Which pressure unit is commonly used in meteorology?

In meteorology, the hectopascal is the standard unit for measuring atmospheric pressure. It is equivalent to 100 pascals and is widely used because it aligns well with the values typically encountered in weather reporting, making it more practical for everyday use. For example, standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 1013.25 hectopascals, a figure that is meaningful and convenient for meteorologists when analyzing and reporting weather conditions.

While pascals are the SI unit for pressure, the hectopascal provides a more manageable scale for meteorological observations. Units like bars and newtons are less relevant in meteorological contexts. Bars are used in various fields but are not standard in meteorological practice, and newtons are a unit of force rather than pressure.