Weather Glossary

** Provided by Merriam Webster Online and Glossary of Meteorology by the AMS 1959

arid climate
 
a: excessively dry; specifically
b: having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture b: total precipitation is less than potential evapotranspiration
carbon dioxide
: a heavy colorless gas CO2 that does not support combustion, dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, is formed especially in animal respiration and in the decay or combustion of animal and vegetable matter, is absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis, and is used in the carbonation of beverages
cirrus
: a high wispy white cloud usually of minute ice crystals formed at altitudes between about 20,000 and 40,000 feet
cumulus
: a dense puffy cloud form having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain
climate
: the average course or condition of the weather at a place usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation
continental climate
: average temperature in the warmest month is above 50 degrees and the coolest month is below 26.6
evaporate
a : to convert into vapor; also : to dissipate or draw off in vapor or fumes
b : to expel moisture from
flash flood
: a local flood of great volume and short duration generally resulting from heavy rainfall in the immediate vicinity
freeze
1 a : to become congealed into ice by cold
b : to solidify as a result of abstraction of heat
2 a : to harden into ice b : to convert from a liquid to a solid by cold
global warming
: an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution
hail
: precipitation in the form of small balls or lumps usually consisting of concentric layers of clear ice and compact snow
hurricane
: a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that occurs especially in the western Atlantic, that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes
lightning
1 : the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity; also
: the discharge itself
meteorology
: a science that deals with the atmosphere and its phenomena and especially with weather and weather forecasting
microclimate
: the essentially uniform local climate of a usually small site
precipitation
: a deposit on the earth of hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow; also : the quantity of water deposited polar climate
: average temperatures below 50 degrees in all twelve months of the year
pressure
: the pressure exerted in every direction by the weight of the atmosphere
sleet
: frozen or partly frozen rain
snowstorm
: a storm of or with snow
stratus
: a low cloud form extending over a large area at altitudes of usually 2000 to 7000 feet
temperate climate
a : having a moderate climate which especially lacks extremes in temperature b : average temperature in warmest month is above 50 degrees and coldest month is between 26.6 and 64.4 degrees
tidal wave
a : an unusually high sea wave that is triggered especially by an earthquake b : an unusual rise of water alongshore due to strong winds
tsunami
: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption
tornado
: a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land
tropical climate
a: of, being, or characteristic of a region or climate that is frost-free with temperatures high enough to support year-round plant growth given sufficient moisture
b: all twelve months have an average temperature of 64.4 degrees
weather
a : the state of the atmosphere with respect to temperature, moisture, wind and pressure