1. Aim: What are station models?

2. I. Station Models
- Use symbols to represent weather conditions in selected locations.

3. ESRT Page 13

4. A. Temperature
upper left corner (in degrees Fahrenheit).

5. B. Dew Point
lower left corner (in degrees Fahrenheit).

6. C. Wind Speed and Direction
The stick that comes off the circle is the "Wind Barb and Feathers”, which indicates speed and direction.

7. Where is this wind coming from? Where is it blowing towards?
barbs point in the direction where the wind comes from.
W E
Where is this wind coming from? Where is it blowing towards?

8. feathers show the wind speed (uses the units knots (knt), a nautical speed).
1 Knot = 1.15 mph
short feather = 5 knots (offset to the middle of barb)
long feather = 10 knots (offset to the end of barb)
No feathers = calm winds.

9. Take the worksheet from the top back bin
D. Pressure
Upper right corner in coded form. These values must be de-coded to be used.
Rules for converting pressure:
500 and Higher
1. Put 9 in front
2. Move decimal one to left
Less Than 500
1. Put 10 in front
Take the worksheet from the top back bin

10. The pressure has risen 1.9 mb in the past 3 hrs.
E. Barometric Trend
located in the middle on the right side
Indicates if the pressure has fallen or risen over the past 3 hours.
+ or / indicates the pressure has risen (increased)
- or \ indicates the pressure has fallen (decreased)
A decimal is added between the two numbers.
The pressure has risen 1.9 mb in the past 3 hrs.

11. F. Present Weather Left side of circle (Symbol on ESRT p.13)
Air Mass abbreviations
Present weather
Front Symbols

12. G. Cloud Cover
The circle indicates the percent of cloud cover observed at the time.
Percent of circle filled = the percent of the sky filled with clouds

13. H. Precipitation I. Visibility - Shown on the bottom right.
- Indicates the amount of precipitation over the last 6 hours
I. Visibility
- Shown on outside middle left.
- Indicates how far horizontally you can see.

14. Station Model Codes (BACK BIN TOP WORKSHEET (ANSWERS)
Meteorologists use coded data because it keeps the maps from getting filled with too much information. It is also easier to write and read without the decimal since the maps and numbers might be written small.
Coded value
Decoded Answer
Coded Value 1
206
1020.6 6
476
1047.6 2
080
1008.0 7
666
966.6 3
987
998.7 8
708
970.8 4
000
1000.0 9
001
1000.1 5
879
987.9 10
345
1034.5
Coded 180
2) Coded 848
3) Coded 111

16. Closure:
Obtain a “Reading and Drawing Station Models” worksheet from the bottom bin.
Use the notes and your ESRT to complete the worksheet for homework.