Learn About Weather
Clear, accurate explanations of weather science, forecasting, and climate — no jargon required.
Weather science, explained clearly
These explainers cover the ideas behind every forecast you read: what makes weather happen, why air pressure matters, how forecasters turn satellite data into a seven-day outlook, and how to read the numbers on a forecast without guessing. Each article is written for curious non-specialists and reviewed for accuracy against standard meteorology references.
If you are new to the topic, start with “What Causes Weather”, then read “Understanding Air Pressure” and “How Weather Forecasting Works”. “Weather vs Climate” explains why a cold week does not disprove a warming trend, and “How to Read a Weather Forecast” turns all of it into practical everyday decisions.
Editor, SunorSnow
How Weather Forecasting Works
From weather stations to supercomputers — the full process behind modern forecasts.
Understanding Air Pressure
How atmospheric pressure shapes weather systems and what pressure changes predict.
What Causes Weather?
The sun, oceans, atmosphere and geography — the fundamental forces behind every weather event.
How to Read a Weather Forecast
Interpret temperature, precipitation probability, wind and UV index like a professional.
Weather vs Climate: What's the Difference?
The key distinction between day-to-day weather and long-term climate patterns.
Key weather terms in plain language
These are the words that come up most often in forecasts and in our articles. Each one is explained in more depth in the guides above.
Air mass
A large body of air with fairly uniform temperature and humidity, such as cold, dry polar air or warm, moist tropical air. Weather changes when one air mass replaces another.
Front
The boundary between two air masses. Cold fronts tend to bring short, sharp showers and a drop in temperature; warm fronts bring longer spells of lighter rain.
High and low pressure
High-pressure areas have sinking air and usually bring settled, dry weather. Low-pressure areas have rising air, which cools and forms clouds, rain and wind.
Dew point
The temperature at which air becomes saturated and water condenses. A dew point above about 20°C feels sticky and oppressive, whatever the humidity percentage says.
Probability of precipitation
The chance that measurable rain or snow falls at a given place during a given period. It says how likely rain is, not how long or how hard it will rain.
Heat index and wind chill
“Feels like” temperatures. Heat index adds the effect of humidity in hot weather; wind chill adds the effect of wind in cold weather.
Monsoon
A seasonal reversal of winds that brings a long, very wet season, as in Mumbai from June to September, followed by a much drier part of the year.
Climate normal
The average of a weather measurement — such as July’s high temperature — over a standard 30-year period. It is the baseline used to describe a place’s climate.
Köppen classification
The most widely used system for grouping the world’s climates, from tropical (A) and dry (B) to temperate (C), continental (D) and polar (E).
Numerical weather prediction
Forecasting with computer models that solve the equations of the atmosphere, starting from millions of observations from satellites, balloons and ground stations.