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What is the weather forecasting contest?
  
           
 
   
           
     

What am I supposed to do?

Just follow this table:

    
     
Day 1 – Get ready!
  • Be sure you understand the Ingredients of Weather.
  • Read the forecasting tips.
  • Read up about the climate and weather for the city you wish to forecast for.
  • Study the weather maps and satellite images for that city.
  • Find out how many hours difference in Universal Time there is between your location and the city you are forecasting for. Remember, you must make your forecast prior to midnight in your forecast city. Therefore you must compare that city's time to your own.
Day 2 – Make a forecast for tomorrow.
  • Review our forecasting tips.
  • Study your city’s weather maps, satellite images, and weather forecasts.
  • Decide what the high and low temperatures will be and whether you think it will precipitate. To count, precipitation must be more than a trace (at least 1/100th inch or 3/100th Centimeter.) You will predict "Yes" or "No" for precipitation.
  • Go to the "Make a Prediction" page.
  • Enter your data on the form and submit your weather forecast.
Day 3 – Make a prediction for tomorrow.
  • Repeat the steps you took yesterday in order to submit your city’s weather forecast for tomorrow.
Day 4 – Check results and make a prediction for tomorrow.
  • Go to the "How I did do?" link to see how well you scored in your forecast for yesterday (Day 3).
  • Make a prediction of the weather for tomorrow.
Day 5 – Continue to practice your forecasting skills.
  • Follow the steps shown above for as many days as you like.
   
   

How are my predictions scored?

You want the LOWEST score possible. Your weather forecast is perfect if you get a zero. [Don’t you wish tests in school were scored this way!]

For each degree Celsius your prediction is above or below the official actual temperature in your city, you will get one error point.

If you were NOT correct about the precipitation, you will get 3 error points.

For example:

If you said the high temperature would be 15°C and the official temperature was 17°C, you would get 2 error points.

If you predicted the low temperature would be 5°C and the actual low temperature was 4°C, you would get 1 error points.

If you said there would be measurable precipitation and it does not rain or snow, you would get an additional 3 error points.

Your total score for the day, then, would be 2+1+3 = 6 error points.

Sample results table:
Actual high (C):
Actual low (C):
Actual precipitation (C):
17°
4°
None measured

 
Person
Predicted high temperature
Predicted low temperature
Predicted precipitation
Total error points are
Maria
15°
5°
yes
6°
Mario
22°
-1°
yes
13°

 

You can see from the table above that Maria earned a better score that Mario, because her score was lower.

Are you ready to predict the weather?

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