weather map

Weather
Maps


Below is a checklist of weather maps on postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.). Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the items featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.

Maps relating to the climate rather than the weather also appear on many stamps and postal items. A checklist of these items can be found in the Climatic Regions and Climate-Related Maps page.

A weather map is any graphical means of displaying the distribution of meteorological data over a given (usually extensive) area of the earth's surface.

See also the following Contributors to Meteorology for information about weather maps that they produced:


CountryCatalog Number*Type of Item**Year of IssueNotes on Content
Surface weather maps: (generally with isobars and/or fronts, sometimes with isotherms and/or weather symbols)
Albania1210 (Mi1338)1969Isobars
ArgentinaC85 (Mi1050)1963Isobars and (quasi-stationary) front
ArgentinaC86 (Mi1051)
ArgentinaC85-C86 fdcTwo stamps and cancel on FDC
Argentina977 fdcCachet on FDC1972Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm and cold) fronts
Argentina977 scCachet on Souvenir CardIsobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm and cold) fronts
ArgentinaNoneCancel on cover1974Isobars and (quasi-stationary) front
ArgentinaNone(Black) cachet on cover1988Isobars
ArgentinaNone(Purple) cachet on cover1993Isobars
Canada479 (Mi420)1968Isobars and (warm and cold) fronts
Canada479 fdc1FDC
Canada479 fdc2FDC (different)
Canada479 fdc3FDC (different)
Canada479 fdc4FDC (different)
Canada479 fdc5FDC (different)
Canada479 fdc6FDC (different)
Canada479 scSouvenir Card
Cayman Islands629 (Mi643)1991Isobars (on TV screen)
Cayman Islands628-631 fdc (Mi642-645 fdc)One of four stamps on FDC
China (People's Republic)369 (Mi397)1958Isobars and (cold) front
China (People's Republic)367-369 fdcOne of three stamps on FDC
China (People's Republic)1386 (Mi?)1978Isobars and (multiple cold) fronts
China (People's Republic)1384-1388 fdcStamp on FDC
China (People's Republic)3069 (Mi3197)2000Isobars
China (People's Republic)3066-3069 fdc1One of four stamps on FDC
China (People's Republic)3066-3069 fdc2One of four stamps on FDC (different)
China (People's Republic)NoneCachet on FY-2C launch cover2004Isobars and weather icons6
China (People's Republic)NonePostal card2006High (H), low (L), and cold front
Comoro Islands387 (Mi488)1978Isobars (on light table in front of meteorologist)
Comoro Islands387a (BL185)SS1 (387)
CroatiaNoneCachet on WMD cover1990Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and weather symbols
Cuba1589 (Mi1663)1971Isobars, (warm and cold) fronts, low (B for Baja) pressure center, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Cuba1589-1592 fdcOne of four stamps on FDC
DahomeyC25 (Mi246)1965Isobars
DahomeyC25 fdcFDC
Dominica360 (Mi360)1973Isobars
Dominica354-360 fdcOne of seven stamps on FDC
Dominica360a (BL17)MS2 (359-360)
Dominica360a fdcMS2 on FDC
Egypt1299 (Mi1004)1985Isobars, with arrows indicating the direction of flow
Faroe Islands220 (Mi215)1991Isobars (labeled but uncertain units), (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts, and partial station plotting model with weather symbols including plotted winds (knots)
Finland767 (Mi1047)1988Isobars
Finland767 fdcStamp on FDC
France1903 (Mi2416)1983Isobars, (warm, cold, and occulded) fronts, weather symbols, and arrows indicating direction of flow (on stamp); weather symbols (on cancel)
France1903 fdc1Stamp and cancel on FDC
France1903 fdc2Stamp and cancel on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc3Stamp and cancel on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc4Stamp and cancel on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc5Stamp and cancel on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc6Stamp and cancel on FDC (different)
France1903 sc1Stamp and cancel on Souvenir Card
France1903 sc2Stamp on Souvenir Card (different)
France1903 sc3Stamp and cancel on Souvenir Card (different)
France1903 maxiStamp and cancel on maxicard
