What is GOES-R?

GOES-R is short for Geostationary Operational Environmental

Satellites-R Series. It’s a set of weather satellites that are constantly
keeping an eye on Earth’s weather from space. These satellites orbit
22,000 miles above Earth.

From up there, GOES-R can see weather on Earth in amazing detail,

telling the difference between clouds, snow, smoke, smog and ash.
These satellites are also great at watching for storms and can help
with hurricane, tornado and flood warnings.

This is what a GOES-R satellite looks like. The real one is mostly gray
and black, but you can color this one whatever color you like!
 Storm Dot to Dot

Trace a line between the dots, starting with number 1 and going up.
Once you’re done tracing, you should see that your outline created a
storm. What storm do you see? (Hint: they form most often in the
Great Plains states and their winds can travel up to 300 miles per
hour!)
 Weather Crossword

Across
1. This storm looks like a funnel and happens most often in the Great
Plains states.
4. A powerful storm that forms over the ocean before hitting land.
6. These machines orbit Earth and can keep an eye on our weather.
9. Rain, snow and sleet are all forms of _____.
10. Cumulus, cirrus and stratus are all types of _____.
11. These are caused by a spark, but can spread quickly, destroying
homes and the environment nearby.
12. The jacket of gases that make up our air and surround our Earth.

Down
2. A _____ is caused by drier-than-usual conditions that can eventually
lead to water supply problems.
3. A scientist who studies weather is called a ____.
5. _____ begins as static charges in a rain cloud...zap!
7. Heavy rain or rapidly melting snow and ice can cause a _____.
8. A gentle breeze or a strong gust are both kinds of ____.
 Colorful World

Two weather satellites, called GOES-East and GOES-West, work

together to take pictures of the Western Hemisphere from space.
These pictures are taken with special cameras that can see clouds,
storms, lightning, smoke, dust and other features, too.

Color this picture of Earth as it appears from the satellites’ view in

space!
 Escape the Heat!

A heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather that typically lasts

two or more days. Heat waves are generally the result of trapped air.
Instead of cycling around the globe, the air stays put and warms like
the air inside an oven.

There’s a heat wave in town – can you get through the maze and
make it to the pool to cool off?
 What’s the Difference?

Meteorologists—scientists who study the weather—have to be very

observant. For example, they might compare a satellite picture of a
hurricane to a satellite picture of the same hurricane from 24 hours
earlier. This could show how quickly the storm is moving.

Test your observation skills below! Take a look at these two

pictures.There are five differences between these two pictures. Can
you find them all?
 Precipitation Word Find

Find these words that relate to precipitation.

 Color up a Storm

Hurricanes are the most violent storms on Earth. They form near the
equator over warm ocean waters. The GOES-East weather satellite
keeps an eye on weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean. This view
from above can help meteorologists warn people if a severe storm is
coming to their area.
 How Many Words Can You Make?

Earth’s atmosphere is a jacket of gases that surrounds the planet. The

atmosphere gives us air to breathe. It also traps the Sun’s heat close
to Earth’s surface—keeping the planet warm enough to live on. The
atmosphere is also where all of Earth’s weather happens.

How many smaller words can you make from the letters in
“ATMOSPHERE”?

ATMOSPHERE
.
 When Lightning Strikes

Lightning comes from charges that build up within a storm cloud. The
electrical charges in the lower part of the storm are opposite to the
charges that are on the ground. When these opposite charges
become strong enough, there is an electrical discharge—an energy
release—in the form of lightning…ZAP!

Color the picture below and draw in lightning where you think it will
strike. Remember: lightning can go from a cloud to the ground or from
cloud to cloud!
 Find a Pattern

Meteorologists look for patterns in order to make weather forecasts.

They take a look at what satellite imagery is showing and what
weather is typical in a region to look at how those events impacted the
weather in the past. For example: does cloudy weather on a warm
spring day usually result in a rainstorm?

Think you can notice patterns like a meteorologist? Try to list the next
letter or number in the patterns below!

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, _____, 13, 15

A, B, D, E, G, H, _____, K, M

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, _____, 21, 34

B, C, D, F, G, H, J, ______, L, M

2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, ______, 19, 23

 Weather Rhymes

Fill in the rhyming weather words in the story below!

1. Stop! Before you jump on an airplane, you might want to grab

your umbrella in case of __________.

2. When the electrical charge in a cloud differs from the charge of

the ground down under, be on the lookout for lightning and
_____________.

3. If it’s sunny after a rain, you might want to walk slow; if you look
carefully, you might see a colorful _____________.

4. A huge spiraling storm that hits land bringing wind and rain is
most often referred to as a ____________.

5. Low tide has passed and high tide will be soon! Did you know
that tides are caused by the _________?

6. If the rain keeps coming and the ground is all mud, you might be
in danger of seeing a ________.
 What Causes a Rainbow?

Sunlight is made up of many wavelengths—or colors—of light. When

sunlight enters water droplets in the sky, the light bends. Some of
those wavelengths bend more than others. Violet light bends the most,
red light bends the least. So, when the light exits the water droplet, it is
separated into all its wavelengths.

Can you color this rainbow with the colors in order?

 What’s the Weather Word?

Across
4. A weather ________will tell you if there be a hot weather or a bad storm in
the next few days.
6. _______ is a weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can cause more rain
than usual in South and Central America and in the United States.
8. _______ weather is a set of conditions caused by the sun.

Down
1. A _______storm is a wall of dust and debris that is often blown into an area
by strong winds from thunderstorms.
2. Earth has _______ because its axis is tilted.
3. When _______ condenses up in the atmosphere, it can form a cloud; when it
condenses near the ground, it forms fog.
5. Satellites travel around Earth in an _________.
7. A solar ______ happens when, at the right moment, the moon comes
between the sun and Earth.
 Storm Dot to Dot

Trace a line between the dots, starting with number 1 and going up.
Once you’re done tracing, you should see that your outline created a
storm. What storm do you see? (Hint: they form over the ocean and
have an “eye” in the center.)
 Color the Sun!

Space weather is caused by our local star, the sun. In addition to

sunlight, the sun constantly streams a wind of particles, called the
solar wind, into space. And sometimes the sun releases giant bursts
of energy called solar flares.

These bursts of particles can damage satellites, power lines, and

radio communications. No worries though! The GOES-R Series
satellites can keep an eye out for the first signs of a solar flare.
Cloud Word Find
 Snowflake Maze

Find your way from one side of the snowflake to the other!
 Color a Snow Crystal!

Every snowflake is a crystal with six sides, but these crystals come in
all different arrangements and sizes. As a snowflake forms, it can
move to different parts of the cloud. Differences in temperature and
humidity affect the snowflake's shape.

Color these different snowflake shapes!

Find the Severe Weather Words
Answer Key
For more information, visit the GOES-R website at www.goes-r.gov.

For information for students, visit the NOAA SciJinks website at scijinks.gov.
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