Term | Definition |
Air masses | a body of air with the same temperature, humidity, and pressure. |
atmospheric gases | the layer of gases, commonly known as air, that surrounds the planet Earth and is retained by Earth's gravity. ... By volume, dry air contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases. |
air/atmospheric pressure | the force exerted on a surface by the air above it as gravity pulls it to Earth; measured with a barometer |
barometer (mercury barometer (mm of mercury) | measures air pressure; An instrument used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude where a column of mercury in a glass tube rises or falls as the weight of the atmosphere changes |
aneroid barometer (millibar-MB) | measure whether pressure is rising or falling, whether a high or low pressure system is coming or whether it is becoming more intense. Ex: altimeter, which measures altitude, or distance above sea level. barograph, |
climate | General weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years. |
global wind system | also known as the "general circulation" and the surface winds of each hemisphere are divided into three wind belts:
Polar Easterlies: From 60-90 degrees latitude. |