MODULE 1.

An Introduction to Meteorology

Weather and climate are all around us. It affects our work
and play. Disasters related to weather cause hundreds of
thousands of deaths each year. Weather-related damage in
our country is in the million of pesos per year. If you can recall
the damages thatTyphoon Ketsana (Ondoy) in 2009 and
Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 brought to our kababayans, these
have been great nightmares to them. That’s why our
government think of better ways to mitigate floodings and have
pre- emptive measures to avoid loss of lives and great damage
to properties.
Figure 1. Yolanda aftermath (https://www.bing.com/)

9 https://www.bing.com/
Targets: After exploring this module, you are expected to:

❖ Role play some old adages that you’re able to gather and identify their scientific
explanations
 Describe what meteorology is and be familiarized with its branches;
 Trace the historical development of meteorology;
 Interview your parents/grandparents on old adages that relate to weather changes; and
 Explore potential career paths that have a focus on/use meteorology

Lesson 1.1 Meteorology and Its Branches

Hook

Look up at the sky. Is it raining or sunny? Are there big, puffy clouds that look like marshmallows,
or dark, angry clouds threatening sleet? No matter how the sky appears, you are looking at Earth’s lower
atmosphere, the realm that is studied by the science of meteorology. Meteorology concerns itself with
the science of atmospheric properties and phenomena—science that includes the atmosphere’s physics
and chemistry.
A meteorologist is a specialized scientist who focuses on some aspects of the atmosphere, and
uses scientific principles to observe, understand and be able to explain or forecast how the earth’s
atmosphere affects the earth and everyone on it (www.careerexplorer.com).

Meteorologists
• often thought of as people who forecast the weather. And some
meteorologists certainly do that! Predicting the weather is a
complicated process, which requires both sophisticated new
tools and some old-fashioned techniques.
• observers and researchers. They note the physical conditions of
the atmosphere above them, and they study maps, satellite data,
and radar information. They also compare various kinds of
Figure 2. Amado Pineda,
weather data from local, regional, and global sources.
a Filipino meteorologist in action
(https://www.bing.com/)

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The branches of meteorology are as follows:
(Source: What is Meteorology? 15 Branches of Meteorology - Earth How https://earthhow.com/what-is-meteorology/)

A. Weather and Climate

The main focus of meteorology is the study of the chemistry and physics for weather/climate. For
long-term weather patterns, climatology studies the past and how climate change will affect the future.

Branches Focus
How atmospheric pressure is measured and relates to weather and
Barometry
climate.
How climate (long-term weather patterns) has varied in the past and
Climatology
how climate change will affect the future.
How atmosphere chemistry and physics relate to weather and climate
Meteorology
patterns.
Paleoclimatology How prehistoric climates have changed in a geologic time scale.

Paleotempestology How tropical cyclones have changed in a geologic time scale.

Topoclimatology How topographic relief influences local climate in the lower air layer.

B. Atmospheric Physics

The physical processes in weather and climate can be described in one of these branches of
meteorology. For example, aerodynamics describes how air circulates in the atmosphere.

Branches Focus
Aerodynamics How air circulates in the atmosphere.
How chemical and physical properties are composed in the upper
Aeronomy
region of Earth and planets.
How Earth’s magnetic field changes at different time scales including
Geomagnetism
pole reversals.
How physical processes and properties relate to Earth and its
Geophysics
surrounding space.
How water and energy are transferred between the land surface and
Hydrometeorology
atmosphere (hydrologic cycle).
How electromagnetic radiation in the atmosphere is observed and
Radiometry
measured.

C. Life Science

Meteorology had tremendous impacts on the biosphere and there are several branches of
meteorology that are concerned with this aspect.

Branches Focus
Bioclimatology How climate interacts and affects living things.
How atmospheric conditions and weather patterns impact living
Biometeorology
things.
Geobiology How the biosphere relates to the lithosphere and atmosphere.

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 Lesson 1.2 A Historical Look
Hook

Although the term meteorology is used today to describe a subdiscipline of the atmospheric
sciences, Aristotle's work is more general. Meteorologica is based on intuition and simple observation,
but not on what is now considered the scientific method.

In the timeline below, it just focused on the antiquity:

3000 BC – Meteorology in India can be traced back to around 3000 BC,

with writings such as the Upanishads, containing discussions about the
processes of cloud formation and rain and the seasonal cycles caused
by the movement of earth round the sun

600 BC – Thales may qualify as the first Greek meteorologist. He reputedly issues
the first seasonal crop forecast.

400 BC – There is some evidence that Democritus predicted changes in the weather, and
that he used this ability to convince people that he could predict other future events.

