weather forecast terminology

The terms "windy" and "breezy" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they don't describe the same phenomenon. Later. CLASSIC EVENT- Having all the ingredients for a specific type of weather (i.e. LOW- The center of an area of low pressure, accompanied by cyclonic and inward wind flow in the northern hemisphere. The "omega equation" used in numerical weather models is composed of two terms, the "differential vorticity advection" term and the "thickness advection" term. ARCTIC AIR - a mass of very cold, dry air that usually originates over the Arctic Ocean north of Canada and Alaska. THUNDERSTORM (TS, TSRA, TSTM) - A shower accompanied by thunder. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it. Negative LI values are unstable. DENSE FOG - A cloud, with its base on the surface, which reduces visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less. Listed below are descriptors of regularly used weather terms and their meanings to help give a better understanding of each forecast. CLOUD CONDENSATION NUCLEI - small particles in the air on which water vapor condenses and forms cloud droplets. HUMIDITY -The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. Fire Danger : A subjective expression of an objective assessment of environmental (fuels and weather) factors which influence whether fires will start and how . Also known as an onshore breeze. INVERTED TROF- This is a trough which bulges to the north. Alaska Weather Line (AWIL), Text Products OPEN WAVE- A wave of low pressure that does not have a complete circulation around it; also called a short wave trough. TAF. TURBULENCE - Disrupted flow in the atmosphere that produces gusts and eddies. NWS forecasters use such categorical terms as occasional, intermittent, or periods of to describe a precipitation event that has a high probability of occurrence (80%+), but is expected to be of an "on and off" nature. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 106 °F. GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE A satellite that rotates at the same rate as the earth, thus remaining over the same spot above the equator. Scale is from F0 for weakest to F5 for strongest tornadoes. Note: Negative Q-vector divergence is the same mathematically as Q-vector convergence, so the statement "...negative divq..." means Q-vector convergence. DIFFERENTIAL ADVECTION- The increasing or decreasing of advection with height. RUC - Rapid Update Cycle model generated every 3 hours. HEAT INDEX - The HI is the temperature the body feels when the heat and humidity are combined. Dams may also fail catastrophically during a heavy rainfall event or earthquake, resulting in a very dangerous flash flood-type situation. ISOPLETH- A line of a constant meteorological value. ATWC -Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, located in Palmer, AK. A cold core low is deep and is often associated with the polar jet stream. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees in light southeast or variable breezes. A freeze may or may not be accompanied by the formation of frost. Underneath the main core of the ridge weather will be stable. NWS forecasters use such categorical terms as occasional, intermittent, or periods of to describe a precipitation event that has a high probability of occurrence (80% +) but is expected to be of an “on and off” nature. KELVIN- A ratio temperature scale using 0 as the theoretical coldest temperature. FLOOD - High flow, overflow or inundation of a normally dry area which causes or threatens damage. SHELF CLOUD - Long, wedge-shaped clouds associated with the gust front. JET STREAM - Strong winds concentrated within a narrow band in the atmosphere. This can create orographic clouds and/or precipitation. Flood Inundation Maps The temperature in a forecast is used to describe the forecast maximum and minimum temperature, or in some cases, the temperature at a specific time. See long range weather forecasts for the next 60 days from The Old Farmer's Almanac! State of the sky when it is cloudless, totally clear or with a few small light clouds visible. Found inside – Page 403... 138–39, 246 height, 131, 138, 139 140 signifcant wave height, see weather forecasting terminology steering in, 329–31, 330 see also tides, tidal and wind-driven currents weather, xi, 112–41, 112 Beaufort Scale of Wind Forces and, ... WARM FRONT - A boundary between a warm airmass that is replacing a cooler airmass. The sky condition describes the predominant/average sky cover based on percent of the sky covered by opaque (not transparent) clouds. Las Vegas 14 Day Extended Forecast. Generally characterized by steady precipitation followed by showery precipitation. VERY WINDY - Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph. HIGH WINDS - Winds of 40 mph or greater lasting for an hour or more , and/or gusts to 58 mph or greater. GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. Find the most current, accurate and reliable weather forecasts and conditions with The Weather Network. Extended Forecast: A forecast of general weather conditions for days 3 through 5. Canadian Weather - Public Contact Info A number of global and regional forecast models are run in different countries . The California/Nevada River Forecast Center is located in Sacramento. Or it's supposed to! Lapse rate of temperature increases if lifting occurs. The Aviation Weather Center delivers consistent, timely and accurate weather information for the world airspace system. MOSTLY SUNNY (MOSTLY CLEAR) - Between 1/10 and 3/10 cloud cover. River Flooding