INTRODUCTION
Meteorology is the study of the changes in
temperature, air pressure, moisture and wind direction in the troposphere. It
is a scientific study of the atmosphere. Its studies are carried in the field
which could be stretch back, even when no significant progress in meteorology
did not occur not until the 18th century. The 19th
century saw breakthroughs after observing networks developed across several
countries, after the development of the computer in the latter of the 20th
century breakthroughs in weather forecasting were achieved.
Disciplines such as climatology, atmospheric physics,
atmospheric chemistry and meteorology are sub-disciplines of atmospheric
sciences. Meteorology and hydrology compose the interdisciplinary field of
hydrometeorology. Interactions between earth’s atmosphere and the oceans are
part of coupled ocean-atmosphere studies.
Meteorology has application in many diverse fields
such as the military, energy production, transport, agriculture and
construction to enable everything in working capacity, meteorology is the bases
of nature.
A meteorologist, an individual or
group of people who are referred to as scientist who study metrology. They are
best known for forecasting the weather and other atmospheric changes. They are
basically weather reporters in both radio and television stations, who can also
work as government agencies, private consulting and research services,
industrial enterprises, utilities and Educationist.
METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS
There are elements that give a case
study to the meteorologist that assist in study of the atmosphere body which
includes the following
1. Cloud
Apart from Venus among the planets,
Earth is one of them that have clouds. These are visible water vapor floating
in the sky, they can be white or grey but this cloud are formed when air is
cooled and some of its water vapour condense e into tiny droplets at the
temperature which is known as the dew point temperature. The shape, he put and
movements of clouds indicate the type of weather which is about to occur. This
cloud ranges from cumulus type of cloud, stratus, stratocumulus, altostratus,
altocumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, nimbostratus and cumulonimbus.
There are two major shape of clouds
which are cumulus or stratus. The dark cloud produce most of our continuous
vain which is called nimbostratus while mot of our showery rain comes form
eruption of cumulonimbus and the word nimbus means rain-bearing
2. Rain
Invariably one can not talk cloud without referring to
rain. This is the precipitation of liquid drops or water, there are other forms
of precipitation such as snow, sleet and hail.
Raindrops generally have a diameter
greater than o.5mm (0.2inch), they range in size up to about 3 mm and the fall
rate increases up to 7.6 per sec with their size, larger drops tend to be flattened
and broken into smaller drops by rapid fall through the air. The precipitation
of smaller drops are called drizzle, often severely restricts visibility but
usually does not produce significant accumulations of water. The instrument
used to measure the amount of rainfall regardless of the place is known as
rainguage.
The types of rainfall widely known
are orographic rain (relief rain), conventional rain and frontal or cyclonic
rain. There is another but not occasionally discussed which is the artificial precipitation
where despite presence of mixture in the cloud fails to rain.
3. Wind
This is measured using wind vane or
wind rose it is air in motion that is usually horizontal seen in the atmosphere.
Winds are produced by differences in atmospheric pressure which are primarily
attributed to differences in temperature. This distribution of pressure and
temperature are caused largely by unequal distribution or heat form the sun,
together with differences in the thermal properties of land oceans surfaces.
When the temperatures of adjacent regions become unequal, the warmer air tends
to rise and flow over the colder and heavier air. The wind is greatly affected
by the earth’s rotation.
There are types of winds that affect
nature and its atmosphere which are
a. prevailing wind
b. seasonal and monsoons wind
c. local wind
d. Cyclones and anticyclones
4. Humidity
This is the measurement of the water
vapour content in the atmosphere, water evaporates form lakes, seas and oceans
and vegetation loses water through transpiration, the humidity of the air
increases. The relative humidity of the air is measured using a hygrometer.
WEATHER STATION
A
weather station is define as a facility either on land or sea, with instruments
and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for
weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate conditions.
There are countless weather stations
but will discuss four as concerning our
practical which include
1. Synopitic weather station
2. Agricultural station
3. Climatogical station
4. Rainfall station
Synoptic Weather Station
These weather station is a
meteorological station where professionals or full time observers work. The
observers are there everyday taking every hour observation, with this collected
data or observations enable them to forecast the weather.
Agricultural weather station
These
are part-time observers that only collect and record observations twice a day
(9am and 3pm) it is mainly for agricultural purpose. It is carried out early in
the morning 9am and towards the late afternoon 3pm.
Climatogical Weather Station
These are part-time observers that
collect data mainly on few weather demands like rainfall, maximum and minimum
thermometer, they record twice per day 9 am and 3 pm on daily basis.
Rainfall station
This
comprises of part-time observers who collects data on a daily rainfall basis
twice per day 9am and 3pm. The data are recorded based on the observation
carried out.
MATERIALS AND APPARATUS
The tools include the following
1. Stevenson screen
2. The wet and dry bulb thermometer
3. Thermometer (maximum and minimum)
4. Rainguage
5. Recording sheet
METHODS AND PROCEDURE
Stevenson
screen
This is raised 1.2 or 4ft above the
ground level. It is a wooden box that is double layered. The double layers help
to exclude direct sun ray, the sides are louver-like in nature made of wood.
This helps or make sure the instruments deposited inside the box are safe and
not influenced either by moisture or water flow. It is
painted
white to allow easy reflection intensity.
