Instruments
An instrument used to measure the amount of liquid precipitation
rain gauge
Puffy clouds that are normally white, but can bring storms with rain and hail
cumulus
The measure of how hot or cold something is
temperature
A radio announcer tells you it's a sunny day and the temperature is 70 degrees F. What is the announcer describing?
the weather
Mike observed the clouds on a hot, summer day. As he is watching, many thick, black clouds develop. He notices that they cover the sky. What is a likely prediction about what will happen next?
a thunderstorm is about to strike the area
An instrument for measuring temperature
thermometer
Look like wisps of hair, very high in the sky, do not produce precipitation that reaches the Earth
Cirrus
A gas that people need to live and plants give off into the air
oxygen
A time with very dry weather that lasts for a long time. Rivers and lakes can begin to dry up.
drought
When the temperature is very hot for a long time and can last from a few days to several weeks. They can be very dangerous.
heat wave
An instrument used to measure wind speed
anemometer
Sheet or layer of clouds that can bring rain, snow, or sleet
The air around Earth
atmosphere
tornado
Happens in the winter when it is cold and below freezing. They can bring heavy snow and strong, cold winds.
blizzard
An instrument used to measure air pressure
barometer
A large collection of very tiny droplets of water
cloud
What is happening in the atmosphere at a certain place and time
weather
Can bring heavy rain and high winds. Hail and lightning can happen during these storms.
thunderstorm
The largest storms on Earth. They form over oceans when the water is warm. They can cause tornadoes and thunderstorms to form.
hurricane
An instrument that measures humidity
hygrometer
Betsy is watching the clouds. How can she tell the difference between a cumulus cloud and a cirrus cloud?
cirrus clouds are wispy and cumulus clouds are puffy
An instrument that measures the direction of the wind
Happens when a lot of rain falls in a short amount of time. Rivers and ditches can overflow and cause problems from this storm.
flood
Happen in the winter when rain freezes on things. The ice can be heavy enough to break power lines and damage trees. The slippery ice can make walking or driving difficult.
ice storm