Weather Basics
This instrument measures temperature.
What is a thermometer?
These fluffy white clouds usually mean fair weather.
What are cumulus clouds?
This weather event occurs when snow, blowing snow, and strong winds reduce visibility.
What is a blizzard?
This gas in Earth’s atmosphere is most important for weather and breathing.
What is oxygen?
This is the driest desert on Earth.
What is the Atacama Desert?
Water falling from clouds in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail is called this.
What is precipitation?
This type of storm includes thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds.
What is a thunderstorm?
A long period with little or no rainfall is called this.
What is a drought?
Warm air does this compared to cool air.
What is rise?
This line around Earth divides the planet into climate zones and receives the most direct sunlight.
What is the Equator?
This layer of gases surrounds Earth and creates our weather.
What is the atmosphere?
These dark, layered clouds often bring steady rain or snow.
What are stratus clouds?
This scale measures the strength of hurricanes from Category 1 to Category 5.
What is the Saffir-Simpson Scale?
This weather map symbol connects areas with the same air pressure.
What are isobars?
This region experiences six months of daylight and six months of darkness each year.
What are the polar regions?
This imaginary line dividing Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres affects weather patterns.
What is the Equator?
This dangerous rotating column of air touches the ground during severe storms.
What is a tornado?
This weather phenomenon forms over warm ocean water and is called a typhoon in some parts of the world.
What is a hurricane?
This instrument measures air pressure.
What is a barometer?
This fast-moving river of air high in the atmosphere helps steer storms and weather systems.
What is the jet stream?
This process happens when water vapor cools and changes into liquid droplets to form clouds.
What is condensation?
This cloud type can grow extremely tall and is often associated with severe thunderstorms.
What is a cumulonimbus cloud?
This rare and powerful storm combines a snowstorm with hurricane-force winds.
What is a bomb cyclone?
This global weather pattern happens when unusually warm Pacific Ocean water affects weather around the world.
What is El Niño?
This climate zone near the Equator is known for heavy rainfall, warm temperatures, and dense forests.
What is the tropical rainforest climate zone?