"Some are weather-wise, some are otherwise."

Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

The meteorologist said it would be a nice day, so you left the house without an umbrella. A few hours later it started pouring and you got soaked. Maybe you thought to yourself, "I could do a better job just looking out the window." Hey, maybe you could have. Here's your first lesson: Go inside when you see heavy black clouds closing in.

Step 1: Master the basics
The first step toward becoming a weather expert is to get a handle on the basics. Weather is the cumulative effect of several phenomena, including temperature, humidity, cloudiness, precipitation, wind, and atmospheric pressure. Meteorology is the study of weather. Need help with the lingo? Look up unfamiliar terms in the Encarta World English Dictionary. You might also want to look into buying a field guide to weather. Soon you'll be using terms like occluded front, ice gorge, and warm air advection like a pro!

Step 2: Go to the source
Never mind the TV news--the National Weather Service is a one-stop shop for current weather conditions by state, extended forecasts, satellite photos, severe storm warnings, and much more. The Meteorological Service of Canada provides similar services in both English and French.

Step 3: Collect your own data
If you really want to be a weather expert, the Franklin Institute can show you how to build your own weather station. Use this handy weather calculator (provided by the Birmingham, Alabama, office of the National Weather Service) to crunch the numbers you collect.

Step 4: Make your own forecast
Put your computer by the window, because it's time to learn how to interpret what you see outside. The University of Illinois Weather World 2010 Project can teach you how weather phenomena interact, how to read a weather map, and how to turn the data you collect into a forecast.

Hey, you're a weather expert! But are you confident enough to test your knowledge with a quiz from Baysail.com or to share your knowledge with others on MSN's Weather Station community chat room?

Step 5: Take a walk on the wild side
If you like weather, you're probably fascinated by extreme weather. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, thunder and lightning--Mother Nature plays rough! Visit the National Weather Service's Extreme Weather and Climate Events Web site and take a walk on the wild side of weather. Get a sense of weather perspective with weather.com's list of historic tornadoes or historic hurricanes.

Step 6: Have a rainy-day plan
You finally did it. The meteorologist said it would be nice, but you predicted rain and you were right. Unfortunately that smug feeling of satisfaction can't keep you entertained all day. What to do? How about planning a tropical vacation with MSN's city guides and Expedia.com. Bad weather never cancelled the free golf or other online games. And for some, shopping is always a cure for the blues (at least you could buy a new raincoat).