The weather is made up of different elements, which are measured either by special instruments or are observed by a meteorologist. These measurements are then recorded and used in the making of climate graphs and weather forecasts.
The table below shows the weather element details.
| Element | Description | How it is measured | Units of measurement |
| Precipitation | Moisture from the sky e.g. rain, snow etc. | By a Rain Gauge | Millimetres (mm.) |
| Temperature | How hot or cold it is | By Thermometers, found inside a Stevenson Screen | Degrees celsius ( c) |
| Wind Speed | How fast the wind is blowing | By an Anemometer | Knots, or by the Beaufort Scale |
| Wind Direction | Where the wind is blowing from | By a Wind Vane | Points of the compass (north, north-west etc), or bearing in degrees |
| Element | Description | How it is measured | Units of measurement |
| Humidity | The amount of water vapour in the air | By a Hygrometer (wet and Dry Bulb Thermometers) | Relative Humidity (% of water vapour that can be held by the air at the actual temperature) |
| Air Pressure | The "weight" of the air pushing on the surface of the Earth | By a Barometer | Hectopascals (although most people know it as millibars) |
| Cloud Cover | The amount of cloud in the sky | It is observed by a meteorologist | Oktas - eighths of the sky |
| Visibility | How far you can see | It is observed by a meteorologist | Kilometres |
| Sunshine | The hours of sunshine | By a Sunshine Recorder | Hours and minutes |
| Element | Description | How it is measured | Units of measurement |
