🔍 Key Concepts

• Pressure gradients on a weather map • Relationship between spacing of isobars (pressure lines) and wind speed • How air moves from high pressure to low pressure

💭 Think About

• If the pressure changes a lot over a short horizontal distance, what does that do to the force on the air? • Think about days with very light winds—what do the pressure readings look like from one nearby station to another? • When forecasters warn of strong winds, what do the isobars on the map usually look like—wide apart or packed together?

✅ Before You Answer

• Remember that tight (closely spaced) isobars mean a strong pressure difference over a short distance • Recall that wind speed is driven by the pressure gradient, not by the type of clouds shown • Check which option describes a condition you’d expect with a strong pressure gradient, not weak or calm conditions