Maximum thermometer
This instrument is white in color
and is a mercury glass calibrated to take the highest temperature reached In a
particular day. It contains a blue color liquid which the mercury and It is 0.5
Celsius difference. The other type of thermometer which include old mercury
thermometer which uses magnet to reset after each reading is taking. The new
mercury thermometer swinged to rest before taking any observation. The mercury
content in the thermometer expands at intervals.
Minimum thermometer
This contains alcohol liquid in it
and is known as alcohol in glass thermometer that is calibrated to take the minimum
temperature reached in a day. it’s calibration is 0.5 difference.
Dry bulb thermometer
This is mercury in glass thermometer
that records the temperature of a geographical area at that particular time.
The dry bulb thermometer and the maximum thermometer works together. its
calibration is 0.5 difference. The dry bulb is sensitive to nature and is used
to detect or measure cloud coverage.
Wet bulb thermometer
This is also mercury in glass thermometer.
This is used to measure how moist the wind flowing in a particular area at a
particular time. The instrument is attached with a wig which helps in cooling
the thermometer.
Rain guage
This is a meteorological instrument
used in measuring rainfall. It consist of a meteoric funnel in a metallic
shape, it has also a container known as an emergency bucket. The funnel is
inserted inside the bucket. The funnel helps in the collection of water or rain
drops form the atmosphere into the bucket through the help of the funnel. The
top of the rainguage is a ring-like shape and it prevents splashing of water
from entering the bucket during heavy down pour. The essence of the bucket is
to get accurate record of the entire rainfall and it is mounted in an exposed
area. The rainguage is 0.25m above the ground which also consist of a measuring
cylinder which helps in measurement of collected rainfall. It is calibrated to
0.1m difference.
Recording sheet
For
the purpose of clarity and review, the recording sheet is a piece of writing
material where data and observations are noted down for the purpose of
references to aid the observers in recording its daily observations.
OBSERVATION
The meteorological instrument helps
in knowing a particular weather observation of a particular place when in use.
To get an adequate result in the metrological station, where the Stevenson screen
is mounted is sited on an open area without the alteration of building and
trees. This makes it possible for the instrument which consist of wooden box
and other instruments not to be influenced by moisture and water flow.
The wet bulb thermometer contains a
wig that has a water container that helps in cooling the thermometer. The
mercury in glass thermometer procedure is through swinging of the thermometer
to reset it before use.
The rainguage another meteorological
instrument is exposed in on open area and is 0.25m above the ground. It
contains a bucket and a funnel. The total amount of rainfall in a day is
determined after the container has been filled with water and the calibration
is taken. There is no chance that the total amount of the day rainfall will
fill the container, so therefore there is tendency to get the reading before
next day rainfall commences.
The direction of wind of a
particular place is determine using the wind vane that consist of the four
cardinal points (N,E,S,W) with a knob and a blade all made of iron, so that the
intensity of wind will not obstruct our observation and damage our instrument.
it is mounted in an open space and very high into the atmosphere to get the
proper direction of the wind. When taking our observation and direction of the
wind i observed through the knob and not the blade because the knob is the
perfect direction of the wind on the cardinal point, so when there is wind the
knob will face either North or south but during the practical the direction of
wind showed SOUTH-WEST at exactly 12noon.
RESULT During
then cause of the practical, the observation of the direction of wind was
recorded using the wind vane and result showed that the direction of wind in
Ebonyi state university showed SOUTH-WEST at exactly 12noon the next day during
my observation.
DISCUSSION
Observations carried out not all are consider genuine
but certain challenges and errors are encountered but whereby these
observations are carried out in the meteorological stations zero error is
encountered and other bodies that tend to influence the readings are minimized.
Only a professional can handle all
metrological instruments so as to get proper observation and guess work is
prohibited because there are instruments available to weather observation ranging
from cloud observation to relative humidity and rainfall observation.
Observations of the daily analysis
are made available from the weather stations by the stand-by meteorologists who
are stationed at the weather station to give observation helpful to both
weather forecast and in change in atmosphere.
CONCLUSION
Without the meteorologists who are
always busy in the weather stations possible damages and uncontrolled havoc
will continue to occur in our atmosphere.
Daily observations are recorded and
processed using modern facilities like computers, satellite sent to space, and
other forms of instruments which detect, analyze and process all observations
taking place in the atmosphere.
The study of metrology and the
knowledge when applied to our daily living makes our surroundings much better
and comfortable for us.
The application of meteorology will
make abundant food to be surplus provided that seminars and advices are given
to farmers during their farming season for better time of planting.
RECOMMENDATION
Both private and government
investors should come into play to support, build and establish more weather
stations to help control the activities of the atmosphere that could bring harm
to our planet earth.
The application of meteorology as a
study to both our secondary and tertiary institution should be approved so as
to raise younger scientist and space workers which is encourage in developed
countries like China, Russian and U.S.A
The awareness campaign should be
raised nationwide to the general public, factories, industries and other
individuals for them to have knowledge of their contribution to atmospheric
hazard.
The practical station of my school,
Ebonyi state university, should be provided with more instruments and more
facilities to equip them to provide more report and daily analysis helpful for
both students and school management.