A basic Introduction to Map Analysis and Interpretation
Weather maps
The weather map was not developed until the telegraph was working. Back in the 1870's, the first weather map came to be. At that time, the government meteorologists worked for the US Army Signal Service. Later, this department became the Weather Bureau and now it is known as the National Weather Service.
Weather symbols
A meteorologist must convey a lot of information without using a lot of words. When looking at a weather map, a meteorologist needs to know where the cold air is, where the warm air is, where it is raining, what type of clouds are in the area, and many more things. The reason for this is that forecasts need to be accurate. But, they also need to be timely.
Weather systems
Our spinning planet is covered with moving air. Some of this air is over the ocean and some is over the land. The ground gets warm faster than water, but also gets cold faster than water. That is why it is normally colder over land in the winter, and warmer over land in the summer. When the ocean is warmed by the sun, the water absorbs heat and warms the air above it.
