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Understanding Weather Terms

A Weather FAQ for Weather Watchers

The Science Behind the Weather

Also known as Meteorology

Meteorological information is recordable or visible weather events which are measurable, and are explained by the weather science of meteorology. Those events are bound by the variables that exist in earth's atmosphere. Variables that are tracked and recorded are, temperature, air pressure, water vapor, and the gradients and interactions between each variable, and how they change in time. Different scales are studied to determine how systems on local, region, and global levels impact weather and climatology. Meteorology, climatology, atmospheric physics, and atmospheric chemistry are all disciplines of the atmospheric sciences. Interactions between Earth's atmosphere and the oceans are also a part of ocean-atmosphere studies. Meteorology has application in many diverse fields such as the military, energy production, transport, agriculture and construction.
The dictionary defines weather as the state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, and clearness or cloudiness. It involves things we can't see like air pressure, wind, solar radiation or humidity. These elements are organized into various weather systems, such as areas of high and low pressure, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. Weather affects our everyday lives but is more important to know for some people than others, especially if you are a pilot, a construction worker, a fisherman, a farmer.
The blanket of air around the earth is called the atmosphere. It is about 15 miles thick. All of our weather happens in the bottom layer of the atmosphere, which is called the troposphere, which is six to ten miles thick.

Below we will look it some of the Weather Terms and what they mean.