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Vocab Meteorology
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Atmosphere | the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air. |
Troposphere | the lowest layer of the atmosphere, high in some areas and as much as high in others, within which there is a steady drop in temperature with increasing altitude themselves. |
Ionosphere | the region of the earth's atmosphere between the stratosphere and the exosphere, consisting of several ionized layers and extending from about 50 to 250 miles (80 to 400 km) above the surface of the earth. |
Ozone Layer | the layer of the upper atmosphere where most atmospheric ozone is concentrated, from about 8 to 30 miles (12 to 48 km) above the earth, with the maximum ozone concentration occurring at an altitude of about 12 miles (19 km). |
Chlorofluorocarbon | any of several volatile, inert, saturated compounds of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and hydrogen: used as refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, solvents |
Radiation | the process in which energy is emitted as particles or waves. the complete process in which energy is emitted by one body, transmitted through an intervening medium or space, and absorbed by another body. The energy transferred by these processes. |
Conduction | the transfer of heat between two parts of a stationary system, caused by a temperature difference between the parts. |
Convection | the vertical transport of atmospheric properties, especially upward (distinguished from advection). |
Hydrosphere | the water on or surrounding the surface of the globe, including the water of the oceans and the water in the atmosphere. |
Condensation | the process by which atmospheric water vapor liquefies to form fog, clouds, or the like, or solidifies to form snow or hail. |
Corioli Effect | The Coriolis Effect, described as a force that's acting on every object on the Earth, is often given credit for making the water in your toilet turn a certain direction |
Jet Stream | strong, generally westerly winds concentrated in a relatively narrow and shallow stream in the upper troposphere of the earth. |
Sea breeze | a thermally produced wind blowing from a cool ocean surface onto adjoining warm land. |
Land breeze | a coastal breeze blowing at night from land to sea, caused by the difference in the rate of cooling of their respective surfaces. |
Humidity | condition; moistness; dampness. |
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. |
Precipitation | falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, as rain, snow, or hail. The amount of rain, snow, hail, etc., that has fallen at a given place within a given period, usually expressed in inches or centimeters of water. |
Weather Front | A weather front is a term used in meteorology to describe the front end or advancing edge of an air mass that will soon replace the air mass that’s over a specific region |
Weather Station Model | A station model is a symbolic illustration showing the weather occurring at a given reporting station. Meteorologists created the station model to find a number of weather elements in a small space on weather maps. |
Climate | the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years. |
El Nino | a warm ocean current of variable intensity that develops after late December along the coast of Ecuador and Peru and sometimes causes catastrophic weather conditions. |
Global Warming | an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. |