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You are here: Experts > Science > Weather > Meteorology (Weather) > visual weather indicators
Expert: Donald Rosenfeld - 10/27/2009
Question
QUESTION: I am looking for the every day visual weather indicators that can tell me the wind speed/direction, rain/snow fall amount/ accumulation, cloud formation/colours indicating impending foul weather. The purpose is to come up with a way for emergency personel out in the field to be able to communicate more effectively to the dispatcher the type/severity of weather they are encountering and aid the dispatcher, located hundereds of miles away, to anticipate impending complications/responses
ANSWER: Hi John
Well, a person who is not connected to the internet could use:
http://web2.iadfw.net/danb1/clouds.htm
to forecast the weather from the clouds.
There are portable weather instruments that can do local observations:
http://www.weatherconnection.com/product.asp?itmky=92419
http://www.weatherconnection.com/product.asp?itmky=494304
http://www.weatherinstruments.com/rain-gauges/analog-rain-gauges/conantcustombra...
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: How can I visually recognize wind speed, rain fall amount, snow fall amount, distance in fog?
Answer
Hi John
On the ocean you can use wave height as a wind speed indicator but, on land, the best way is use a hand anemometer:
http://www.theweatherstore.com/wihaan.html
For rainfall it's described by the visibility as indicating how heavy the rain is but not the amount; for amount fallen:
http://www.theweatherstore.com/trraga.html
Snowfall is also described by visibility but for amount fallen you'd need a ruler.
Distance in fog you have to know distance of objects to be able to express the distance which will determine the degree of fogginess.
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