Atmosphere
Life exists in this lowest layer of the atmosphere, which contains 99% of our water vapor.
What is the Troposphere?
If you see a big blue "H" on a weather map, you can usually expect clear skies and this type of "fair" weather.
What is High Pressure?
Often seen on nice days, these clouds look like white, puffy heaps of cotton floating in the sky.
What are Cumulus clouds?
This "boundary" is shown as a blue line with sharp triangles and usually brings a quick drop in temperature.
What is a Cold Front?
While weather tells you what's happening right now, this term describes the average weather patterns over many years.
What is Climate?
This part of the water cycle happens when the sun heats up a puddle and turns the liquid into a gas.
What is Evaporation?
Because air rises and cools in these systems, a red "L" on the map usually brings clouds and this.
What is Rain/Low Pressure?
Found very high up where it's freezing, these thin, wispy clouds are actually made of tiny ice crystals.
What are Cirrus clouds?
Represented by a red line with smooth half-circles, this front moves slowly and often brings steady, light rain.
What is a Warm Front?
Burning fossil fuels increases this specific gas, which is the main contributor to human-caused global warming.
What is Carbon Dioxide / CO_2?
Meteorologists use this percentage to describe how much moisture is in the air compared to how much it can actually hold.
What is Relative Humidity?
While a vane tells you which way the wind is blowing, this spinning tool measures how fast it is moving.
What is an Anemometer?
These "King of Clouds" are tall, dark, and anvil-shaped, often producing heavy rain, thunder, and lightning.
What are Cumulonimbus clouds?
Although the rest of the hurricane is violent, this small area in the very center is surprisingly calm and clear.
What is the Eye?
Safety experts use the slogan: "When thunder roars," you should do this immediately
What is Go Indoors?
This type of heat transfer occurs when warm air rises because it is less dense than the cool air around it.
What is Convection?
Because the Earth is constantly spinning, winds are pulled into a curve rather than a straight line due to this effect.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
This type of winter precipitation starts as rain but freezes into small, clear ice pellets before hitting the ground.
What is Sleet?
This is the general name for the "battleground" or transition zone where two different air masses meet.
What is a Front?
If the National Weather Service issues one of these, it means a dangerous storm has actually been spotted and you should take cover.
What is a Warning?
When the air is 100% full of moisture and cannot hold any more, it is said to have reached this state.
What is Saturation?
These narrow bands of extremely fast-moving air are found high in the atmosphere and help "steer" our storms.
What are Jet Streams?
To be officially called this, a snowstorm must have winds over 35 mph and very low visibility for at least three hours.
What is a Blizzard?
This area of the United States is famous for having the perfect conditions for frequent and massive tornadoes.
What is Tornado Alley?
Just like a glass building stays warm in winter, this "effect" allows our atmosphere to trap heat and keep Earth livable
What is the Greenhouse Effect?