Local Outlook GLAZE - a layer or coating of ice that is generally smooth and clear, and forms on exposed objects by the freezing of liquid raindrops. (RADAR= Radio Detection and Ranging). Visibility less . CUMULONIMBUS - A vertically developed cumulus cloud, often capped by an anvil shaped cloud. Very poor. FORECAST PERIODS - Routine forecasts issued before noon contain three forecast periods: Today (or this Afternoon), Tonight, and the Next Day. Drizzle appears to float while following air currents; however unlike fog droplets, it falls to the ground. SLIGHT CHANCE - In probability of precipitation statements, usually equivalent to a 20 percent chance. Clear or Sunny Skies. To see the daily forecast, scroll to the table below. Fire Weather HORIZONTAL VORTICITY- A rotation of air caused by vertical speed or directional wind shear. ITCZ - Inter-tropical Convergence Zone. Inverted troughs can occur across areas of the tropics and sub-tropics. Storm Reports Soon. To use our weather dictionary click on the letter that the weather term you are looking for begins with or enter the weather term in the search box. Flood forecasts and warnings are not issued for data points (see /forecast point/). All NOAA. Found inside – Page 188Some insight into the issues raised by these questions is provided by examining the results of recent studies of forecast terminology . In addition to the possible values of the variable , several other dimensions of the events are of ... A negative tilt is a sign a trough is mature. NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION (NWP) - Forecasting weather by the use of numerical models, run on high speed computers. The probability of precipitation (POP), is defined as the likelihood of occurrence (expressed as a percent) of a measurable amount of liquid precipitation (or the water equivalent of frozen precipitation) during a specified period of time at any given point in the forecast area. CIRRUS (CI) - High clouds, usually above 18,000 feet, composed of ice crystals. Language can turn an ordinary forecast into a rememberable, personable, and entertaining forecast. MOISTURE AXIS / RIDGE- : An area of higher moisture values, usually in the form of a ridge of higher dewpoints at the surface or 850 mb. Put more simply, omega is determined by the amount of spin (or large scale rotation) and warm (or cold) advection present in the atmosphere. VORTICITY- A measure of the amount of "spin" (rotation) and "shear" in the atmosphere. RFC - River Forecast Center. Often called gust fronts, downburst, or microburst winds these winds originate from thunderstorm downdrafts and may produce damage similar to that of a tornado. SUPERCELL- A highly organized thunderstorm with a rotating updraft, known as a mesocyclone. MOS - Model Output Statistics (usually in reference to NGM model). Flood forecasts and warnings are not issued for data points (see /forecast point/). Largely dry with clear spells on Friday night, there may be a few patches of mist and drizzle. Found inside – Page 35( 23 ) L'NITED STATES WEATHER BUREAU . 1948. FIRE WEATHER FORECAST TERMINOLOGY . 8 pp . [ Processed . ] ( 24 ) WILKINS , AUSTIN H. 1948. THE STORY OF THE MAINE FOREST FIRE DISASTER . Jour . Forestry 46 : 568–573 . Numerical weather prediction (NWP) uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. STRAIGHT LINE WINDS- Damaging thunderstorm winds produced as air rushes downward from a thunderstorm. CONDUCTION - the transfer of heat between bodies that are in contact. NOAA WEATHER RADIO (NWR)- Continuous, 24 hour-a-day VHF broadcasts of weather observations and forecasts directly from National Weather Service offices. FLY IN THE OINTMENT- A favorite phrase of some forecasters. Many of these terms and abbreviations are used by NWS forecasters to communicate between each other and have been in use for many years and before many NWS products were directly available to the public. Preparedness Imminent. NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its primary usage is for aviation and severe weather forecasting. Fair : A weather term implying no precipitation and no extreme conditions of clouds, visibility or wind. NOAA Weather Radio SCATTERED SHOWERS - Showers covering 25 to 54 percent of an area. Central Rockies. DAMBREAK FLOODING - Dambreaks present a unique flood warning problem. Higher values of precipitable water indicate a deep moisture layer, increasing the potential for heavy precipitation amounts. DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 58 °F. These processes result in a dynamic lifting of air. Local Climate Data Records BLOWING DUST OR SAND - Small particles of dust or sand which are caused by strong winds blowing over dry ground, that has little or no vegetation. RING OF FIRE- This refers to thunderstorms and rain across the edges of a high pressure ridge. AccuWeather has local and international weather forecasts from the most accurate weather forecasting technology featuring up to the minute weather reports WATERSPOUT - A violently rotating column of air usually forming a pendant from a cumulus/cumulonimbus cloud, occurring over a body of water, and having circulation reaching the water. BROADCAST METEOROLOGY TERMINOLOGY . Found inside – Page 8The aws will provide a tornado occurrence map and an article outlining severe weather forecast terminology . The 1988 Tornado Safety Poster Contest will run from March 20 through April 30. The statewide poster judging will be held May ... SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE (SST) - Surface temperature data collected using IR satellite