Meteorology, or the study of weather conditions, is an essential science. It enables the gathering of accurate records of the past and provides insights into the present, including warnings of extreme weather. It also helps us predict the future in the form of a weather forecast. For over a century, formal observations of the weather have been performed at official stations around the globe. Originally, meteorology had a military function—to avoid the risk of weather changes that could adversely impact strategic operations. Although these early efforts to record weather data and make forecasts were limited, they now contribute to longitudinal studies of climate change. In the modern day, meteorologists and unmanned electronic weather stations monitor temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed and direction, and visibility, as well as cloud amount and type, on a daily basis.

Meteorologists do not only rely on weather observed from the ground. The introduction of artificial satellites revolutionized weather surveillance by transmitting a view of the atmosphere and its weather systems from space to stations on the ground for interpretation. Satellites also use different kinds of cameras to monitor invisible infrared or ultraviolet radiation. Meteorologists can interpret the satellite images of these electromagnetic forces in the atmosphere to understand how much of the sun's energy is penetrating through clouds, and how and where weather patterns are developing.