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Glossary
AAir Masses - A large area of air with common characteristics: temperature, air pressure, and moisture
Air Pressure - Pressure caused by the weight of the air
Astronomical conditions - Conditions in the earth's atmosphere. In tidal waves, when the sun and moon line up, their combined gravity causes higher than normal waves
Atmosphere - The layer of gases that surrounds the earth: oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases
Atypical - Not typical or usual
Avalanche -A swift sudden landslide of snow, ice, rocks, or dirt down a mountain slope
B
Blizzard - A blinding snow storm with a very strong, cold wind
C
Climate - The average weather conditions of a region including: temperature, rainfall, humidity, and wind conditions
Clouds - a white or gray or almost black mass in the sky made up of tiny drops of water or ice crystals
Condensation - The changing from a gas or a vapor to a liquid
Contamination - Something that is spoiled by dirt, disease, or bacteria
Coriolis Effect- The earth's rotation causes air to move in a circular motion
Crystals -Regularly shaped pieces with angles and flat surfaces
Cumulonimbus Clouds - A cloud that often has heavy precipitation, and can lead to thunderstorms or tornadoes
D
Doldrums - An area near the equator that has little or no wind
Dredge - A method used to deepen harbors and waterways
Drought -A long period of time without rainfall
E
Earthquake - A movement of a portion of the earth's crust produced by underground volcanic forces or by breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface
Equator - An imaginary circle around the center of the earth
Evacuate -To withdraw or leave, especially from a threatened area
Evaporate - To change from liquid to a vapor
Eye - The calm center of a hurricane
F
Flood Zone - An area prone to floods
Fujita-Pearson-Scale - A scale used to rate a tornado's power
H
Hail - small pieces of ice coming down from the clouds in a shower, frozen rain
Heat Index - A large amount of moisture in the air makes a warm day feel even warmer
Humidity - Dampness or moisture - the amount or degree of moisture in the air
Hurricane - A violent cyclone with winds moving from 70 to 100 miles an hour, usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning: hurricanes generally form in the tropics
K
Kilometer - A unit for measuring length or distance (about 5/8 of a mile)
L
Levee - An embankment raised to prevent a river from over flowing
M
Monsoon - A southwest wind that brings heavy rains and flooding
P
Phenomenon - A fact, event or circumstance that can be observed or sensed
Polar Easterlies - A wind that blows from the North and South poles in an easterly direction
Precipitation - The water that falls to the earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail
Prevailing Westerlies - A wind that blows in a westerly direction. It is also called the Trade Winds
S
Saffir Simpson Scale- A scale used to measure hurricanes
Season - The average temperature is different in each season. In most of the U.S. there are four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall
Shelter - Something that covers or protects
Snow - Soft white crystals of ice that fall to the earth as precipitation
Storm Surge - A large wave caused by a hurricane
Structure - A building; anything that is built
T
Tronada - A Spanish word for tornado
Tropical - Having to do with the warm regions of the Earth near the Equator
Tropical Easterlies - Air from the equator warms and rises. As it cools, it flows back down to the equator. It is forced in an east to west flow due to the rotation of the earth.
Tsunami - A very large and destructive ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake
U
Updraft - A surge of air in an upward direction
W
Water Vapor - Water in the form of mist or tiny droplets in the air
Wind Chill Effect - When wind flows, it makes the temperature feel cooler. In winter, it can lower the temperature to dangerous levels. In 1999, record lows of -100 degrees (wind chill) were recorded in Alaska.
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