weather map

A map representing a given meteorological situation for a geographical area and moment in time; whether past, present (analysis or diagnostic map), or future (forecast map). Most of these charts include a set of isolines corresponding to one or several meteorological fields, as well as complementary graphical and/or numerical information. There is a great variety of weather maps, both surface and upper-air ones. Maps of weather symbols are also produced, habitually used in television weather segments. The classic weather map par excellence is the isobar map, on which the atmospheric pressure field at mean sea level is represented (surface map). Weather maps are also called synoptic, in reference to the overview they offer of the meteorological situation represented. The term "synoptic," originating from the Greek word συνοπτικός , means precisely "overall view."