Weather
The blanket of air around the earth is called the atmosphere. All our weather happens in the bottom layer of the atmosphere called the troposphere, which is six to ten miles thick. Meteorology is the study of the changes in temperature, air pressure, moisture, and wind direction in the troposphere.
There is one basic reason we have weather, and that is the sun. Weather systems start because the sun's energy heats up some parts of Earth more than others.Most of the time the sun shines most directly on the middle of Earth, with less heating at the north and south poles. Earth is tilted on its axis at exactly the right angle to have seasons, with different parts of Earth being heated more or less during different times of the year. Land heats up faster than water, setting up temperature differences between oceans and continents. This unequal heating creates variations in temperature and air pressure, winds, and ocean currents. taken from (http://www.wxdude.com/page1.html)
Basic Cloud Types:
Cumulous Stratus Cirrus Cumulonimbus
Clouds
Clouds give us a clue about what is going on in our atmosphere and how the weather might change in the hours or even days to come. Each type of cloud forms in a different way, and each brings its own kind of weather.
http://www.eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloudmatch.html
Percipitation
In cold air way up in the sky, rain clouds will often form. Rising warm air carries water vapor high into the sky where it cools, forming water droplets around tiny bits of dust in the air.
View a Virtual Tornado
http://www.jaydax.co.uk/showcase/tunnel/tornado/tornado.html
Overview:
http://www.eo.ucar.edu/webweather/
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/weather/ schikastics kids weather maker
http://skydiary.com/kids/ kids storm
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/ weather wiz kids
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/info.shtml storms
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/info.shtml web weather for kids
http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/ about rainbows
http://www.kidskonnect.com/content/view/110/27/
Weather activities to try
http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/flash/games/severe_weather_challenge/ Weather Game
http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/ The Weather Channel's Web Site
http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/frame_loader.htm