Ch. 14 - Vocab-Weather Patterns
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18 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Air-mass | is a large mass of air that is characterized by relatively uniform temperature and moisture characteristics over a broad geographic region near the surface of the Earth. |
| Cold front | a front along which a cold air mass thrusts beneath a warmer air mass |
| Continental air mass | an air mass that forms over land; it is normally relatively dry |
| Doppler radar | in addition to the tasks performed by conventional radar, this new generation of weather radar can detect motion directly and hence greatly improve tornado and severe storm warnings |
| Eye | A zone of scattered clouds and calm averaging about 20km in diameter at the center of a hurricane |
| Eye wall | The doughnut shaped area of intense cumulonimbus development and very strong winds that surrounds the eye of a hurricane |
| Hurricane | A tropical cyclonic storm having winds in excess of 119km (74 miles) per hour |
| Maritime air mass | An air mass that originates over the ocean. Theses air masses are relatively humid. |
| Polar air mass | A cold air mass that forms in a high-latitude source region. |
| Storm surge | The abnormal rise of the sea along a shore as a result of strong winds |
| Thunderstorm | A storm produced by a cumulonimbus cloud and always accompanied by lightning and thunder. It is of relatively short duration and usually accomanpied by strong wind gusts, heavy rain, and sometimes hail |
| Tornado | A small, very intense cyclonic storm with exceedingly high winds, most often produced along cold fronts in conjunction with severe thunderstorms |
| Tornado warning | A warning issued when a tornado has actually been sighted in an area or is indicated by radar. |
| Tornado watch | A forecast issued for areas of about 65,000 sq. km (25,000 sq. miles), indicating that conditions are such that tornadoes may develop; it is intended to alert people to the possibility of tornadoes |
| Tropical air mass | A warm-to-hot air mass that forms in the subtropics |
| Tropical depression | By international agreement, a tropical cyclone with maximum winds that do not exceed 61 km (38 miles) per hour |
| Tropical storm | By international agreement, a tropical cyclone with maximum winds between 38 miles per hour and 74 miles per hour |
| Warm front | A front along which a warm air mass overrides a retreating mass of cooler air |
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