An understanding of the weather is often vital to daily life – framers, for example, require information about the weather to try and protect their crops. Extremes of weather can ruin entire crops.

Sometimes even our safety depends on knowing about weather conditions. With advance warning of a major storm, ships or aeroplanes can be routed away from danger. Flood warnings can be issued and people moved to a safe area.

Farmers need to irrigate, or water, their crops if there is no rain.

Heavy rain can cause rivers to burst their banks and flood large areas of land.