Atmosphere
The first layer of the atmosphere where most of the Earth’s weather occurs
What is the troposphere
Cloud form that looks like a white, puffy cotton ball
What is cumulus
The moment when the Sun is the farthest south of the equator and away from the Northern Hemisphere marking the shortest day
What is the winter solstice
Three stages of a thunderstorm
What are developing, mature and dissipating stages
The measure of hot or cold on a scale
What is temperature
The boundary between the troposphere and the next higher level of the atmosphere
What is the tropopause
This high-level cloud forms above 20,000 feet, is typically comprised of ice crystals, and looks thin and white
What is cirrus
The apparent force caused by the Earth's rotation, resulting in winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere
What is Coriolis force
Type of weather that presents with cumulonimbus clouds possessing thunder and lightning; usually accompanied by strong winds, rain, and sometimes hail
What is a thunderstorm
The thermal energy transferred between systems due to a temperature difference
What is Heat
The layer of the atmosphere extending from the tropopause to about 30 miles
What is the stratosphere
Cloud type that provides steady precipitation and derives its name from the latin word meaning "rain"
What is nimbus
A high velocity, narrow stream of winds, usually found near the upper limit of the troposphere (30,000 - 35,000 feet) which generally flows west to east
What is the jet stream
The boundary between two air masses
What is a front
The sensation of cold produced by the wind on exposed skin as the wind accelerates heat loss
What is wind chill
The 3 primary molecular components of the atmosphere
What are Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Argon
The temperature at which the air becomes saturated with water vapor
What is dew point
The force resulting from wind interacting with terrain and man-made objects
What is surface friction
A violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud
What is a tornado
A localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter
What is a microburst
The standard pressure lapse rate (up to approximately 10,000 feet)
What is 1" HG per 1,000 feet
The amount of water vapor in the air compared to its water vapor capacity at a given temperature
What is relative humidity
A huge body of air with the same temperature and moisture characteristics
What is an air mass
Tropical storms (and hurricanes) develop around low pressure systems, in the Northern Hemisphere which direction is the wind in these systems traveling
What is counter-clockwise