Hi Flashcards
Water Cycle
The movement of water through the earth’s systems powered by the suns energy cycle has groundwater, evaporation, Evapotransporation (Plants), condensation precipitaion, Rain, Runoff,
Humidity
A measure of the amount of water vapor in the air
Relative Humidity
the percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a particular temp
Dew Point
The temperature at which condensation begins
Cirrus
Wispy feathery clouds at high altitudes
stratus
Low flat clouds
Cumulus
The cotton ball clouds low altitude
Nimbus
A mid-altitude cloud that has precipitation
Precipitation
Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches the earth’s surface. Includes rain snow hail freezing rain and sleet
Rain Gauge
An open end tube that collects rain water
Floods
Overflowing of water in a normally dry area
Droughts
A long period of scarce rainfall and dry weather
Air Masses
a huge body of air in the lower atmosphere that has similar temp
Maritime
Form over Ocean
Polar
cold air
Continental
Form of continent
Tropical
warm air
Prevailing westerlies
The major wind belts over the continental USA
Trade winds
a wind blowing steadily toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere or the southeast in the southern hemisphere, especially at sea.
Jet Streams
bands if high speed winds about 10 km above earth
Fronts
The boundary where air masses meet
Cold Front
warm rises and expands which makes it cooler
Warm Front
Fast warm air takes out the cold air
Occluded front
The warm air mass is caught between two cold air masses