Predicting the weather hasn't always been possible, and even today it isn't always accurate. However, meteorologists do their best to study past and current weather patterns to make educated guesses about how the weather may be in the near future. Meteorologists use a number of tools to help them forecast the weather, such as weather balloons, satellites, and Doppler radar. Readers will learn that these tools help meteorologists forecast the weather and may also help them save lives in the event of severe weather.