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A person records clouds on a clipboard from a garden path beside a house

Outdoor hobbies

Meteorology: start a weather log with two observations

Cost to start
US$0 with existing supplies

Assumes notes and official-alert access you already have

Difficulty
Easy

Describe what you see and label uncertain cloud types

First result
20–30 minutes

Two timed observations and a note on what changed

Watch the sky from a safe nearby spot, record clouds and wind clues, then compare a second observation without buying weather instruments.

What you need to know

  1. Notebook and clock

    Use paper and pencil or phone notes you already have, plus a way to record the local time.

  2. Official forecast and cloud guide

    Check alerts from your local or national weather service; keep a cloud guide nearby for uncertain shapes.

  3. Familiar observation spot

    Choose level ground away from traffic, near a substantial building, with enough sky visible to compare.

On a settled day, check your local official alerts and postpone if hazardous weather is expected. Observe the same sky twice, about ten minutes apart. You need no weather station.

Make the first entry

Write the date, local time and place. Estimate how much of the visible sky is covered by cloud: clear, about half, or mostly covered is enough. If a roof or trees block part of your view, say so. This is an estimate, not a professional cloud measurement.

Describe shapes before naming them. Are the clouds layered, puffy or wispy? The UK Met Office cloud guide can help you check a name; “puffy, possibly cumulus” is more useful than a confident guess. Record whether rain or snow is falling. Note how leaves or branches move, without assigning a wind speed. Never look directly at the Sun; keep it out of any photo.

Copy a line of headings if that helps: time, place, cloud amount, cloud shape, wind clues, precipitation and change. The UK Met Office weather diary offers a dated layout. Leave temperature, pressure and rainfall amounts blank if you have not measured them. A forecast belongs in a separate note, not among your observations.

Look again from the same spot

After about ten minutes, record the local time and repeat the descriptions from the same place. Did the cloud cover or shape change? Are leaves moving differently? Write “no visible change” if that is what happened; a clear sky counts too. Compare your two entries before trying to explain why they differ.

If you hear thunder, stop and go inside a substantial building, away from windows and doors. The US National Weather Service advises staying sheltered for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder. Do not use a porch or lone tree as shelter. Work on your notes indoors and return in safe weather.

Repeat at the same time each day for a week. Use official alerts for safety decisions. This short log does not replace an official forecast or establish a climate trend.

Observe and stay safe

Beginner Outdoor Meteorology