Understanding the Weather
Measuring temperature
Learn how temperature is measured.
Temperature is measured with a thermometer, in degrees Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F). For example, 15°C is the same as 59°F.
Some thermometers show the ambient temperature (of the surroundings right now). Others record the day's highest and lowest temperatures. Many use a coloured liquid that expands as it warms, but digital thermometers are now preferred: they are more precise and store more data.
From the highest and lowest temperatures we work out two statistics (numbers that help us see patterns):
| How to find it | What it tells you | |
|---|---|---|
| range | maximum − minimum | how much the temperature swung |
| mean daily temperature | (maximum + minimum) ÷ 2 | the day's average |
Example: highest 32°C, lowest 18°C. Range = 32 − 18 = 14°C. Mean = (32 + 18) ÷ 2 = 25°C.
Temperature also drops as you go higher, which is why people escape the summer heat in hill stations like Nainital.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) was set up in 1875. Its motto, *ādityāt jāyate vṛiṣhṭi*, means From the sun arises rain. It comes from the ancient text Manusmṛiti, which goes on: from rain comes food, and from food, living beings.
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