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Whiteouts and Thunderheads: Weather Vocabulary

Word List with 47 words
*By Dictionary.com

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Words in This List

barometer
noun
any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
scattered
adjective
of clouds covering up to one-half of the sky
drizzle
noun
precipitation consisting of numerous, minute droplets of water
warning
noun
an announcement to the public that a storm or other weather hazard is imminent and that immediate steps should be taken to protect lives and property
thermal
noun
a rising air current caused by heating from the underlying surface, especially such a current when not producing a cloud
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airshed
noun
an area within which the air frequently is confined or channeled, with all parts of the area thus being subject to similar conditions of air pollution
anticyclone
noun
a circulation of winds around a region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
ozone layer
noun
the layer of the upper atmosphere where most atmospheric ozone is concentrated, from about 8 to 30 mi. (12 to 48 km) above the earth
whiteout
noun
a condition in which uniform illumination from snow on the ground and from a low cloud layer makes features of the landscape indistinguishable
microburst
noun
an intense, localized downdraft of air that spreads on the ground, causing rapid changes in wind direction and speed; a localized downpour
rain shadow
noun
a region in the lee of mountains that receives less rainfall than the region windward of the mountains
tropical storm
noun
a tropical cyclone of less than hurricane force
warm front
noun
a transition zone between a mass of warm air and the colder air it is replacing
photochemical smog
noun
air pollution containing ozone and reactive chemical compounds formed by sunlight on nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, often from auto exhaust
special marine warning
noun
a warning of high-wind conditions at sea that are expected to last for up to two hours, and generally result of thunderstorms or squall lines
stationary front
noun
a front between warm and cold air masses that is moving very slowly or not at all
squall line
noun
a line or extended narrow region within which squalls or thunderstorms occur, often several hundred miles long
cold wave
noun
a rapid and considerable drop in temperature, usually affecting a large area
pressure gradient
noun
the change in atmospheric pressure per unit of horizontal distance in the direction in which pressure changes most rapidly
wave cyclone
noun
a cyclone that forms on a front and, in maturing, produces an increasingly sharp, wavelike deformation of the front
strong breeze
noun
a wind of 25?30 mph (11?13 m/sec)
convective activity
noun
any manifestation of convection in the atmosphere, such as hail or thunderstorms
ice crystals
noun
precipitation consisting of small, slowly falling crystals of ice
billow cloud
noun
a cloud consisting of broad, parallel bands oriented perpendicularly to the wind
hurricane warning
noun
a storm warning given for winds with speeds exceeding 63 knots (72 mph, 32 m/sec) when the source of the winds is a tropical cyclone
anemometry
noun
the science of measuring the speed of wind
windchill factor
noun
the apparent temperature felt on the exposed human body owing to the combination of temperature and wind speed
woolpack
noun
a cumulus cloud of fleecy appearance with a horizontal base
polar front
noun
the variable frontal zone of middle latitudes separating air masses of polar and tropical origin
storm warning
noun
a National Weather Service warning of winds having speeds of 48 knots (55 mph, 25 m/sec) or greater
advection fog
noun
fog caused by the movement of warm, moist air over a cold surface
biofog
noun
a fog, resembling steam fog, produced by the contact of very cold air with the warmth and moisture issuing from animal or human bodies
dry freeze
noun
the occurrence of freezing temperatures without the formation of hoarfrost
polar outbreak
noun
a vigorous thrust of cold, polar air across temperate regions
atmospheric tide
noun
a movement of atmospheric masses caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon and by daily solar heating
dry fog
noun
a fog that does not moisten exposed surfaces
frost smoke
noun
an ice fog caused by extremely cold air flowing over a body of comparatively warm water, especially in polar regions
lake effect
noun
the phenomena created in the surrounding area by weather passing over a large lake, especially any of the Great Lakes of the U.S.
sounding balloon
noun
a balloon carrying instruments aloft to make atmospheric measurements
steam fog
noun
fog caused by cold air flowing over a body of comparatively warm water and giving the appearance of smoke or steam
zero-zero
adjective
atmospheric conditions having or characterized by zero visibility in both horizontal and vertical directions
blizzard
noun
a storm with dry, driving snow, strong winds, and intense cold; a heavy and prolonged snowstorm covering a wide area
broken
adjective
a sky being more than half covered, but not totally covered, by clouds
fair
adjective
a bright, sunny, cloudless to half-cloudy sky, with no prospect of rain, snow, or hail; not stormy
overcast
noun
the condition of the sky when more than 95 percent covered by clouds
precipitation
noun
falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, such as rain, snow, or hail
thunderhead
noun
the upper portion of a cumulus cloud characterized by dense, sharply defined, cauliflower-like upper parts and sometimes by great verticality

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