Global Water Reservoirs

This table shows that most water in the planetary system is stored in the world's oceans and polar ice. The atmosphere only holds a small fraction if the earth's water, mostly in the form of water vapor and cloud.

Note that rivers and streams contain less water than the atmosphere. This makes sense when you consider that rivers and streams are fed exclusively by water vapor in the atmosphere, so that the atmosphere actually represents an ultimate reservoir for rivers and streams.

Monitoring weather and forecasts

The following forecast for 12Z tomorrow morning map shows the evolution of the surface systems at this time.

You can monitor surface conditions for today by looking outside the window or using meteograms and observations at these two links:

• Meteogram for Littleton, NH weather station
  
• Meteogram for Lyndon State College weather station
  

Charts used in midterm

The following charts for this morning (12Z 18 March 2009) will be used for questions on the exam. We will be analyzing the effects of an approaching cold from associated with a low pressure system over northeastern Canada and a high pressure system over northwestern Canada.