Weather and Climate Vocabulary Flashcards
Air pressure
the force that air puts on an area
Tropical
describing a climate that is very hot and humid; describing an area of Earth that is near the equator
Celsius
the metric temperature scale
Cumulus cloud
large, fluffy, white clouds, often seen in fair skies. Are white and Puffy
Thermometer
a device used to measure temperature
Tropical Depression
a region of low pressure with counter-clockwise wind rotation that develops into a hurricane or tropical storm
Ocean current
horizontal and vertical circulation system of ocean waters, produced by gravity, wind friction, and variation in water density
Dew point
the temperature at which water vapor in the air condenses into water
Hurricane
a storm with strong winds and rain that forms over tropical waters
Desert
an area that gets little precipitation and has very little vegetation
Typhoon
a hurricane or tropical storm originating in the Pacific Ocean
Humidity
the measure of how much water vapor is in the air
Forecast
to analyze weather data and make an educated guess about weather in the future
Atmosphere
layers of gas that surround a planet
Hail
small, icy balls that fall from the sky
Thunderstorm
a weather system that produces heavy precipitation, winds, lightning, and thunder
Cloud
a collection of water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere
Precipitation
water that is released from clouds in the sky; includes rain, snow, sleet, hail, and freezing rain
Drought
A shortage of rainfall in a region may cause dry conditions. If the shortage continues for a long time, drought results.
Front
the boundary between two masses of air with different properties
Meteorology
the study of patterns of weather
Freezing point
the temperature at which a liquid turns into a solid
