Climate & Weather
This word describes the short-term, unpredictable changes in the sky right now.
What is weather?
This is the layer of the atmosphere in which weather occurs, in which planes fly and in which we live.
What is the troposphere?
In this stage of the water cycle, water cools and changes from a gas to a liquid.
What is condensation?
With this level of pressure, air becomes lighter and rises. This level of pressure happens when air warms up.
What is low pressure?
These are tall, towering, dark storm clouds that bring thunderstorms and heavy rain.
What are cumulonimbus clouds?
This instrument is used by meteorologists to measure atmospheric pressure.
What is a barometer?
This is the word we use to describe long-term, predictable weather patterns in an area over a period of 30 or more years.
What is climate?
This is the coldest layer of the atmosphere, which lies in the middle of the other layers about 30-50miles (50-85km) above the Earth's surface. This layer protects us from meteors by burning them up.
What is the mesosphere?
This stage of the water cycle happens as a result of heat from the Sun turning liquid water into water vapor.
What is evaporation?
This level of air pressure happens as a result of air cooling, becoming more dense, and sinking.
What is high pressure?
These flatter clouds block out the sun and cause steady rain or snow.
What are nimbostratus clouds?
This instrument is used by meteorologists to measure wind speed.
This type of severe weather is associated with cumulonimbus clouds and produces electrical discharges known as lightning.
What is a thunderstorm?
This layer of the atmosphere extends from about 10 miles to 30 miles above the Earth's surface, containing the ozone layer which blocks ultraviolet rays. Weather balloons can be found in this layer.
What is the stratosphere?
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all examples of this stage of the water cycle.
What is precipitation?
This type of front is created when a mass of warm air gently slides on top of a mass of cold air. This often results in precipitation.
What is a warm front?
These are thin, wispy, curly clouds that are found high in the sky and indicate a change in weather is coming.
This phenomenon is caused by cooler air from a high-pressure area sinking toward the Earth, and is a result of the Sun heating the Earth unevenly.
What is wind?
These are spiraling storms that rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, form over oceans, and bring heavy rain and strong winds.
What are hurricanes?
This is the outermost layer of the atmosphere, extending 6,000 miles above the Earth's surface to the edge of space. Communication satellites can be found in this layer.
What is the exosphere?
This is the stage of the water cycle in which water falls to the Earth's surface and gathers in rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, or underground.
What is collection/accumulation?
This type of front is created when a cold mass of air pushes underneath a warm mass of air, and can cause dangerous weather such as thunderstorms and heavy precipitation.
What is a cold front?
This is what we call an extremely low-lying stratus cloud that lies along the surface of the Earth.
What is fog?
This is the Latin root for "heap" or "pile."
What is cumulus?
This type of severe weather is formed when warm air and cool air begin to spiral around one another, forming a vortex.
What is a tornado?
This is the lower layer of the thermosphere, in which ions energized by ultraviolet light produce the aurora borealis, or northern lights.
What is the ionosphere?
This is the stage of the water cycle in which water evaporates through the leaves of plants.
What is transpiration?
In this type of front, warm air and cold air are stuck in a deadlock, with neither mass of air overtaking the other.
What is a stationary front?
These are puffy, feather-like, high clouds that sometimes look like fish scales.
What are cirrocumulus clouds?
This is the Latin root for "cloud."
What is nimbus?