Meteorologist Hannah Strong explains the difference between high and low pressures you hear mentioned so often during the forecast
Air pressure is one of the main building blocks of weather because areas of different pressure help drive the changes you see in the weather.
WHAT YOU NEED:
balloon (optional)
table or hard surface
WHAT YOU DO:
To demonstrate high pressure, push your hands down on the tabletop. You are applying higher amount of pressure to the table by pushing down. Around a high pressure center, the air is doing the same thing. It is sinking, applying higher pressure to the Earth's surface.
To demonstrate low pressure, throw the balloon up in the air and notice how it floats up even after you let go of it. The air around a low pressure center does the same thing; it rises. Rising air helps fuel the things we normally think of as "active" weather - rain, snow, storms, etc.
DISCUSSION IDEAS:
What type of pressure do you think is nearby today based on the weather?