France1903 maxi2Stamp and cancel and part of design on maxicard (different)
Germany (East)984a fdc (Mi1343-1345 fdc)Cachet on FDC1968Isobars (mbar or mb or hPa)1, (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts, partial station plotting model including plotted winds (knots) and temperatures (°C)
Germany (East)1362 (BL34)SS11972Köppen's weather map (1876) with isobars (mm Hg)
Germany (East)1364 (BL36)SS1Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm and cold) fronts
Germany (West)1102 (Mi760)1973Isobars (mb or hPa)1, high (H) and low (T for Tief) pressure centers, (warm and cold) fronts, weather symbols, and partial station plotting model including plotted winds (knots); also arrows indicating direction of flow
Germany (West)1102 fdc1Stamp on FDC
Germany (West)1102 fdc2Stamp on FDC (different)
Germany (West)1102 fdc3Two stamps and cachet (different) on FDC
Germany (West)1102 fdc4Stamp and cachet (different) on FDC
Germany (West)1102 fdc5Stamp and cachet (different) on FDC
Germany (West)1102 fdc6Stamp and cachet (different) on FDC
Germany (West)1102 fdc7Stamp on FDC (different)
Germany (West)1404 (Mi1187)1983Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Germany2090 (Mi2127)2000Isobars (mb or hPa)1, (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts, and full station plotting model including winds (knots), temperatures and dew point temperatures (°C), and other weather symbols
Germany2090 fdcStamp on FDC
Ghana505 (Mi522)1973Isobars
Ghana507b (BL?)One of MS2 (507 (a-b))
Great BritainNoneEssay1976Isobars
Great Britain956-959 fdc1Cancel on FDC1981Isobars, arrows indicating the direction of flow, (cold) front, and plotted wind (knots)
Great Britain956-959 fdc2Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc1 (Mi1924-1927 fdc1)Cancel on FDC2001Isobars, low (L) pressure center, and (warm and cold) fronts
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc2 (Mi1924-1927 fdc2)Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1966 fdc (Mi1927 fdc)Cancel (same) on FDC
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc3 (Mi1924-1927 fdc3)Cachet (background) on FDC2001Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc4 (Mi1924-1927 fdc4)Cachet (same background) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc5 (Mi1924-1927 fdc5)Cachet (same background) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc6 (Mi1924-1927 fdc6)Cachet on FDC2001(Occluded) front, weather icons6, plotted temperatures (°C), and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc7 (Mi1924-1927 fdc8)Cachet (same) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc8 (Mi1924-1927 fdc9)Cachet (same) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc9Cachet (same) on FDC (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc10Cachet (different) on FDC2001Weather icons6 and plotted temperatures (°C)
Great Britain1966a fdc1Cachet on FDC2001Isobars (mb or hPa)1, (uncertain type) front (with non-standard barbs), weather icons6, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Great Britain1966a fdc2Cachet on FDC (different)(Occluded) front, weather icons6, plotted temperatues (°C), and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Great Britain1966a fdc3Cachet on FDC2001Isobars (in background on envelope)
Great Britain1966a fdc4Cachet (same) on FDC (different)
Iceland738 (Mi742)1991Isobars/streamlines, low (L) pressure center, and (warm and cold) fronts (and warm seclusion)
Iraq644 (Mi716)1972Isobars and (warm) front
Iraq645 (Mi717)
Ireland332 (Mi292)1973Isobars and (warm and cold) fronts, and (occluded) front (with no barbs)
Ireland333 (Mi293)
Ireland332-333 fdc1Two stamps on FDC
Ireland332-333 fdc2Two stamps on FDC (different)
Ireland332-333 fdc3Two stamps and cachet on FDCIsobars, high (H) pressure center (1032 mb or hPa)1 (on cachet), and (warm and cold) fronts
Israel952+labelSingle + label1986Isobars
Israel952 misperfMis-perforation
Israel952 folderStamp on FDC
Japan459 fdcCachet on FDC1949Isobars, (multiple warm) fronts, and partial station plotting model including plotted winds (knots)
