Saturday 18 July 2009

Websites: Hong Kong Observatory



Typhoon MOLAVE at 23:12 HKT 18 July 2009

This is one of my favourite websites. I must visit this website at least 3 times a day. Once in the morning, because I need to know if it will rain in the morning (to bring an umbrella, or not to bring); Once in the afternoon, to see if there will be typhoon heading Hong Kong (no need to work but get paid?); once before I leave the office / school, to check out the Air Pollution Index (Mongkok is a very polluted area).

But what I have done most with this website, of course, is learning.


Summer is here and you will need to equip yourself with some weather terms. So, what's there to learn?

1. learn to read Satellite images: Click me[1]

A number of satellites provide images of the movement of the clouds, so you can predict the likely weather of the next few days by YOURSELF!!! The images can be played in animation sequence and that button is a must press.

2. learn to read the lightning location information: Click me[2]

On this page, HKO combines the Google map and time colour dots to show you where the lightning hits, both cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud (can be selected by yourself), thus you can have a better idea how far the storm / rain is from Hong Kong. Umbrella or Non-umbrella?

3. learn interesting phenomenon and their names: Click me[3]

Here you can see a series of satellite images of the past and get to learn some terms of some really special phenomenon while reading.

4. Get a feeling of how the wind blows in Hong Kong: Click me[4]

Want to see how wind blows in different regions in Hong Kong? This is a must go.



5. Get to see different severe weather information: Click me[5]

Here you will get to see the severe weather around the world, such as Tropical Cyclones, Heavy Rain/Snow and Thunderstorms.


6. Find out the regional temperature in Hong Kong: Click me[6]

Want to know what to wear in the morning? You will need to use this page to check the temperature of the places you are heading. By clicking on the name of the district, you can see the temperature plotted against time.


7. Learn to scale temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and other weather: Click me[7]

You will be surprised to see how many different terms to do with raining there are.

I'll leave it to you guys to go and check out.

Remember,

"You learn better if you find out your own answer." -- Locky


Resources:

http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/intersat/satpic_s.shtml?pv_mode=playback[1]http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/llis/gm_index.htm[2]http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/intersat/satellite_gallery/index_e.htm[3]http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/ts/wb_animation_e.htm[4]
http://severe.worldweather.org/[5]
http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/ts/index.htm[6]http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/flw_description/flw_e.htm [7]http://www.hko.gov.hk/school/main.shtml
http://www.hko.gov.hk/education/edue.htm http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/ts/explain_e.htm#wind