Surface Maps

Question 1

Surface plots

Answer 1

Upper right: mean sea level pressure (MSLP)
Upper left: temperature (°F)
Middle: cloud cover
Middle left: weather symbol
Lower left: dewpoint (°F)
plus a wind barb

Question 2

Isopleth

Answer 2

a line or curve of equal values of an atmospheric quantity

Question 3

Surface plots weather symbols

Answer 3

· => rain
*=> snow
R=> thunder
∇=> shower
,, => drizzle
~=> freezing rain/drizzle
Δ+·=> ice pellets/sleet
= => fog
∞=> haze

Question 4

Isobars

Answer 4

Closed isobars indicate a local pressure center
Read the isobars around the central circle
If they increase in value inward, that’s a high pressure center
If they decrease in value inward, that’s a low pressure center

Question 5

Isotherms

Answer 5

Isotherms that are closely packed together indicate fronts
Close spacing shows the strong temperature gradient that is characteristic of fronts