Japan1564 (Mi1588)1984Isobars (mb or hPa)1, (warm and cold) fronts, and partial station plotting model including plotted winds (knots) (on stamp and FDC cachet); isobars and (warm and cold) fronts (on cancel)
Japan1564 mihon1564 overprinted "MIHON"
Japan1564 mihon scSouvenir Card (1564) overprinted "MIHON"
Japan1564 fdc1Stamp and cancel and cachet on FDC
Japan1564 fdc2Stamp and cancel and cachet (different) on FDC
Japan1564 fdc3Stamp and cancel and cachet (different) on FDC
Japan2698d (Mi3008)One of MS10 (2698 (a-j))2000Isobars (mb or hPa)1, hurricane/typhoon symbol, and plotting model with temperatures and dew point temperatures (°C), non-standard7 plotted winds (knots), and pressures (mb or hPa)1
Kuwait577 (Mi571)1973Isobars (mb or hPa)1
Kuwait577 proofProof with non-adopted colors
Kuwait578 (Mi572)
Kuwait578 proofProof with non-adopted colors
Kuwait579 (Mi573)
Kuwait579 proof1Proof with adopted colors
Kuwait579 proof2Proof (different)
Kuwait577-579 fdcThree stamps and cachet on FDC
LiberiaMi2902One of MS17 (Mi2893-2909 + label)2000Isobars
Malagasy Republic1062 (Mi1389)1992Isobars, high (a [or A] for anticyclone) and low (d for dépression) pressure centers, and two plotted temperatures (°C)
MongoliaC78 (Mi986)1976Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Morocco102 (Mi531)1964Isobars (mb or hPa)1
Morocco274 (Mi720)1973Isobars
Mozambique946 (Mi1015)1985Isobars
NetherlandsB651 (Mi1380)One of book of 4 (B652a (B650-B651+2x B652))1990Symbolic isobars
NetherlandsB652 (Mi1381)One of book of 4 (B652a (B650-B651+2x B652)), see detail(Warm, cold, and occluded) fronts superimposed on satellite image
NetherlandsB650-B652 fdcTwo stamps on FDC1990Symbolic isobars, and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts superimposed on satellite image
New Zealand2172-2177 fdcCancel on FDC2008Isobars (mb or hPa)1, (warm and cold) fronts5
NigerC41 (Mi70)1964Isobars
NigerC41 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
Niger311 (Mi456)
i311
1975Isobars
Niger311fdcStamp on FDC
Niger393 (Mi573)
i393
1977Isobars, (multiple cold) fronts, weather symbols, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Niger393 proofColor proof strip
Niger393 fdcStamp on FDC
PolandNonePostal card1973Isobars, (warm and cold) fronts, (small portion of occluded) front, and weather symbols
Portugal1114 (Mi1147)1971Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Portugal1113-1115 fdcOne of three stamps on FDC
Portugal1180 (Mi1209)1973Isobars, high (A for Alta) and low (B for Baixa) pressure centers, (warm) front, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Qatar327 (Mi524)1972Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
RomaniaNoneCachet on postcard2007Isobars
Russia (USSR)2495 (Mi2500)1961Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Russia (USSR)3860 (Mi3891)1971Isobars
Russia (USSR)3860 covStamp and cachet on cover
Russia (USSR)NoneStamped envelope1985Isobars, (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts, and weather symbols
Russia (USSR)NoneStamped envelope1987Isobars
RussiaUnknown (new issue)From MS82009Isobars (mb or hPa)1 and small plotting models, isotherms (in color); isobars, fronts, and high (H) pressure center (in sheet margin)
RussiaUnknown (new issue)
RussiaUnknown fdc (new issue)Two stamps and cachet on FDCIsobars (in stamps and cachet)
SpainNoneAerogramme1999Isobars (mb or hPa)1
Spain3543-3544 fdcCancel on FDC2008Isobars (mb or hPa)1, high pressure (A for Alto), and cold front (in cancel)
Staffa (Scotland)Local fdcCachet on FDC1978Isobars
Sweden1002a fdcCancel and cachet on FDC1973Isobars, (warm and cold) fronts, weather symbols, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Sweden1845-1848 fdcCancel and cachet on FDC1990Isobars (on cachet)
Switzerland691 (Mi1184)1980Isobars, (warm and cold) fronts, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Switzerland691 fdcFDC
Switzerland691 maxiMaxicard
Syria470 (Mi899)1965Isobars
Syria471 (Mi900)
Syria1206 (Mi1792)1990Isobars, low (L) pressure center, (warm and cold) fronts, and arrows indicating the direction of flow
Syria1464 (Mi2063)2000(Warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Syria1464 misperfMis-perforated block of 4
