Jet Streams and Weather

In this lesson, students learn about jet streams and explore the effects the polar-front jet stream has on weather conditions in North America. They begin by doing an interactive activity that highlights the atmospheric conditions and phenomena that create jet streams. They then look at a model that illustrates the relationships between latitude and variations in air temperature, wind speed, and altitude and begin to make generalizations about these relationships. In the second part of this lesson, they use the knowledge gained in the first part to interpret weather maps, helping them to make direct connections between the behavior of the polar-front jet stream and seasonal weather patterns in North America. As a final exercise, they will use real data to deepen their understanding of the relationships between pressure, altitude, and the wind speed of jet streams. Educational levels: High school