Up in the Clouds
These thin, wispy clouds sit highest in the sky and are made of tiny ice crystals.
Cirrus Clouds
All precipitation originally leaves clouds in this frozen form.
Snow or Ice Crystals
This weather instrument measures outdoor air temperature in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.
thermometer
It takes the Earth this many days to complete one full revolution (orbit) around the Sun.
365 days / 366 in a leap year
While weather describes conditions over hours or days, climate is the average pattern of weather over at least this many years.
30 years or more
These fluffy, white clouds look like cotton balls or popcorn and usually signal fair, pleasant weather.
Cumulus clouds
Snowflakes naturally form into crystals with this specific number of sides.
six
Equipped with spinning cups, this instrument measures wind speed in kilometres or miles per hour.
Anemometer
The primary scientific reason Earth experiences changing seasons is because of this feature of our planet.
What is the tilt of Earth on its axis
The three climate zones that make up Alberta are Dry, Temperate, and this major inland zone that covers about 45% of the province
The Continental Zone
This type of cloud forms a low, flat, grey sheet covering the sky, and touching the ground creates fog.
Stratus clouds
This type of precipitation falls as liquid rain through warm air, but freezes into solid ice immediately upon contact with cold surfaces.
Freezing Rain
This instrument measures atmospheric air pressure, helping meteorologists predict if storms or fair skies are approaching.
barometer
Cree teachings connect the four seasons to directions and life stages on this sacred circle.
The medicine wheel
Known as "snoweaters," these warm, dry winds blow down from the Rocky Mountains and cause rapid winter temperature spikes in Alberta
Chinooks
Massive, vertical thunderstorm clouds that can produce heavy rain, lightning, hail, and tornadoes are known by this compound name.
Cumulonimbus clouds
This form of precipitation melts in warm air and then refreezes into small, clear ice pellets before reaching the ground.
sleet
This instrument measures the percentage of humidity, or moisture, in the air.
hygrometer
This annual publication uses historical weather averages over long periods to help farmers track frost and planting dates.
The Almanac
Low or High Pressure creates wind/storms?
LOW!
Artificial, narrow cirrus cloud trails left behind high in the atmosphere by airplane jet engines are called this.
Contrails
Formed inside storm clouds, this type of precipitation repeatedly travels up and down between freezing and thawing layers until heavy ice balls fall.
hail
Created in 1805, this scale estimates wind speed based on observable visual clues and damage rather than exact measurements.
During a sunny day, temperatures are typically lowest right before sunrise, and highest during this late-day window.
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM / late afternoon
Which climate zone is bitterly cold year-round, long dark winters, short cool summers, ice and snow.