With One Eye on the Weather.

[Rick]

A lot of our devices today read barometric pressure so I thought I'd toss up an easy tutorial on it. My portable amateur radio has a chip that gives me the barometric pressure so I have a good general idea of what the weather is going to do over the next few days.

In the U.S., air pressure at the surface is reported in inches of mercury while air pressure aloft is reported in millibars. However, scientists generally use pressures in millibars. Millibars are a direct measure of pressure, like pounds per square inch, but in the metric system. Inches of mercury measure how high the pressure pushes the mercury in a barometer. To convert between inches of mercury and millibars, one millibar is equal to 0.03 inches of mercury. *1

So there can be a difference in the way the barometric pressure is reported. But they are saying the same thing. As a RULE OF THUMB you can assume 30 inHg (1016 millibar) is a "normal" pressure.

High
Clear skies

Rising
Clearing or improving

Normal and stable
Fair

Falling
Degrading

Slightly lower
Usually cloudy

Low
Rainy and stormy

So what does that mean? Well, it depends on what you want to do and when you want to do it. A high, rising or stable barometric pressure would offer great hiking weather. A falling barometer will offer some great fishing. A falling or lower barometric pressure might be a good time to get some yard work done while the sun is behind the clouds and before the rain starts. A low barometric pressure might be great for some indoor sports.

*1 http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/otx/outreach/ttalk/baropres.php

[RangerXanatos]

Tried to give some green but I have to spread it around first.

[Rick]

Thanks. I already gave myself six more green thingies so it's okay.

[crashdive123]

Good in formation.

[Sparky93]

Great info!

[LowKey]

What are these devices you speak of?

I usually have a weather glass (but the current one is broken. Looking for a new one).

If the water is coming out the spout (pressure drop), it's time to get under cover. Bad storm.

[Rick]

Sorry, I forgot to add pictures.

"My portable amateur radio has a chip that gives me the barometric pressure..."

Another good way is if you get sun burned while hiking then the sun is shining. If your head gets wet it's raining and if you're having trouble seeing beyond a few feet it's either night time or foggy.

[LowKey]

I wear a hat.
But a rock on a string works the same way.
If it's wet, it's raining
If it's dry, it's not raining
If it has a shadow, it's sunny
If it's moving, it's windy
If it's white on top, it's snowing
If it's hard to see, it's foggy
If it's darker, it's night
If it's gone, it's stolen
Some things just don't require batteries.

[RangerXanatos]

Another good way is if you get sun burned while hiking then the sun is shining. If your head gets wet it's raining and if you're having trouble seeing beyond a few feet it's either night time or foggy.

You mean I don't need to carry my weather rock with me all the time?

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[Rick]

Oh, well, sure if you want to be all primitive. I'm trying to uplift you knuckledraggers and provide you with a bit of technical sophistication. Always remember to keep your pinky finger extended when reading your GPS.

[el-amigo]

Thank you for the initial post!

My parents always had a barometer in the kitchen, I never understood how could it forecast the weather.
On the modern ones there is some explanation.

[finallyME]

A lot of our devices today read barometric pressure so I thought I'd toss up an easy tutorial on it. My portable amateur radio has a chip that gives me the barometric pressure so I have a good general idea of what the weather is going to do over the next few days.

In the U.S., air pressure at the surface is reported in inches of mercury while air pressure aloft is reported in millibars. However, scientists generally use pressures in millibars. Millibars are a direct measure of pressure, like pounds per square inch, but in the metric system. Inches of mercury measure how high the pressure pushes the mercury in a barometer. To convert between inches of mercury and millibars, one millibar is equal to 0.03 inches of mercury. *1

So there can be a difference in the way the barometric pressure is reported. But they are saying the same thing. As a RULE OF THUMB you can assume 30 inHg (1016 millibar) is a "normal" pressure.

High
Clear skies

Rising
Clearing or improving

Normal and stable
Fair

Falling
Degrading

Slightly lower
Usually cloudy

Low
Rainy and stormy

So what does that mean? Well, it depends on what you want to do and when you want to do it. A high, rising or stable barometric pressure would offer great hiking weather. A falling barometer will offer some great fishing. A falling or lower barometric pressure might be a good time to get some yard work done while the sun is behind the clouds and before the rain starts. A low barometric pressure might be great for some indoor sports.

*1 http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/otx/outreach/ttalk/baropres.php

Great post, 100% correct, except the parts that are wrong. A bar is not part of the metric system. That would be a pascal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_%28unit%29
See, Wiki says so, and we all know Wiki is always right. (saying this right after editing Wiki ).

To your original statement. What are you doing with your other eye. Just askin....

[Rick]

Well, Slugo, you taint arguin' with me. You are arguing with the National Weather Service whose linky I posted as a footnote thereby avoiding the accusation of plagarism, something I would never ever do unless of course there were some intrinsic benefit to me (long breath). I'm fortunate that I (not eye) have one eye (not I) that looks up and one eye (not I) that looks straight ahead. So I (not eye) can see both the weather and what's in front of me. The fact is I'm kinda like a 58 Buick with slight front end damage. I just don't have brights, only dim.

[finallyME]

I should have known that from your avatar.

[finallyME]

We all know that Wiki is always right, and NOAA is.....well....wrong a lot. So, there ya go.

[Rick]

Well, that. That picture was taken in my younger days before the great canoe accident of '10. 1810, 1910, 2010...one of those 10s. It's all a blur anymore. Oh, wait, that wasn't a blur, that was a cloud. My bad.

[wtrfwlr]

Oh! I'm learning. I thought the Avatar was one of those projections of what you'd look like when you grew up......I mean became an adult.....Dangit I mean when you get a little older. I better stop huh?

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Thanks. I already gave myself six more green thingies so it's okay.

One of the many advantages of being an Administrator, I expect...

-- Nighteyes

[JPGreco]

You can make your own with a little bit of tubing and a board. Put the tubing in a U shape on the board and fill it with a some water so it comes up about halfway on each side. One a clear sunny day seal off one end of the tub and mark where the water line is on the side that isn't sealed.

Now, if the water line on that side goes up, the pressure is falling, which could indicate storms are coming. Low pressure doesn't always mean storms though. If the water is below that line, then its a high pressure, so clear skies ahead. Its quick and dirty, but in a pinch can tell you what may be on its way.

[Rick]

One of the many advantages of being an Administrator, I expect.

Oh, you bet. AND, we have control of drones and black helicopters, which is just too cool. You've seen those shows where a chopper buzzes elk in the highlands and how they scatter? You should see folks in a Walmart parking lot. What a hoot.