Weather And Climate Vocabulary Flashcards
Air pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere is a unit of pressure defined as 1013.25 mbar, equivalent to 760 mm Hg.
Tropical
Resembling the tropics, especially in being very hot and humid.
Celsius
Of or denoting a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees under standard conditions.
Cumulus cloud
Clouds which have flat bases and are often described as “puffy”, “cotton-like” or “fluffy” in appearance.
Cirrus cloud
A genus of Atmospheric cloud generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving the type it’s name from the Latin word cirrus, meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair. This cloud can form at any altitude between 16,500 ft and 45,000 ft above sea level.
Thermometer
Weather instruments
Tropical depression
When a low pressure area is accompanied by thunderstorms that produce a circular wind flow with maximum sustained winds below 39mph.
Ocean current
A body of water moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water or air in which there is less movement.
Dew point
The atmospheric temperature(varying according to pressure and humidity) below which water droplets begin to condense and dew can form.
Hurricane
A storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Caribbean.
Desert
A dry, barren area of land, especially one covered with sand, that is characteristically desolate, waterless, and without vegetation.
Typhoon
A tropical storm in the region of the Indian or western oceans.
Humidity
A quantity representing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere or in a gas.
Forecast
A prediction or estimate of future events, especially coming weather or a financial trend.
Atmosphere
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
Hail
Pellets of frozen rain which fall in showers from cumulonimbus clouds.
Thunderstorm
A storm with thunder and lightning and typically also heavy rain or hail.
Cloud
A visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground.
Precipitation
The action or process of precipitating a substance from a solution.
Drought
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.
Front
The forward edge of an advancing mass of air.
Meteorology
The branch of science concerned with the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere, especially as a means of forecasting the weather.
Freezing point
The temperature at which a liquid turns into a solid when cooled.
Tornado
A mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system.
Cumulonimbus cloud
Cloud forming a towering mass with a flat base at fairly low altitude ad often a flat top, as in thunderstorms.
Thunder
A loud rumbling or crashing noise heard after a lightning flash due to the expansion of rapidly heated air.
Weather
The state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
Waterspout
A rotating column of water and spray formed by a whirlwind occurring over the sea or other body of water.
Barometer
A instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used specifically in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.
Global warming
A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants.
Temperature
The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object, especially as expressed according to a comparative scale and shown by a thermometer or perceived by touch.
Barometric pressure
Another term for atmospheric pressure.
Funnel cloud
A rotating funnel-shaped cloud forming the core of a tornado or waterspout.
Climate
The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
