10 meters
above the ground, assuming no obstacles (an obstacle) which are more than twice the
height of the object. While the wind on the vertical air layer (upper air winds) was
measured by the method of balloon pilots and is also widely used radio sounding
(Rason) automatically.
The wind, in terms of meteorological scale can be divided into:
 Wind local scale. for example, onshore wind, sea breezes, foehn wind, wind valleys,
mountain wind.
 Wind regional scale. for example monsoonal winds
 Wind a global scale. contohnhya Passat winds.
E. Evaporation
1. Evaporation or evaporation is the event of changing water into water vapor.
Evaporation is influenced by solar radiation, temperature, pressure and wind
circumstances. In observation meteorlogi synoptik evaporation measured by
evaporimeter in millimeters.

F. Relative Humidity (RH)

 1. The relative humidity is the state that indicates the amount of water vapour contained
in the air is saturated at the saturated vapour pressure. Air humidity meteorological
observations measured using psychrometer or hygrometer can also be used.
G. Cloud
 Clouds are formed due to the evaporation process on the surface of the earth.
However, the cloud is not always developing in any area of a large evaporation. This
is due to the influence of wind and currents subsidence in the area.
High clouds according dasarnnya divided into three, namely:
1. High clouds- Clouds are included in this category are clouds Cirrus, Cirrocumulus
cloud, cloud Cirrustratus.
2. Cloud medium- Clouds are included in this category are Altostratus clouds,
Altocumulus clouds and cloud Nimbustratus.
3. Low clouds- Clouds are included in this category are Cumulus clouds, Stratus clouds,
clouds Stratocumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds.
Cloud according to its shape is divided into two, namely:
1. Clouds Cumuloformis have lumpy shape ssehingga allows this cloud has a base
height of the low and high peaks towering.
2. Cloud stratoformis appeared in sheets or uniform layer and relatively homogeneous.
These clouds do not have high cloud tops because the top layer of clouds is difficult to
know the height due to terturup layer below.
H. Rain

1. Rainfall is measured using a tipping bucket rain gauge that doesn't have to be
emptied. An event is recorded when about one quarter millimetre of rain falls.

2. Total daily rainfall is stored as a running total that is reset to zero each day at
midnight. Our rain gauges are not heated so the occasional winter ice and
snow events that we see here in Victoria will not be recorded properly. Any
snow or ice that accumulates in the bucket will be recorded when it melts.

I. Dew Point

1. The dew point temperature is the temperature to which the air must cool for it
to reach saturation, for a given pressure and humidity. If the air temperature
cools to the dew point, dew will form. If the dew point temperature is less than
zero, frost will form.