Weather and climate key terms

Question 1

Arid

Answer 1

A region with little or no regular precipitation.

Question 2

Carbon footprint

Answer 2

Measurement of all the greenhouse gases and individual produces.

Question 3

Climate

Answer 3

The average weather conditions of an area occurring over many years.

Question 4

Climate change

Answer 4

Variations in temperature and rainfall affecting the whole world.

Question 5

Coriolis affect

Answer 5

The deflection of air movement by the earth’s rotation.

Question 6

Crop yields

Answer 6

The amount of crops produced from an area.

Question 7

Drought

Answer 7

An extended period of lower than normal precipitation, causing water shortages.

Question 8

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 8

The trapping of heat radiation around the Earth by excess greenhouse gases.

Question 9

Evaporation

Answer 9

The process of changing liquid water to water vapour.

Question 10

Eye

Answer 10

The centre of a tropical cyclone.

Question 11

Eye wall

Answer 11

A thick band of cloud around the eye with high wind speeds and heavy rain.

Question 12

Ferrel cell

Answer 12

Circulation cell that brings warm air north towards the UK.

Question 13

Frontal rainfall

Answer 13

The boundary between air masses.

Question 14

Glacial

Answer 14

A period of time with lower than average temperatures causing widespread glaciation.

Question 15

Glacial period

Answer 15

A period when ice advances due to falling temperatures.

Question 16

Global warming

Answer 16

A rise in average global temperatures.

Question 17

Greenhouse gas

Answer 17

A gas that absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation, warming the earth’s surface.

Question 18

Growth ring

Answer 18

A layer of wood created each year by a tree as it grows.

Question 19

Hydrological drought

Answer 19

The impact of low precipitation on a hydrological system

Question 20

Ice core

Answer 20

A section of ice drilled from a glacier showing the layers of ice created over time.

Question 21

Hadley cell

Answer 21

A circulation cell near the equator.

Question 22

Interglacial

Answer 22

A period of time between glaciations with higher average temperatures.

Question 23

Jet stream

Answer 23

A fast-moving current of air in the upper atmosphere.

Question 24

Meteorological drought

Answer 24

The level of dryness in an area when it receives less precipitation than usual.

Question 25

Mitigate

Answer 25

Make the effects of something less harmful or serious.

Question 26

Monsoon

Answer 26

A seasonal wind in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia.

Question 27

Polar cell

Answer 27

A circulation cell furthest from the equator that brings cold air towards the UK.

Question 28

Precipitation

Answer 28

Water vapour condensed in the atmosphere.

Question 29

Prevailing wind

Answer 29

Direction in which the wind blows most frequently.

Question 30

Quaternary period

Answer 30

The current period of geological time.

Question 31

Storm surge

Answer 31

An increase in the height of the sea due to a storm.

Question 32

Track

Answer 32

The path followed by a tropical storm.

Question 33

Tropical storm

Answer 33

Has wind speeds over 63km per hour, can develop into tropical cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons.

Question 34

Weather

Answer 34

The day to day conditions of the atmosphere.