Weather instruments
Seven core instruments — know them all.
| Instrument | Measures | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Rain gauge | Rainfall | mm |
| Thermometer | Temperature | °C |
| Maximum thermometer | Highest temp recorded | °C |
| Minimum thermometer | Lowest temp recorded | °C |
| Barometer (aneroid) | Atmospheric pressure | hPa or mb |
| Anemometer | Wind speed | km/h or m/s |
| Wind vane | Wind direction | N, NE, E, ... |
| Hygrometer (wet/dry bulb) | Humidity | % |
| Sunshine recorder | Sunshine hours | hours |
Wind direction. Always named by the direction the wind COMES FROM. A 'north wind' BLOWS FROM the north.
Pressure. Standard sea-level: ~1013 hPa. LOW pressure (~990 hPa) = unstable, rainy. HIGH pressure (~1030 hPa) = settled, clear.
Cambridge tip. Match instrument to measurement — mark scheme expects exact pairings.
- Seven core instruments to memorise.
- Wind named by direction it COMES FROM.
- Pressure: low = rain; high = clear.
See the full worked example for weather - collecting weather data →