All toolsPopular Science Query

Weather Map Legend Explainer

Explain professional icons and legends used on surface and upper-air weather maps.

Live tool

▲▲▲
Cold front

Blue triangles point toward the direction of motion.

●●●
Warm front

Red semicircles point in the direction the front moves.

▲●
Occluded front

Purple, alternating shapes — cold has overtaken warm.

H
High pressure

Center of an anticyclone — fair weather.

L
Low pressure

Cyclonic center — clouds and precipitation.

Thunderstorm

Convective rainfall with lightning.

Snow

Frozen precipitation symbol on station model.

Fog

Three horizontal lines on a station plot.

Introduction & principle

References the standard surface-station model and WMO synoptic symbols.

Tool advantage

Single offline reference for the symbols that scare off amateurs reading professional charts.

Detailed usage guide
  1. 1Pick a symbol category: fronts, pressure systems, precipitation, station model.
  2. 2Click any symbol for a plain explanation.
Common problems & FAQ

Why are there so many front types?

Surface analyses distinguish cold, warm, stationary, and occluded fronts, each with a distinct symbol.

Related tools