Weather includes all atmospheric conditions that are occurring at any given time. Weather conditions are important to monitor because knowing what is happening now can help in forecasting future conditions.

Why would we need to forecast future weather conditions?
We are affected by the weather every day. Weather influences the clothing we wear each day and provides the water we drink. If your family were planning a picnic for tomorrow it would be good to know if gusty winds or thunderstorms were expected. Farmers also need to know the weather forecast. If heavy rain is forecasted for a day when they need to go out in the fields with heavy equipment, they might have to wait until the muddy ground dries.

There are many other reasons why learning about weather is important. Can you name a few other ways that weather may affect you?

You have heard people talk about weather, but what is it. This lesson will show you a few weather conditions and then you will go outside and take a weather observation. Before you go outside, let's go over a few weather conditions and discuss how to identify them.