In Caithness we are very lucky to be able to see such a variety of cloud formations. Below is a photograph of a Noctilucent cloud taken at Thurso Beach on 30th July at around midnight and the display lasted until around 3am.

Well done to Stewart Watt for a stunning photograph and thank you for letting me use it here.

Forecasting the weather is a science that involves various kinds of techniques and experience. On the ground weather forecasters use weather stations all around the country from which they collate information to assess changes in the weather and weather conditions. Weather balloons known as radiosondes are also used to send information to forecasters about weather conditions in the sky as are satellites. This kind of information is sent to a central forecasting service such as the Met Office where computer technology collates the data and makes a weather forecast.

Common types of weather forecasting equipment

There are various types of weather forecasting equipment that can be used by forecasting specialists here. These include:

• Barometers: barometers are used to measure atmospheric pressure which can be useful when forecasting future changes in the weather. So, for example, changes in atmospheric pressure that are measured by a barometer can help predict rain or sunny weather.

• Sling Psychrometers: Sling Pyschrometers are used to measure the relative humidity in the atmosphere. They work via two separate thermometers one which has a dry bulb and one which has a wet bulb that is wrapped in dampened material. These thermometers are placed together on a chain and are swung on the sling so that the dual temperatures can be read and then compared against a chart to assess the humidity in the air.

• Thermometers: Thermometers are used to measure the temperature of the air. The basic principle here is that the substance contained in a thermometer (usually mercury) will rise as the temperature rises. The temperature is read from a scale on the side of a standard thermometer.

• Rain Gauges: Rain Gauges are used to measure actual rainfall. They are situated above the ground and are set up to measure the amount of rain that falls into them.

Conclusion

Weather maps can be a useful way of predicting the weather forecast for yourself especially those found on internet sites which can be updated in real time. These maps can show what current weather conditions are like and can give indications of potential changes to the weather as well. Weather satellites are also useful tools for forecasters here. These satellites collect and collate information about weather conditions above the ground which can be picked up by forecasters to help them assess what the weather is likely to be like over time. Although these tools are generally most used by professional weather forecasters there are ways that amateur forecasters can predict the weather. For example, a traditional Galileo thermometer is an interesting and attractive way of working out what the weather is likely to be.