Weather stations are indicated by a circle with an arrow. The circle indicates the fraction of the sky covered by clouds. An empty circle indicates a clear sky, a half colored circle indicates a broken sky, while a colored circle indicates an overcast. Precipitation echoes are also visible on the radar with different hues, green representing light precipitation, and heavy downpours represented by red or brown hues. In the adjacent image, the sky is covered towards the west, whereas cape Hatteras is still experiencing clear skies.

The arrow adjacent to the circle indicates the wind bearing. Barbs on the arrow indicate wind strength: 0.5 barb = 5 knots; 1 barb = 10 knots; 1.5 barb = 15 knots; 2 barbs = 20 knots, so on so forth...). When no barb is present, winds are calm... and we windsurfers hate that!!! On the adjacent image, the wind is generally from the west with speeds ranging from 5 to 25 knots.

On the left of the circle are two numbers. The top one is the real temperature while the bottom one is the dew point temperature (i.e. the temperature at which water vapour condenses), both in degrees Fahrenheit. The smaller the difference between the two temperatures, the higher the Relative Humidity is. In the adjacent case, the temperatures fall between 73 and 75 degrees with dew points in the 51 to 58 degree range, which is typical in Florida during a clear winter day.

Last, but not least, the curves on the map dividing High (Anticyclone) and Low (Depression or Cyclone) pressure areas are called isobars (which are in fact lines of equal atmospheric pressure). The closer isobars are, the larger the pressure difference is over a given area, the windier it is. Note on the image the 995 mb low pressure and the presence of snowfall west of the low pressure represented by **.

Finally, remember that between the poles and the tropics, systems usually travel from West to East, and hence what is West of you has generally more significance than what is East of you. In the tropics and near the equator on the other hand, winds are usually from the east, and therefore the opposite rule will prevail.