horizontally at any velocity along the earth's surface
anemometer any instrument for measuring the speed
of wind
atmospheric the pressure exerted by the earth's
pressure atmosphere at any given point, being the product of the mass of the atmospheric column of the unit area above the given point and of the gravitational acceleration at the given point.
density the state or quality of being dense;
compactness; closely set or crowded condition.
630 × 321
sea level the horizontal plane or level
corresponding to the surface of the sea at mean level between high and low tide. barometer any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
convection cell a distinct volume of circulating fluid, in a
fluid medium under gravity, that is heated from below and cooled from above:usually found in large groupings.
prototype the original or model on which
something is based or formed.
dew point the temperature to which air must be
cooled, at a given pressure and water-vapor content, for it to reach saturation; the temperature at which dew begins to form
dew moisture condensed from the
atmosphere, especially at night, and deposited in the form of small drops upon any cool surface water cycle the natural sequence through which water passes into the atmosphere as water vapor, precipitates to earth in liquid or solid form, and ultimately returns to the atmosphere through evaporation
ground water the water beneath the surface of the
ground, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down: the source of water in springs and wells
transpiration the passage of water through a plant
from the roots through the vascular system to the atmosphere
evaporation matter or the quantity of matter
evaporated or passed off in vapor
absolute the mass of water vapor present in a
humidity unit volume of moist air. relative humidity the amount of water vapor in the air, expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount that the air could hold at the given temperature; the ratio of the actual water vapor pressure to the saturation vapor pressure.
crystallization the act or process of crystallizing.
precipitation rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the
ground.
stationary front a front between warm and cold air
masses that is moving very slowly or not at all.
warm front a transition zone between a mass of
warm air and the colder air it is replacing. occluded front a composite front formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front and forces it aloft.
cold front the zone separating two air masses, of
which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer.
weather front A weather front is a boundary
separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena outside the tropics.
air mass a body of air covering a relatively
wide area, exhibiting approximately uniform properties through any horizontal section. Low pressure A low pressure system has lower system pressure at its center than the areas around it. Winds blow towards the low pressure, and the air rises in the atmosphere where they meet. As the air rises, the water vapor within it condenses forming clouds and often precipitation too.
High pressure High-pressure systems are frequently
system associated with light winds at the surface and subsidence through the lower portion of the troposphere. In general, subsidence will dry out an air mass by adiabatic or compressional heating. Thus, high pressure typically brings clear skies.
isobar a line on a map connecting points having
the same atmospheric pressure at a given time or on average over a given period.
severe a t hunderstorm that produces one
thunderstorm inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. severe weather any dangerous meteorological phenomena with the potential to cause damage, serious social disruption, or loss of human life.
blizzard a storm with dry, driving snow, strong
winds, and intense cold.
Heat index a number representing the effect of
temperature and humidity on humans by combining the two variables into an “apparent” temperature, introduced as a replacement for the temperature-humidity index
Heat wave an air mass of high temperature
covering an extended area and moving relatively slowly. a period of abnormally hot and usually humid weather.
tornado A mobile, destructive vortex of violently
rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system.
hurricane a storm with a violent wind, in particular a