Interpreting Surface Weather Maps

Duration: 90 minutes
Access: 30 days

Weather forecast maps use a confusing array of symbols, meteorological shorthand, timekeeping systems, and color schemes to display current and future weather patterns. Learning to interpret surface weather maps will improve your marine forecasting skills and the safety and comfort of your outings.

The symbols identifying high and low pressure systems, frontal boundaries, troughs, ridges, tropical cyclones and other meteorological features will be examined. Wind forecasting graphics such as wind barbs, streamlines, and the basics of weather forecast models will also be explained. 

• Barometric pressure 
• Air masses
•  Frontal boundaries and other surface weather features 
• Isobars 
• Low pressure 
• Stationary fronts
•  Cold fronts 
• Warm fronts 
• Occluded fronts 
• Troughs 
• High pressure 
• Ridges 
• Tropical cyclones
•  Meteorological Time 

• Interpreting surface forecast maps

  Decoding 

• NDFD Weather Type

  Wind forecast graphics

•  Wave forecasting graphics 
• Weather forecast models 101