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Stuff Every Weather Scout Should Know: the Study Guide

Practice facts for the Weather merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.

Knowing Weather Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.

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Chapter 1: Weather and Water

How is climate different from weather?

Short answer: Climate averages conditions over longer periods

Weather is day-to-day conditions, while climate is the averaging of conditions over longer periods.

Groan of the day: Weather changes its mind; climate makes up its mind.

Sources: Weather

Why are places farther from the tropics usually cooler?

Short answer: They get less direct sunlight spread over more area

Farther from the tropics, the sun angle is lower, spreading sunlight over a greater surface.

Groan of the day: Low sun angle means the heat is spread thin, like butter on toast.

Sources: Weather

What causes the seasons on Earth?

Short answer: Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbit

Because Earth's axis is tilted, sunlight strikes at different angles at different times of year.

Groan of the day: The seasons are a tilt show.

Sources: Weather

What happens to air above a hot surface?

Short answer: It warms, expands, and lowers surface pressure

A hot surface warms air, which expands, lowers density, and lowers surface air pressure.

Groan of the day: Hot air is full of itself, so it expands.

Sources: Weather

What creates wind?

Short answer: Air moving from higher to lower pressure

A horizontal pressure gradient moves air from higher to lower pressure regions, creating wind.

Groan of the day: Wind is just air going from high pressure to a low-pressure sale.

Sources: Weather

What is cloud seeding used for?

Short answer: Influencing weather such as increasing mountain snow

Cloud seeding techniques are used to increase winter precipitation over mountains and suppress hail.

Groan of the day: Cloud seeding plants ideas in clouds.

Sources: Weather

What does acid rain do?

Short answer: Adversely affects lakes, vegetation, and structures

Acid rain from industrial emissions adversely affects freshwater lakes, vegetation, and structures.

Groan of the day: Acid rain is a real downpour of trouble.

Sources: Weather

What can human greenhouse gas emissions affect?

Short answer: The frequency of extreme weather events

Climate change from greenhouse gases is expected to affect the frequency of extreme weather events.

Groan of the day: Greenhouse gases turn up the heat on extreme weather.

Sources: Weather

What is an inversion?

Short answer: When temperature increases with height

An inversion is when temperature actually increases with height.

Groan of the day: An inversion turns the usual temperature order upside down.

Sources: Weather

What is space weather?

Short answer: Activity from the Sun's solar wind and ejections

Space weather involves the solar wind and coronal mass ejections from the Sun.

Groan of the day: Space weather is out of this world.

Sources: Weather

What can space weather affect on Earth?

Short answer: Electricity grids and radio signals

Solar wind interaction can play havoc with electricity grids and radio signals.

Groan of the day: Space weather can give power grids a shocking time.

Sources: Weather

What is Jupiter's Great Red Spot?

Short answer: A long-lasting anticyclonic storm

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is an anticyclonic storm known to have existed for at least 300 years.

Groan of the day: The Great Red Spot is a storm with real staying power.

Sources: Weather

What is the solar wind?

Short answer: The movement of mass ejected from the Sun

The movement of mass ejected from the Sun is known as the solar wind.

Groan of the day: The solar wind is the Sun's outgoing mail.

Sources: Weather

What does weathering do to rocks and soils?

Short answer: Breaks them into smaller fragments

Weathering breaks down rocks and soils into smaller fragments and constituent substances.

Groan of the day: Weathering gives rocks a break, literally.

Sources: Weather

Why is rainwater slightly acidic?

Short answer: Water droplets absorb carbon dioxide from air

Rain droplets absorb and dissolve carbon dioxide, making rainwater slightly acidic.

Groan of the day: Rainwater picks up a little acid from the air, like a sour drink.

Sources: Weather

The cheat sheet

The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.

  • Weather is day-to-day conditions, while climate is the averaging of conditions over longer periods.
  • Almost all familiar weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, the lowest layer.
  • Weather is driven by air pressure, temperature, and moisture differences between places.
  • Farther from the tropics, the sun angle is lower, spreading sunlight over a greater surface.
  • Because Earth's axis is tilted, sunlight strikes at different angles at different times of year.
  • A hot surface warms air, which expands, lowers density, and lowers surface air pressure.
  • A horizontal pressure gradient moves air from higher to lower pressure regions, creating wind.
  • Earth's rotation causes deflection of airflow, known as the Coriolis effect.
  • The atmosphere is chaotic, so small changes can grow into large effects.
  • It is theoretically impossible to make useful day-to-day predictions more than about two weeks ahead.
  • Weather warnings are important because they are used to protect life and property.
  • Forecasts based on temperature and precipitation are important to agriculture.

Pop quiz

Think of your answer first, then peek.

  1. How is climate different from weather?
    • Climate averages conditions over longer periods
    • Climate is only about wind
    • Climate is today's rain only
    Show the answer

    Climate averages conditions over longer periods. Weather is day-to-day conditions, while climate is the averaging of conditions over longer periods.

  2. Why are weather warnings important forecasts?
    • They predict ocean tides
    • They help protect life and property
    • They help choose movie times
    Show the answer

    They help protect life and property. Weather warnings are important because they are used to protect life and property.

  3. How can you make inch marks on a homemade rain gauge?
    • Use a pencil on the water
    • Use tape on the rain
    • Use a waterproof marker on the bottle
    Show the answer

    Use a waterproof marker on the bottle. Use a waterproof marker to make inch marks on the side of the bottle.

  4. What is space weather?
    • Activity from the Sun's solar wind and ejections
    • Weather on the Moon only
    • Rain in space
    Show the answer

    Activity from the Sun's solar wind and ejections. Space weather involves the solar wind and coronal mass ejections from the Sun.

  5. What tool do you use to cut slots in the wood for a wind vane?
    • Scissors
    • A saw
    • A hole punch
    Show the answer

    A saw. Using the saw, cut a half-inch slot into each end of the 12-inch-long piece of wood.

Now make it stick

Read a chapter, then play the deck and see how much stuck.

This guide covers the 50 free cards. The other 7 are in the game for members.

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