Weather animations can help to enhance weather science knowledge by allowing the user to view a meteorological process step-by-step. Each animation in this list has been chosen for its high quality and accuracy. In addition, I have chosen animations that cover a range of meteorology topics at various levels of understanding. Teachers and students may want to use these animations when creating science fair projects, earth science lesson plans, or PowerPoint projects.
The types of clouds are explored in this interactive and visually stimulating activity. Low, middle, and high level clouds are presented by NASA and
S'COOL (Student Cloud Observations Online) giving a complete guide to cloud identification. Appropriate for most any age, there is accompanying text to enhance the images of clouds.
A simple model of the greenhouse effect is displayed in this animation. Because the user must press play frequently throughout the visualization, this one would be perfect for using on an interactive whiteboard.
The unequal heating of earth can be observed in many locations. Here, land and sea breezes are examined.
A simple exploration of the causes and history of climate change research are presented using the infamous
Powers of 10 concept. While this tutorial is mostly an interactive with resultant articles attached to the buttons, it is an important part of understanding how and why climate change is studied.
The length of day and night on earth is examined in this wonderful animation. Students can stop and start the rotating earth as they also see the path of earth around the sun. Any day of the year can be examined and compared. This interactive tool is great for most any age level.
The cause of floods are examined in this interactive visualization. Readers first proceed through an overview of the causes of floods and then move through a model for preventing floods. In the model, users choose whether a dam, levees, or floodways will prevent a flood. Once a reader presses the flood button, a hydrograph demonstrates the natural discharge that can cause flooding.
Bernoulli's Principle is easily demonstrated in this activity with accompanying animation. The linked information includes basic and advanced discussions as well as links to other air movement lessons.
Finding details is on past tornadoes is not as easy as finding hurricane history. Because
hurricanes are named, there is a greater ease in finding details on the destruction and path of a hurricane. For instance, the paths of hurricanes are tracked on
hurricane maps. Now, you can track past tornadoes from 1950 through 2007 on this animated map. Users choose the parameters for the intensity of the tornado and a series of images appears on a map of the United States. Moving a mouse over the tornado symbol, facts, links, and more are presented. Included are damage costs, injuries, deaths, time of the storm, and a flyby of the path of the tornado. Finding past tornado activity is easy, but be patient waiting for the page to load.
In the manner of the movie
Twister, storm chasers use multiple video cameras to catch a glimpse inside a tornado courtesy of National Geographic.
Tim Samaras captures footage inside the tornado providing data on wind speeds and damages. While not an animation, this video really gives users a feel for the destructive power of a tornado.
The Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale is used to determine the destructive forces of a tornado. Developed by Dr. Ted Fujita, this scale has gone through some recent enhancements and is known as the Enhanced Fujita Scale. This animation shows the enhanced scale as users manipulate wind speed and core pressure to make small and large tornadoes. This one even has a flying cow!
