climate and weather Flashcards
Dew Point
temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated (full) with water vapor(gas).
Climate
average weather pattern in an area over a long period of time (temperature, humidity, precipitation, and vegetation), 30 years plus!
Weather
The conditions outside in the atmosphere at a particular place and time (may change second to second, day to day, week to week, month to month).
Precipitation
water,rain, sleet, snow, hail, and mist, that falls to Earth’s surface.
Types of precipitation include rain, sleet, snow, hail, and mist.
Air mass
a large body of air that is similar in temperature, humidity, and air pressure throughout.
Air pressure
the force of air on a surface.
Air pressure is equal to the weight of a vertical column of air divided by the area of the base of the column.
Air pressure is measured in millibars (mb).
At sea level, air pressure averages 1,013 millibars.
Warm front
the boundary between an advancing mass of relatively warm air and a mass of colder air.
Cold front
the boundary between an advancing mass of relatively cold air and a mass of warmer air, the cold air acts like a plow forcing the warm air up.
High-pressure system
a region in which the atmospheric pressure is higher than in the surrounding areas.
High-pressure systems are associated with relatively dry air and sunny weather.
High-pressure systems are also known as anticyclones.
Low-pressure system
a region in which the atmospheric pressure is lower than in the surrounding areas.
Low-pressure systems are associated with relatively moist air and cloudy conditions.
Low-pressure systems are also known as cyclones.
Coriolis Effect
The invisible force that deflects fluids (gas/liquids), in the Northern Hemisphere to the right and in the Southern Hemisphere to the left. The impact of this Coriolis Effect is dependent on the velocity (speed and direction) and the fluid being deflected.