imagery, buoy and ship data. STRATOSPHERE- The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, where temperature increases with height. National Weather Service Glossary This glossary contains information on more than 2000 terms, phrases and abbreviations used by the NWS. The new National Weather Service WSR-88D radar has this capability, and its vertical wind profile is called a VAD Wind Profile (or VWP). SKYWARN State of the sky is within 2-5 oktas total cloud cover or has between 30% to 70% cover of the celestial dome. CONVERGENCE- A 1-D process in which higher momentum air moves into lower momentum air. It can bring significant rain and snow to the Pacific Northwest. View More Details. COLD CORE LOW- A low pressure which has the coldest temperatures located near its center. OZONE - A form of oxygen containing 3 molecules, usually found in the stratosphere, and responsible for filtering out much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE - An organized mass of tropical thunderstorms, with a slight cyclonic circulation, and winds less than 20 knots. Designation of NWS operational offices after modernization. Indicates air will rises due to low level warm air advection and/or upper level divergence. WIND ADVISORY - Sustained winds 25 to 39 mph and/or gusts to 57 mph. 2. Find the most current and reliable 7 day weather forecasts, storm alerts, reports and information for [city] with The Weather Network. INFLOW- Wind speed, in knots, of the average PBL windspeed. Central Plains. Tsunami Warning Center Please Contact Us. CONFLUENCE- A 2-D process in which airstreams move toward each other at some angle. PARTLY CLOUDY (PARTLY SUNNY) - Sky condition when between 3/10 and 7/10 of the sky is covered. FAA Aviation Web Cameras Can be a squall line, multi-cells or a mesoscale convective complex. For these events, Flash Flood watches, warnings and statements will be used. Hi/Low, RealFeel®, precip, radar, & everything you need to be ready for the day, commute, and weekend! The model is run each hour, with its initial conditions updated by the inclusion of the latest surface observations available. ALTOCUMULUS (AC) - Mid-altitude clouds with a cumuliform shape. LEE TROUGH- Low pressure which develops just east of the Rocky Mountains or Cascades. They are caused by the refraction of light through the ice crystals in cirrus clouds. Hurricanes The mixing depth is often the same depth as the PBL. Fetch Your Fleece! PACKAGE- A compilation of analysis and forecast charts and their interpretation. . geomagnetic time: See magnetic local time. SMOG - Pollution formed by the interaction of pollutants and sunlight (photochemical smog), usually restricting visibility, and occasionally hazardous to health. PHASING- When two separate short waves come together to form one wave. STATIONARY FRONT - A transition zone between airmasses, with neither advancing upon the other. Also the term used for a hurricane in the Indian Ocean and in the Western Pacific Ocean. It relates to a ridge or trough moving from east to west. Often lee troughs become organized into mature cyclones as they develop eastward. FAA- the Federal Aviation Administration. Listed below are descriptions of regularly used weather terms that should give you a better understanding of each forecast. State of the sky is within 2-5 oktas total cloud cover or has between 30% to 70% cover of the celestial dome. SCATTERED CLOUDS - Sky condition when between 1/10 and 5/10 are covered. A large cluster of thunderstorms and rain. TRADE WINDS - Persistent tropical winds that blow from the subtropical high pressure centers towards the equatorial low. or. Multiple locations were found. Often a trough is positive tilted in it's development stage. Multiple locations were found. The heating and drying are due to adiabatic compression as the wind descend downslope. Multiple locations were found. MCSs may be round or linear in shape, and include systems such as tropical cyclones, squall lines, and Mesoscale Convective Complexes (MCCs) (among others). Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. CELSIUS - a temperature scale in which zero is the freezing point of water and one hundred is the boiling point. Routine forecasts issued after noon contain four forecast periods: Tonight, the Next Day, the Next Night, and the following Day. DIFFLUENCE- A 2-D process in which airstreams spread apart. CoCoRahs Weather Wiz Kids is a fun and safe website for kids about all the weather info they need to know. MRF - Medium Range Forecast model generated every 12 hours by NCEP. SPC - Storm Prediction Center. RADAR - An instrument used to detect precipitation by measuring the strength of the electromagnetic signal reflected back. Ocean Surface Temperatures DUST STORM - an area where high surface winds have picked up loose dust, reducing visibility to less than one-half mile. ACID RAIN - Cloud or rain droplets containing pollutants, such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, to make them acidic. Drive BC CBJ Avalanche Forecast HARD FREEZE - freeze where vegetation is killed and the ground surface is frozen solid. CONDENSATION - The process of gas changing to liquid. CIRROCUMULUS - Cirrus clouds with vertical development. If a high probability of precipitation (60% or greater) is expected, then the sky condition may be omitted since it is inferred from the precipitation forecast. Text Products Weather forecast definition: A weather forecast is a statement saying what the weather will be like the next day or. Found inside – Page 426Lead-Time: The time between the earliest moment at which the