Editing Weather map (section)

{{short description|Table of weather elements}}
[[Image:Surface analysis.gif|thumb|right|250px|A surface weather analysis for the [[United States]] on October 21, 2006.]]
A '''weather map''', also known as '''synoptic weather chart''', displays various [[meteorology|meteorological]] features across a particular area at a particular point in time and has [[Station model|various symbols]] which all have specific meanings.<ref>{{cite web|author=Encarta|year=2009|url=http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/chart.html|title=Chart|publisher=[[Microsoft Corporation]]|access-date=2007-11-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101020123/http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/chart.html|archive-date=2007-11-01}}</ref> Such maps have been in use since the mid-19th century and are used for research and [[weather forecasting]] purposes. Maps using [[isotherm (contour line)|isotherm]]s show temperature gradients,<ref name="DataAir"/> which can help locate [[weather fronts]]. [[Isotach]] maps, analyzing lines of equal [[wind]] speed,<ref>{{cite web|author=Jay Snively|publisher=MAPS GPS|url=http://www.maps-gps-info.com/maps-gps-glossary-hij.html|title=H-I-J|access-date=2010-01-30|year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402215158/http://www.maps-gps-info.com/maps-gps-glossary-hij.html|archive-date=2018-04-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> on a constant pressure surface of 300 or 250&nbsp;[[hPa]] show where the [[jet stream]] is located. Use of constant pressure charts at the 700 and 500&nbsp;hPa level can indicate [[tropical cyclone]] motion. Two-dimensional [[Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines|streamline]]s based on wind speeds at various levels show areas of convergence and [[divergence]] in the wind field, which are helpful in determining the location of features within the wind pattern. A popular type of surface weather map is the [[surface weather analysis]], which plots [[isobar (meteorology)|isobar]]s to depict areas of [[high-pressure area|high pressure]] and [[low-pressure area|low pressure]]. Cloud codes are translated into symbols and plotted on these maps along with other meteorological data that are included in synoptic reports sent by professionally trained observers.