First Children's Encyclopedia by Dorling Kindersley - page 266

264
Is it sunny or rainy? Is there snow
on the ground or a thunderstorm
brewing? People are always
interested in the weather because
it affects what we do and what
we wear.
Weather
Predicting the weather
Weather forecasters look at
pictures beamed back from
weather satellites. Computers
then help forecasters work
out what the weather is
going to be like over the
next few days.
Which is bigger: a tornado or a hurricane?
Planet Earth
Rainy days
Rain clouds form when
warm, moist air rises
upwards and then
cools. Droplets of water
join together until they
become so heavy that
they fall. Rain clouds
look dark because
sunlight cannot shine
through the droplets.
Kites stay high in the air
by catching the wind.
Clouds
are made from tiny
water droplets. Dark clouds
mean rain is coming.
Rain
is drops of water
that fall from clouds. Rain
is very good for plant life.
Hailstones
are balls
of ice that grow inside
thunderclouds.
Snow
is made from tiny
bits of ice. It falls instead of
rain when it is very cold.
Sunshine
gives us heat
and light. It warms the
air and dries the land.
Wind
is air moving
around. Winds can be a
light breeze or a strong gale.
Weather words
Here are some main
features of the weather.
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