Meteorology
9 questions tagged Meteorology — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
What Is the Coriolis Effect?
The Coriolis effect is the apparent deflection of moving objects (like wind and ocean currents) caused by Earth rotation — to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern.
What Is Absolute Humidity?
Absolute humidity is the total mass of water vapour present in a given volume of air, measured in grams per cubic metre, regardless of temperature.
Whose work first explained the jet stream?
Carl-Gustaf Rossby’s work in the 1930s helped explain large-scale upper-air winds, including the jet stream.
Whose work first mapped the global atmospheric circulation cells?
George Hadley first explained the tropical circulation cell that now bears his name; later meteorologists extended the full three-cell model.
Whose invention first made the modern weather forecast possible?
Robert FitzRoy is widely credited with pioneering practical weather forecasting and storm warnings in the 19th century.
Whose name is associated with the Beaufort wind scale?
Sir Francis Beaufort created the wind force scale in the early 1800s for naval use.
What is an isobar on a weather map?
An isobar is a line connecting places with the same air pressure, usually measured in millibars or hectopascals. Meteorologists use isobars to spot highs, lows, and pressure gradients.
When was the first instrument shelter used to standardize weather observations?
The Stevenson screen, the classic white louvered instrument shelter, was introduced in the 1860s. It helped standardize temperature readings by shielding thermometers from direct sun and rain.
Whose work first linked ocean temperatures to global climate patterns?
Vilhelm Bjerknes was a pioneer in explaining how the ocean and atmosphere interact. His work helped lay the foundation for modern climate prediction.