Glossary of meteorology

Atmosphere layers

Bow Echo Kansas City

Low pressure system over Iceland

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Glossary of Meteorology is a comprehensive list of terms and definitions used in the field of meteorology, the scientific study of the atmosphere and its phenomena, especially as a means of forecasting the weather. This glossary encompasses terms from various branches of meteorology, including atmospheric physics, atmospheric chemistry, climatology, and weather forecasting. The purpose of this glossary is to provide an accessible resource for students, researchers, professionals, and anyone interested in understanding meteorological concepts and terminology.

A

• Advection - The horizontal movement of a mass of air or atmospheric properties, usually with reference to the transfer of heat or moisture.
• Air Mass - A large body of air with uniform characteristics of temperature and humidity.
• Albedo - The fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the earth's surface.

B

• Barometer - An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure.
• Blizzard - A severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds of 35 mph or more and lasting for a prolonged period of time, typically three hours or more.

C

• Cirrus Clouds - High-altitude clouds, usually above 18,000 feet, composed of ice crystals and characterized by thin, wispy strands.
• Climate - The average weather conditions in a particular location over a long period of time, usually over 30 years.
• Cyclone - A large scale air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure.

D

• Dew Point - The temperature at which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, which is the gaseous state of water.

E

• El Niño - A warm phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, characterized by a warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

F

• Front - A boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena outside the tropics.

G

• Greenhouse Effect - The warming of the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere caused by the presence of greenhouse gases, which trap heat.

H

• Hurricane - A type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean, or the South Pacific Ocean.

I

• Isotherm - A line on a map connecting points having the same temperature at a given time or on average over a given period.

J

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K

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L

• Low Pressure Area - A region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations.

M

• Meteorology - The science that deals with the phenomena of the atmosphere, especially weather and weather conditions.

N

• Nimbus Clouds - Rain bearing cloud that are dark and ragged at the edges.

O

• Occluded Front - A composite front produced by occlusion of a cold front by a warm front.

P

• Precipitation - Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground.

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R

• Relative Humidity - The amount of water vapor present in air expressed as a percentage of the amount needed for saturation at the same temperature.

S

• Stratus Clouds - Clouds that form in layers, covering a large area and often leading to overcast conditions.

T

• Tornado - A rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.

U

• Updraft - An upward current or draft of air, often within a thunderstorm.

V

• Vortex - A spinning, often turbulent flow of fluid. In meteorology, it usually refers to the motion of air around a low-pressure area.

W

• Weather - The state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.

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