Tonga786b (Mi1185)From strip of 3 (786 (a-c))1991Isobars and (warm and cold, and possible occluded) fronts (drawn for Southern Hemisphere)
Tonga786b specimenSpecimen
Tonga786b color-proofCromalin proof
Tonga786b mono-proofMonochrome proof
Tonga786c (Mi1186)From strip of 3 (786 (a-c))1991Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts (incorrectly drawn for Northern Hemisphere, rather than Southern Hemisphere)
Tonga786c specimenSpecimen
Tonga786c mono-proofMonochrome proof
Tunisia653 (Mi860)1975Isobars (light blue lines in stamp background) and weather symbols
Tunisia1435 (Mi?)2008Isobars (mb or hPa)1, high (H) pressure center, and plotting models
Tunisia1435 dsDeluxe sheet
Tunisia1435 fdcStamp on FDC
Tunisia1435 folderFDC folder, also inside, also back
United Nations188-189 fdcCachet on FDC1968Isobars and (warm and cold) fronts
United Nations (Geneva)176-177 fdcSpecial FDC cancel1989Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
United Nations (Vienna)91-92 fdcSpecial FDC cancel1989Isobars
United StatesNoneCachet on ESSA-7 launch cover1968Isobars
United StatesNoneCachet on TIROS-M and OSCAR-5 launch cover1970Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
United StatesNoneCachet on NOAA-2 and OSCAR-6 launch cover1972Isobars and (warm, cold, and occluded) fronts
Upper VoltaC28 (Mi181)
iC28
1966Isobars (mb or hPa)1, (possible cold) front, and plotted winds (knots)
Upper VoltaC28 fdcStamp on FDC
Vanuatu567 (Mi891)1992Isobars
Vanuatu565-568 fdcOne of four stamps on FDC
Station models3 (not on weather maps)
Canada1287 (Mi1196)1990Surface weather station plotting model:
temperature (26°C) and dew point temperature (14°C);
pressure (1012.7 hPa) and pressure tendency (falling 0.7 hPa in the past 3 hours, then steady);
wind (20 knots) from the southwest;
and other weather quantities
Canada1287 fdc1Stamp on FDC
Canada1287 fdc2Stamp on FDC (different)
Canada1287 fdc3Stamp on FDC (different)
China (People's Republic)367-369 fdcCachet on FDC1958Surface weather station plotting model:
temperature (12°C) and dew point temperature (4°C);
pressure (997.3 hPa) and pressure tendency (falling 1.2 hPa in the past 3 hours);
wind (25 knots) from the southwest;
and other weather quantities
Great Britain (Jersey)1299 (Mi1330)2008Surface weather station plotting model:
temperature (12°C) and dew point temperature (11°C);
pressure (1016.4 hPa), pressure change (falling 0.5 hPa in the past 3 hours);
wind (25 knots) from the northeast;
and other weather quantities
Great Britain (Jersey)1299aMS10
Great Britain (Jersey)1297-1301 fdcOne of five stamps on FDC, also back
Weather symbols (not on weather maps)
ArgentinaNoneCachet on cover1964Plotted winds (20 knots)
BeninC382 (MiO473)Dahomey C188 overprinted1988Weather icons6
BeninC382 varDahomey C188 overprinted (different)
Brazil936 (Mi1013)1962Weather symbols
Brazil936 fdcStamp on FDC
Brazil936 folderFDC folder
China (People's Republic)NoneCachet on FY-2C launch cover2004Plotted wind (30 knots)
China (People's Republic)NoneCachet on FY-2C launch cover (different cancel)2004Plotted wind (30 knots)
China (People's Republic)NonePostal card2005Weather icons6
DahomeyC188 (Mi534)1973Weather icons6
DahomeyC188 proof1Die proof (red)
DahomeyC188 proof2Die proof (blue)
DahomeyC188 proof3Deluxe proof
DahomeyC188 proof strip1Color proof strip
DahomeyC188 proof strip2Color proof strip (different)
DahomeyC188 proof pair1Color proof pair
DahomeyC188 proof pair2Color proof pair (different)
DahomeyC188 proof pair3Color proof pair (different)
DahomeyC188 fdcStamp and cancel and cachet on FDC
DahomeyC199 (Mi552)C188 overprinted1974Weather icons6
Dubai124 (Mi361)1970Low (L) pressure center indicated by a small "L"
France1903 fdc1Cancel on FDC1983Weather symbols
France1903 fdc2Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc3Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc4Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc5Cancel (same) on FDC (different)
France1903 fdc6Cancel (same) and cachet on FDC (different)
France1903 sc1Cancel (same) on Souvenir Card
