HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology
Weather Diary
Week 1 7. Did you observe any wind today?
Observation 1
1. What is the date of your observation? 8. How strong was the wind? Were there winds high up in the sky, on
the ground, or both? Did the wind change while you were observing?
2. What is the time of your observation?
3. What temperate zone do you live in? 9. Did you observe any clouds today?
a. Tropical (0˚ - 30˚ latitude)
b. Northern Temperate (30˚ - 60˚ North latitude)
c. Southern Temperate (30˚ - 60˚ South latitude) 10. If so, what did they look like?
d. Arctic (60˚ - 90˚ latitude’
11. If so, how much cloud coverage was there?
a. Full coverage, seeing little or no sky
4. What best describes your local geography? b. Heavy coverage, seeing many clouds but also some patches of
a. Coastal: on or near an ocean sky
b. Mountainous/Alpine: in the mountains or at high altitude c. Medium coverage, about half clouds and half sky
c. Plains: Flat, no hills or mountains d. Light coverage, very few clouds
d. Hilly: Hills or rolling hills
e. Semi-arid: moderately dry
f. Desert: dry, dusty 12. Did you get precipitation today? If so, what kind?
g. Tropical/Island, on an island a. No precipitation
b. Drizzle
c. Rain
d. Hail
5. Without looking at a source, what is your perception of the e. Snow
temperature outside? (in Celsius or Fahrenheit)?
f. Sleet/ freezing rain
g. Other
6. How humid do you think it is outside? (Percent out of 100)
HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology
13. Did you notice any of the following phenomena? Observation 2
a. Fog/mist
b. Dew 1. What is the date of your observation?
c. Frost
d. Rainbow
2. What is the time of your observation?
14. Please report any other observations you may have noted about the
weather conditions. 3. What temperate zone do you live in?
a. Tropical (0˚ - 30˚ latitude)
b. Northern Temperate (30˚ - 60˚ North latitude)
c. Southern Temperate (30˚ - 60˚ South latitude)
d. Arctic (60˚ - 90˚ latitude
4. What best describes your local geography?
a. Coastal: on or near an ocean
b. Mountainous/Alpine: in the mountains or at high altitude
c. Plains: Flat, no hills or mountains
d. Hilly: Hills or rolling hills
e. Semi-arid: moderately dry
f. Desert: dry, dusty
g. Tropical/Island, on an island
5. Without looking at a source, what is your perception of the
temperature outside? (in Celsius or Fahrenheit)?
6. How humid do you think it is outside? (Percent out of 100)
HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology
7. Did you observe any wind today? 13. Did you notice any of the following phenomena?
a. Fog/mist
b. Dew
c. Frost
8. How strong was the wind? Were there winds high up in the sky, on d. Rainbow
the ground, or both? Did the wind change while you were observing?
14. Please report any other observations you may have noted about the
weather conditions.
9. Did you observe any clouds today?
10. If so, what did they look like?
11. If so, how much cloud coverage was there?
a. Full coverage, seeing little or no sky
b. Heavy coverage, seeing many clouds but also some patches of
sky
c. Medium coverage, about half clouds and half sky
d. Light coverage, very few clouds
12. Did you get precipitation today? If so, what kind?
a. No precipitation
b. Drizzle
c. Rain
d. Hail
e. Snow
f. Sleet/ freezing rain
g. Other
HarvardX: Backyard Meteorology
Calibration
Now, go and find your local weather report for current conditions, such as
from the internet, television or radio station.
1. What was the temperature reported in your forecast? (in Celsius or
Fahrenheit)
2. Enter the percent humidity, if it was reported:
3. Enter the wind speed, if reported:
4. Enter the wind direction, if reported.
a. N
b. NE
c. SE
d. S
e. SW
f. W
g. NW
Icons from the Noun Project: weather by Vectorstall, weather by Dinosoft Labs, sun by Linseed
Studio, thunder by Sewon Park
