Meteorologists use several instruments to collect weather data including thermometers to measure air temperature, wind vanes to determine wind direction, anemometers to measure wind speed, barometers to measure air pressure and predict weather patterns, rain gauges to measure precipitation, and psychrometers to measure relative humidity.

1. What instruments do meteorologists
use to collect weather data?

2. A thermometer is an
instrument used to
measure the air
temperature. Temperature
can be measure in Celsius
or Fahrenheit. When the
temperature increases the
mercury in the
thermometer rises. When
the temperature decreases
the mercury in the
thermometer falls.
Thermometer

3. Wind Vane
A wind vane is an
instrument used to
determine the
direction from
which air is
moving. |
For example a westerly
wind is moving from the
west to the east, not
towards the west.

4. Anemometer
An anemometer is weather
instrument used to
measure wind speed. An
anemometer and a wind
vane are often combined
into one instrument to
gather information about
moving air. The
anemometer shown here
is called a cup
anemometer. As air moves
and the cups turn data is
collected mechanically to
produce a rating of wind
speed and force.

5. Barometer
A barometer is an
instrument used to
measure air pressure. |
Meteorologists can
determine whether the air
pressure is rising or falling
using a barometer. This
data can then be used to
predict specific weather
conditions. High pressure
is an indication of good
weather, while low
pressure indicates stormy
weather.

6. Rain Gauge
A rain gauge is
used to measure
the amount of
fallen precipitation.
They can be
mounted like the
image on the top
or they can be
anchored into the
ground like the
image on the
bottom.

7. Pscychrometer
A psychrometer is
used to measure the
relative humidity, or
amount of moisture in
the air. It consists of
two thermometers,
one with a dry bulb
and one with a wet
bulb. The instrument
is twirled around to
measure the cooling
effect of evaporation.

8. Can you name all of the weather
instruments seen here?