NESDIS education strives to provide educational material for teachers nationwide. Our goal is to help students understand the science behind satellite data and its impact on our world. Use the engaging educational resources, games, simulations, and videos below to help inspire the next generation of scientists.
Educational Resources Directory
What are the different types of clouds?
Clouds are often one of the first things we notice when we look up into the sky.
Clouds are often one of the first things we notice when we look up into the sky.
Humidity is a measure of water vapor in the air. Meteorologists typically describe water vapor in the atmosphere in two different ways: absolute humidity and relative humidity. Dew point is an absolute measure and helps us understand how muggy and humid it feels outside.
The trade winds are winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator. The winds help ships travel west, and they can also steer storms such as hurricanes, too.
Earth's gravity is strong enough to hold onto its atmosphere and keep it from drifting into space.
A drought is caused by drier than normal conditions that can eventually lead to water supply problems. Really hot temperatures can make a drought worse by evaporating moisture from the soil. But droughts don't just happen in hot and dry places.
Severe flooding is caused by atmospheric conditions that lead to heavy rain or the rapid melting of snow and ice. Geography can also make an area more likely to flood. For example, areas near rivers and cities are often at risk for flash floods.
“How far away is that lightning?" WebApp Courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), Copyright© 2003, 2011, 2013 by Tom Whittaker, S.V. Medaris, and Steve Ackerman.