France1903 sc3Cancel (same) on Souvenir Card (different)
France1903 maxi1Cancel (same) on Maxicard
France1903 maxi2Stamp and cancel and part of design on maxicard (different)
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc1 (Mi1924-1927 fdc1)Cachet on FDC2001Weather icons6 and (warm and cold) fronts
Great Britain1963-1966 fdc2 (Mi1924-1927 fdc2)Cachet (different) on FDC(Warm and cold) fronts
Great Britain1963-1966 packPresentation pack(Warm and cold) fronts
Great Britain (Jersey)1298 (Mi1329)2008Plotted winds corresponding to Beaufort wind scale values 6, 7, and 8; and mariners' strong-winds symbol
Great Britain (Jersey)1297-1301 fdcOne of five stamps on FDC, also back
SenegalC62 (Mi372)
iC62
1968Weather symbols (on edges of stamp), including plotted winds (5, 10, and 50 knots)
SenegalC62 proof1Die proof (green)
SenegalC62 proof2Die proof (blue)
SwedenNoneCancel on postal card1977Four plotted winds (calm, 5, 10, and 15 knots)
SwedenNoneCancel on stamped envelope1977Four plotted winds (20, 25, 30, and 35 knots)
SwedenNoneCancel on aerogramme1977Four plotted winds (40, 45, 50, and 55 knots)
Sweden1313 (Mi1096)1980Two plotted winds (5 and 10 knots)
Upper-level weather maps4
Cayman Islands629 (Mi643)1991Upper-level height maps (hanging in background)
Central Africa RepublicC115 (Mi326)1973Upper-level height map
Central Africa RepublicC115 proof1Die proof (blue)
Central Africa RepublicC115 proof2Die proof (black)
Central Africa RepublicC115 proof stripColor proof strip
Central Africa RepublicC115 fdcStamp on FDC
Grenada498 (BL28)SS11973Computer-generated upper-level height map
United StatesNoneCachet on 50th anniv. Explorer-7 launch cover, also back2009Probable 500 hPa chart with contours in 100s of feet, and high (H) and low (L) pressure centers
Streamlines2
Canada2205a fdc (Mi2391-2392 fdc)Cancel on FDC2007Streamlines
GermanyB966 (Mi2508)On (surrounding) selvedge2006Streamlines
Iceland738 (Mi742)1991Isobars/streamlines
Indonesia1897 (Mi1987)Also on (surrounding) selvedge of block of 4 (4x 1897)2000Streamlines
Indonesia1897 fdcTwo stamps and cachet (covering entire envelope) on FDC
New Caledonia322 (Mi385)1962Streamlines
New Caledonia322 dsDeluxe sheet
New Caledonia322 fdc1Stamp and cachet on FDC
New Caledonia322 fdc2Stamp on FDC
RomaniaNoneSlogan cancel on stamped envelope1989Low-pressure streamlines on computer screen
Spain3544 (Mi4290)2008Streamlines around high (A for Alto) pressure center
Spain3543-3544 fdcOne of two stamps on FDC
United StatesNoneCachet on Nimbus-2 launch cover1966Streamlines

*Scott catalog number, unless prefixed with Mi or BL for Michel.
**FDC = first day cover; SS# = souvenir sheet, MS# = miniature sheet, where # = number of stamps in sheet, and the numbers in parentheses are the catalog numbers of the stamps in the sheet.

1Pressure units in millibars (mbar or mb) and hectopascals (hPa) are equivalent in value, the first is old-metric and the second is SI-metric.
2Streamlines on these items are the paths traced by winds resulting from a given configuration of isobars (constant pressure lines).
3The surface weather station plotting model presents weather observations in a specific compact arrangement that is universally used and understood by professional meteorologists.
4Unlike surface weather maps which show isobars (constant pressure lines), upper-level weather maps generally show the heights (constant height lines) at standard pressure levels.
5Warm and cold fronts are usually associated with low-pressure systems, not the high pressure system shown on this item.
6Weather icons are common symbols used to represent weather phenomena on television weather maps and other popular maps relating to the weather. They are not the standard weather symbols used in station plotting models (footnote #3).
7For plotted winds, the standard is that the barbs face toward lower pressure (to the left, looking downwind, in the Northern Hemisphere). However, on this item some wind shafts have barbs on both sides. This is non-standard and clutters the map unnecessarily.


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Updated: 2009-11-22