Windy Wendy
a short story about weather for middle school students
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Wendy had a passion for weather. Every morning, she eagerly checked the forecast and mapped the radar screens for her area. She begged her parents for weather instruments to track conditions in her backyard. Her room was filled with books about meteorology.
One Saturday, the forecast called for sunny skies, so Wendy decided to go on a nature hike. She packed her weather journal and instruments in her backpack and headed to the park. Looking up at the puffy clouds, she wondered what was happening high in the atmosphere to shape them.
As Wendy walked along the trail, she noticed the wind getting stronger. The sunny sky was quickly being overtaken by dark, heavy clouds. She checked her weather radio and was alarmed to hear there was a severe thunderstorm warning.
Wendy knew she had to take action. As rain began pouring down, she took shelter in a nearby cave. The wind howled as the fast-moving storm approached. Wendy recorded the drop in air pressure in her journal. "The atmosphere is rapidly destabilizing," she whispered to herself.
Huddling deeper into the cave for safety, Wendy heard the deafening crack of thunder. She watched lightning streak across the sky, counting the seconds between the flash and the thunder clap to estimate how far away it was.
The storm raged on for over an hour. But eventually, the thunder faded away and the sky brightened. Wendy ventured outside to find the park completely transformed. Tree branches and debris were scattered everywhere by the storm's high winds.
As Wendy inspected the damage, she realized her weather knowledge had helped keep her safe. She was also more amazed than ever by the incredible power of nature.
horrible storm. park completely transformed. Tree branches and debris were scattered everywhere by the storm's high winds. drawn in the style of comic book art.
When Wendy got home, she checked the weather radar on her computer. She located the swath of the most intense storm cells and their direction of movement.
Wendy was grateful she had paid attention to the changing weather conditions. Knowing storm safety rules and finding quick shelter had protected her. The day's adventure made Wendy even more excited to continue learning about weather science to help others stay safe. She couldn't wait for her next chance to get out and observe the sky, ready for whatever weather came her way next!
Educational resource references:
NGSS:MS-ESS2-5 – Collect data to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s sys- tems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
Tags: geocomic earth weather tornado FK8
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