400 BC – Hippocrates writes a treatise called Airs, Waters and Places, the earliest known
work to include a discussion of weather. More generally, he wrote about common
diseases that occur in particular locations, seasons, winds and air.

350 BC – The Greek philosopher Aristotle writes Meteorology, a work which represents the sum of
knowledge of the time about earth sciences, including weather and climate. It is the first known work
that attempts to treat a broad range of meteorological topics. For the first time, precipitation and the
clouds from which precipitation falls are called meteors, which originate from the Greek word
meteoros, meaning 'high in the sky'. From that word comes the modern term meteorology, the study of
clouds and weather.

Several years after Aristotle's book, his pupil Theophrastus puts together a book on weather
forecasting called The Book of Signs. Various indicators such as solar and lunar halos formed by high
clouds are presented as ways to forecast the weather. The combined works of Aristotle and
Theophrastus have such authority they become the main influence in the study of clouds, weather and
weather forecasting for nearly 2000 years

250 BC – Archimedes studies the concepts of buoyancy and the hydrostatic principle. Positive buoyancy
is necessary for the formation of convective clouds (cumulus, cumulus congestus and cumulonimbus).

25 AD – Pomponius Mela, a geographer for the Roman empire, formalizes the climatic zone system.

c. 80 AD – In his Lunheng (論衡; Critical Essays), the Han dynasty Chinese philosopher Wang Chong (27–97
AD) dispels the Chinese myth of rain coming from the heavens, and states that rain is evaporated from water
on the earth into the air and forms clouds, stating that clouds condense into rain and also form dew, and
says when the clothes of people in high mountains are moistened, this is because of the air-suspended rain
water.

For more details on the historical perspective of meteorology, please visit :

Timeline of meteorology explained https://everything.explained.today/Timeline_of_meteorology/

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 Activity 1 – Human Activities based on Weather and Climate

Meteorology is one of the oldest observational sciences in human history and perhaps
the most relevant to a broad segment of society. Some of our first observational
meteorologists and weather forecasters were shepherds, farmers and sailors/fishermen. Be
able to identify how these groups depend upon understanding and predicting the weather
for their livelihoods and safety. Please write your answer on the blanks provided below each
picture:

_______________________ _______________________ ______________________

_______________________ _______________________ ______________________
_______________________ _______________________ ___________________
_______________________ _______________________ ___________________

Activity 2 – Career Paths

Weather has a significant impact on a variety of careers and fields of study. Beyond weather
forecasters, broadcast meteorologist and climatologists, weather is an important part of careers
within engineering, agriculture, aviation, energy, and more. To explore potential career paths that
have a focus on or use meteorology, check out this link:
https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/people/jobs/careers.php. After exploration, please fill up the description
each career/job.

Career/Job Description Career/Job Description

7. Research
1. Airlines
meteorologist
2. City 8. Radio/TV
managers managers
3. Electronic
9. Road crews
companies
4. Fruits/vegie 10. Station
farmers Managers
5. Meteorologist
11. Teacher
in military
6. Operational
forecaster
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 Explore

Activity 3 – Bridging the Gaps (per group)

Interview your parents/grandparents/relatives on old adages/phenomena that relate

to weather changes. List atleast the (10) of their observations. Be able to identify the scientific
explanations of each.
Old Adages Interpretataion Scientific Explanations
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

After gathering data, form a group and do a role playing of atleast 5 of these old adages/
situations. Rubrics in rating your role playing is provided in the google classroom.

Activity 4 – Our Great Filipino Meteorologist Biography

NPhoto Name: _____________________________ Birthdate: __________

here
Early Life:_________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Adult Life:___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
What made him/her famous meteorologist?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____

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References:

Branches of Meteorology - Bing video

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=branches+of+meteorology&docid=608020030477703898&mid=121F
E6D822CFDF8B971C121FE6D822CFDF8B971C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Microsoft Word - 1LevineTeacherguide27.doc (nasa.gov)

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/288978main_Meteorology_Guide.pdf

Weather and Your Career | An Introduction to Weather | Weather on Earth | Meteorology (weatherstem.com)
https://learn.weatherstem.com/courses/wxstem_meteorology_01/module-01/01/08.html