Describing Weather
Short-term atmospheric conditions in a certain area and time.
What is weather?
The force of gas particles on the matter below it.
What is air pressure?
This is measured with a barometer.
What is air pressure?
Evaporation --> condensation --> precipitation --> repeat
What is the water cycle?
Extremely cold and dry.
What is an arctic air mass?
Various forms of water falling from the sky.
What is precipitation?
The amount of water vapor in the air.
What is humidity?
This measures relative humidity.
What is a psychrometer?
Dense air sinks in the middle.
What is a high-pressure system?
Cold and humid from the north.
What are maritime polar air masses?
Wispy, fair weather clouds.
What are cirrus clouds?
The temperature at which condensation occurs.
What is the dew point?
This measures wind speed.
What is an anemometer?
Cold air plows into warm air leading to rain or storms.
What is a cold front?
Hot and dry from desert land.
What are continental tropical air masses?
Include air pressure, temperature, wind, humidity, clouds, and precipitation.
What are weather variables?
Large body of gases with uniform temp, humidity, & pressure.
What is an air mass?
This package of instruments gather data high above Earth's surface.
What is a radiosonde?
Less-dense air rises in the center.
Moist and warm air from near the equator.
What are maritime tropical air masses?
The boundaries between two air masses.
What are fronts.
The amount of gaseous water present compared to how much could be held.
What is relative humidity?
These collect visible or infrared images high in the atmosphere.
What are satellites?
A cold and warm air mass get stuck next to each other.
What is a stationary front?
Often affects Minnesota from the north.
What are continental polar air masses?