forecast could be released and the starting-time for ... Medium-Range Weather Forecasting: Official terminology of the WMO to indicate predictions from 72 hours (3 days) to ... Weather. DATACOL In hydrologic terms, the Software System that supports RFC gateway functions. CUMULUS CLOUD (CU) - A cloud in the shape of individual detached domes, with a flat base and a bulging upper portion resembling cauliflower. TROPOSPHERE- The lowest layer of the atmosphere where the temperature decreases with height. On Wednesday, it will be a dry day with extensive sunshine throughout, and it will remain very warm for the time of year. On a weather forecast chart, high values of omega (or a strong omega field) relate to upward vertical motion in the atmosphere. Please try another search. NUMEROUS - Showers covering more than 54 percent of an area. COLD FRONT - The boundary between a cold air mass that is advancing and a relatively warmer airmass. RAINBOW- Optical phenomenon when light is refracted and reflected by moisture in the air into concentric arcs of color. HELICITY- Streamwise vorticity available for ingestion into a thunderstorm. Regional FOG - Water droplets which are suspended in the air near the Earth's surface and causing reduced visibilities. Aviation Get the forecast for today, tonight & tomorrow's weather for Morristown, NJ. The "omega equation" used in numerical weather models is composed of two terms, the "differential vorticity advection" term and the "thickness advection" term. National Weather Service Rainfall Moisture being entrained into a storm system can enhance precipitation amounts. Helicity is only an index to determining thunderstorm rotation potential. It means storms are developing or will develop. 14 Day Trend. Found inside – Page 11Below is an example of the new product : Last year , the local NWS Forecast Office in Juneau , AK , surveyed more than 1,100 residents to evaluate the format and terminology NWS uses to write public weather forecasts . Observation Newsletters S. 1) South. Use this monthly calendar to view weather averages, such as average temperature 14 days ahead of today, as well as the historical weather patterns over the past year. (Weather station: Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, USA). The weather service annually issues approximately 1.5 million forecasts and 50,000 warnings. COLD CORE HIGH- A dome of cold surface high pressure that originates from the high latitudes. 32 / 50. MILLIBAR - A unit of atmospheric pressure. Short Term Forecast. The temperature in a forecast is used to describe the forecast maximum and minimum temperature, or in some cases, the temperature at a specific time. Get the forecast for today, tonight & tomorrow's weather for Fort Lauderdale, FL. The wind describes the prevailing direction from which the wind is blowing, with speeds in miles per hour. See more current weather. HYDROLOGIC CYCLE - the composite picture of the interchange of water substance between the earth, the atmosphere and the seas which includes the change of state and vertical and horizontal transport. Please select one of the following: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Use hurricane tracking maps, 5-day forecasts, computer models and satellite imagery to track . DRIFTING SNOW - An uneven distribution of snowfall/snow depth caused by strong surface winds, but does not reduce surface visibility. Could also be in reference to the depth of the "transition zone" between two air masses that are horizontally differentially advecting one over the other. WRCC - Western Regional Climate Center, Reno, NV. 14-day weather forecast for Glasgow. GUST FRONT - The leading edge of the downdraft from a thunderstorm. Weather.gov - National Digital Forecast Database Graphical Forecasts. Model Data Past Weather Events Be prepared with the most accurate 10-day forecast for Boulder, CO with highs, lows, chance of precipitation from The Weather Channel and Weather.com Webcam This phenomena often occurs along the California coast during the summer. PACIFIC HIGH - A semipermanent anticyclone located in the Eastern North Pacific. ISOLATED - Showers covering less than 15 percent of an area. WAA (especially over shallow frontal boundaries) leads to lift while CAA leads to decent. DIVQ- Diverging Q vectors. Expected within six hours of time of issue. Help/FAQ RIDGE - An elongated area of high pressure in the atmosphere. CALM - the absence of apparent motion in the air. NWS HYGROMETER - an instrument used to measure humidity. Wall clouds indicate the updraft of or the inflow to a thunderstorm. National Weather Service Note: The term used is 'hurricane force'; the term 'hurricane' on its own means a true tropical cyclone, not experienced in British waters. Thunderstorms COASTAL FLOODING - Inundation of coastal areas from waves and storm surge. Often produces large hail, strong winds, and tornadoes. Canadian Weather - Marine On Wednesday, it will be a very warm day with plenty of sunshine to start, but outbreaks of rain will likely arrive later in . Many of these terms and abbreviations are used by NWS forecasters to communicate between each other and have been in use for many years and before many NWS products were directly available to the public. 14 Days. Found inside – Page 39THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF MEDIA WEATHER FORECAST TERMINOLOGY IN THE HATTIESBURG , MISSISSIPPI AREA Ralph D. Cross University of Southern Mississippi Over the years , with the development of more sophisticated means of sampling ... 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