Weather Vocabulary

Word Definition Image

wind Wind is the flow of gases on a large 

scale. On the surface of the Earth, wind 
consists of the bulk movement of air.

anemometer an instrument for measuring the speed of 

the wind, or of any current of gas.

atmospheric the 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 Mean sea level is an average level of the 

surface of one or more of Earth's oceans 
from which heights such as elevation 
may be measured.
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 the 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 The water cycle, also known as the 
hydrological cycle or the hydrologic cycle, 
describes the continuous movement of 
water on, above and below the surface of 
the Earth.

ground water water held underground in the soil or in 

pores and crevices in rock.

transpiration Transpiration​ is the process by which 

moisture is carried through plants 
from roots to small pores on the 
underside of leaves, where it changes 
to vapor and is released to the 
atmosphere. T ​ ranspiration​ is 
essentially evaporation of water from 
plant leaves.

evaporation Evaporation​ is a type of vaporization 

that occurs on the surface of a liquid 
as it changes into the gas phase. The 
surrounding gas must not be 
saturated with the ​evaporating 
substance.

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). The 
maximum ​absolute humidity​ of warm 
air at 30°C/86°F is approximately 30g 
of water vapor – 30g/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 rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the

ground.

stationary front A ​stationary front​ is a pair of air

masses, neither of which is strong
enough to replace the other. On a
weather map, this is shown by an
inter-playing series of blue spikes
pointing one direction and red domes
pointing 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 A cold front is the leading edge of a 

cooler mass of air, replacing at ground 
level a warmer mass of air, which lies 
within a fairly sharp surface trough of low 
pressure.

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. In surface 
weather​ analyses, f​ ronts​ are depicted 
using various colored triangles and 
half-circles, depending on the type of 
front​.

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. As the 
air rises, the water vapor within it 
condenses forming clouds and often 
precipitation too.
High pressure High​-​pressure systems​ are frequently 
system associated with light winds at the 
surface and subsidence through the 
lower portion of the troposphere. In 
general, subsidence will dry out an air 
mass by adiabatic or compressional 
heating. Thus, ​high pressure​ typically 
brings clear skies.

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 A ​severe thunderstorm​ warning 

thunderstorm (SAME code: SVR) is issued by the 
National Weather Service when 
trained storm spotters or Doppler 
weather radar indicate that a 
thunderstorm​ is producing or will 
soon produce dangerously large hail 
or high winds, capable of causing 
significant damage. 

severe weather Severe weather refers to any dangerous 

meteorological phenomena with the 
potential to cause damage, serious social 
disruption, or loss of human life. Types of 
severe weather phenomena vary, 
depending on the latitude, altitude, 
topography, and atmospheric conditions.

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 A heat wave is a period of excessively hot 

weather, which may be accompanied by 
high humidity, especially in oceanic 
climate countries. While definitions vary, 
a heat wave is usually measured relative 
to the usual weather in the area and 
relative to normal temperatures for the 
season.

tornado A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of 

air that is in contact with both the surface 
of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud 
or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus 
cloud.

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating 

storm system characterized by a 
low-pressure center, a closed low-level 
atmospheric circulation, strong winds, 
and a spiral arrangement of 
thunderstorms that produce heavy rain