Weather Vocabulary

Word Definition Image

wind the perceptible natural movement of the

air, especially in the form of a current of
air blowing from a particular direction.

anemometer an instrument for measuring the speed of 

the wind, or of any current of gas.

atmospheric he pressure exerted by the weight of the 

pressure atmosphere, which at sea level has a 
mean value of 101,325 pascals (roughly 
14.6959 pounds per square inch).

density the degree of compactness of a 

substance.

sea level the level of the sea's surface, used in 

reckoning the height of geographical 
features such as hills and as a barometric 
standard.
barometer an instrument measuring atmospheric 
pressure, used especially in forecasting 
the weather and determining altitude.

convection cell a self-contained convective zone in a fluid 

in which upward motion of warmer fluid 
in the center is balanced by downward 
motion of cooler fluid at the periphery.

prototype a first, typical or preliminary model of 

something, especially a machine, from 
which other forms are developed or 
copied. 
 

dew point he atmospheric temperature (varying 

according to pressure and humidity) 
below which water droplets begin to 
condense and dew can form.

dew tiny drops of water that form on cool 

surfaces at night, when atmospheric 
vapor condenses.
water cycle he cycle of processes by which water 
circulates between the earth's oceans, 
atmosphere, and land, involving 
precipitation as rain and snow, drainage 
in streams and rivers, and return to the 
atmosphere by evaporation and 
transpiration.

ground water water held underground in the soil or in 

pores and crevices in rock.

transpiration (of a plant or leaf) the exhalation of water 

vapor through the stomata

evaporation Evaporation Is a type of vaporization 

that occurs on the surface of a liquid 
as it changes into the gas phase.

absolute Absolute Humidity is the measure of 

humidity water vapor (moisture) in the air, 
regardless of temperature. It is 
expressed as grams of moisture per 
cubic meter of air (g/m3).
relative the amount of water vapor present in air 
humidity expressed as a percentage of the amount 
needed for saturation at the same 
temperature.

crystallization Crystallization is defined as a process 

by which a chemical is converted from 
a liquid solution into a solid crystalline 
state.

precipitation the action or process of precipitating a 

substance from a solution​. R ​ ain, snow, 
sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. 

stationary front A stationary frontis a pair of air 

masses, neither of which is strong 
enough to replace the other. 

warm front the boundary of an advancing mass of 

warm air, in particular the leading edge of 
the warm sector of a low-pressure 
system.

occluded front a composite front produced by occlusion.

cold front the boundary of an advancing mass of 
cold air, in particular the trailing edge of 
the warm sector of a low-pressure 
system.

weather front A weather front is a boundary separating 

two masses of air of different densities, 
and is the principal cause of 
meteorological phenomena outside the 
tropics.

air mass a body of air with horizontally uniform 

temperature, humidity, and pressure.

Low pressure A low pressure system has lower 

system pressure at its center than the areas 
around it. Winds blow towards the low 
pressure, and the air rises in the 
atmosphere where they meet. 
High pressure High pressure systems are frequently 
system associated with light winds at the 
surface and subsidence through the 
lower portion of the troposphere.

isobar a line on a map connecting points having 

the same atmospheric pressure at a given 
time or on average over a given period.

severe This is issued by the National Weather 

thunderstorm Service when conditions are favorable 
for the development of severe 
thunderstorm in and close to the 
watch area. A severe thunderstorm by 
definition is a thunderstorm that 
produces one inch hail or larger in 
diameter and/or winds equal or 
exceed 58 miles an hour.

severe weather Severe weather refers to any dangerous 

meteorological phenomena with the 
potential to cause damage, serious social 
disruption, or loss of human life. 

blizzard a severe snowstorm with high winds and 

low visibility.
Heat index a measure indicating the level of 
discomfort the average person is thought 
to experience as a result of the combined 
effects of the temperature and humidity 
of the air.

Heat wave prolonged period of abnormally hot 

weather.

tornado a mobile, destructive vortex of violently 

rotating winds having the appearance of a 
funnel-shaped cloud and advancing 
beneath a large storm system.

hurricane a storm with a violent wind, in particular a 

tropical cyclone in the Caribbean.