Meteorology Vocabulary

The pressure exerted by the atmosphere as a consequence of gravitational attraction exerted upon the "column" of air lying directly above the point in question.

B

A visible aggregate of minute water droplets and/or ice particles in the atmosphere above the earth's surface.

C

The leading edge of a relatively cold air mass.

C

An area of low atmospheric pressure with a closed circulation that is counterclockwise (if occurring in the northern hemisphere) or clockwise (if occurring in the southern hemisphere).

C

A visible aggregate of minute water droplets suspended in the atmosphere near the earth’s surface.

F

The interface or transition zone between two air masses of different density.

F

Precipitation composed of balls or irregular lumps of ice with diameters between 5 and 50 mm.

H

A misnamed phenomenon characterized by the luminosity observed from ordinary lightning too far away for its thunder to be heard.

H

The water vapor content of the air.

H

Affecting less than 20% percent of the area.

I

Relatively strong winds concentrated within a narrow stream in the atmosphere.

J

The unit of speed in the nautical system; one nautical mile per hour.

K

A cloud layer that covers most, or all of the sky.

O

Any and all forms of water particles, liquid or solid, that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground.

P

The cooling of the Earth's surface and the air near the surface, occurring chiefly at night, and caused by the emission of infrared radiation from the Earth's surface and from the tops of clouds and the atmosphere.

R

A warning issued by forecasters when locally-defined criteria (relating to environmental and meteorological conditions with the potential to promote fire starts and rapid, dangerous fire spread) are met or expected to be met within 12 to 24 hours.

R

Description of the movement of a weather system in a direction opposite to that of the normal flow in which the system is embedded.

R

An elongated area of relatively high pressure.

R

Precipitation from a cumuliform cloud characterized by the suddenness of beginning and ending, by the rapid change in intensity, and usually by a rapid change in the condition of the sky and relatively larger solid or liquid water particles than are found in other types of precipitation.

S

A strong wind characterized by a sudden onset, a duration on the order of minutes, and a rather sudden decrease in speed.

S

The degree of hotness or coldness as measured on some definite temperature scale by means of any of various types of thermometers.

T

A local storm produced by cumulonimbus clouds accompanied by lightning and thunder, often containing heavy rain, and sometimes strong winds and hail.

T

A violently rotating column of air, pendant from a cumulonimbus cloud, and observed as a funnel cloud.

T

An elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure.

T

A state of fluid airflow in which the instantaneous velocities exhibit irregular and apparently random fluctuations.

T