Weather and Climate Unit Vocabulary

Weather Short-term conditions.

Climate Long-term conditions (hot/cold, wet/dry)

Latitude Distance from the equator, north or south, measured in degrees

Altitude/Elevation Distance above sea level

Convection Current Hot, less dense air rising, cold, more dense air sinking

Water Vapor The gas form of water.

Troposphere The first layer of atmosphere where weather occurs.

Thermometer measures air temperature in degrees Celsius.

Barometer measures air pressure in millibars (mB) and inches of mercury (in. Hg)

Anemometer measures wind speed

Psychrometer measures humidity.

Air Pressure The pressure exerted by air in a vertical column.

Sea Breeze Wind blowing from the sea during the day time

Land Breeze Wind blowing from land during night time.

Dew Point Temperature at which water vapor condenses.

Relative Humidity Amount of water vapor in the air, compared to how much it could hold.

Saturation 100% relative humidity

High Pressure System Cold and dry weather conditions

Low Pressure System Hot and wet weather conditions

Fronts/Frontal Boundary Place where 2 air masses meet

Air Mass 1000 square mile mass of air with the same characteristics