A Really Simple Guide To Reading a Weather Map

I’m a weather geek. I’ve spent way to much time studying weather maps and stuff like that so I’ve decided to share some of the tricks I’ve learned to make it easy to work out the weather at a glance without having to sit through the weather presenter’s boring drone. This guide is very simple. You needn’t know anything about weather but you will find it quite useful to know where you are on a map of your country in order to use it.

Wet or Dry?

H is for High Ground or Hill. If your part of the weather map is near an H or a Hill it’s likely to be dry.

L is Low Ground or a Lake, where water collects. It will most likely rain so be prepared for wetness.

Those thick lines with arrows-heads or round bulbs are often found in valleys between the Hills and end up in a Lake. Creek beds. You will likely get wet near these, too.

Hot or Cold?

Mornings are usually cooler than afternoons, right? If you’re on the eastern side of an H on the map imagine sitting on the Hill watching the sun rise in the morning… when it is cold. So it’s going to be cooler than normal.

You’re on the west side of the Hill? You’re watching the sunset in the afternoon. It’s going to be warmer.

Windy or Calm?

The spacing between the lines on the weather map tells you how steep the slope is down a Hill into a Lake. Closely spaced lines mean a steeper slope. The faster your uncontrollable run down the slope, the stronger the wind in your face.

Sunny or Cloudy?

Hills usually poke above clouds. Clouds tend to gather in low areas like Lakes and Creek beds, hence the rain in those areas. You can see the connection here, can’t you?

If you want more detail than that, best listen to the weather person’s drone.


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