| Term | Definition |
| weather | The happenings of the atmosphere at a given time and place. |
| water cycle | The cycle in which Earth's water moves through the atmosphere. |
| evaporation | The process in which liquid water turns into a gas. |
| water vapor | The gas created when water evaporates. |
| condensation | The process in which water vapor changes back into a liquid. |
| precipitation | Any form of water that falls to the earth from clouds, in the form of rain, sleet, snow or hail. |
| terrarium | A closed, clear container for raising and observing plants and animals. |
| absorption | Taking something in, such as, water into the ground. |
| run off | Water that flows from soil or rain and melted snow into a body of water. |
| transpiration | The process in which plants give off water through their stomata. |
| cumulus | A puffy, fair weather cloud with a flat bottom and "heaped up" top. |
| stratus | A gray, flat, layered cloud that usually brings precipitation. |
| cirrus | A wispy cloud made of ice crystals. |
| cumulonimbus | A type of cumulus cloud that is tall and gray, and associated with thunderstorms. |
| thunderstorm | A storm with thunder, lightening, heavy rain, and sometimes hail that is formed from cumulonimbus clouds. |
| tornado | A violent whirling wind with a funnel shaped cloud. |
| hurricane | I violent storm that forms over warm ocean water and his winds of 74+ mph. |
| blizzard | A driving storm or wind and snow with very cold temperatures. |
| thermometer | An instrument used to measure temperature. |
| rain gauge | An instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation that falls. |
| barometer | An instrument used to measure air pressure. |
| anemometer | An instrument used to measure wind speed. |
| hygrometer | An instrument used to measure the amount of humidity or water vapor in the air. |
| air pressure | The force or weight that air put on objects. |
| low pressure | I mass of rising warm air that usually bring wet, stormy weather. |
| high pressure | I mass of sinking cool air that usually bring fair weather. |
| local winds | Wind that forms in a small area due to temperature changes. |
| prevailing winds | A global wind that blows constantly from the same direction. |
| climate | The average of all weather conditions in a particular place over time. |
| microclimate | The climate of a very small area or habitat. |
| warm front | Forms when warm air slides up and over a cold air mass; it bring gentle rain or light snow followed by warmer weather. |
| cold front | Forms when a cold air mass pushes under a warm air mass; thunderheads can form fallowed by cool, fair weather. |
| meteorology | The study of the earth's atmosphere, including weather and climate. |
| forecast | A prediction of the weather conditions for a given area at a given time. |
| fog | Tiny droplets of water suspended in the air, at or near the ground. |
| humidity | The amount of water vapor in the air. |
| ground water | Water trapped underground that suplies springs and wells. |