Q1.
What do you think could be some other reasons to measure the weather more precisely? (Hint: Think how knowing the weather a few hours or a few days in advance would help you plan some activities.)
Answer
Precise measurement is what makes forecasting possible, and a forecast is useful to almost everybody:
- Farmers — when to sow, when to irrigate, when to harvest, and when not to leave a cut crop lying in the field.
- Fishermen — whether it is safe to take a boat out to sea tomorrow.
- Pilots and sailors — wind direction and speed decide take-off, landing and a ship's course.
- Disaster management — a cyclone or flood warning gives a district time to evacuate people and stock relief.
- Schools and offices — a heat wave or heavy-rain warning can change timings or close a school for a day.
- Building and road work — concrete cannot be poured, and roads cannot be tarred, in the rain.
- Industry and museums — food processing needs controlled humidity; museums keep their air dry to protect exhibits.
- You — planning a picnic, a match, a wedding, a village fair or a school trip.
Why precision matters: “It may rain” helps nobody. “35 mm of rain between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. tomorrow” tells a farmer to stop irrigating, tells the municipality to clear a drain, and tells you to carry an umbrella. The sharper the measurement, the sharper the decision it supports.