Weather and Climate Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering 6th-grade weather and climate concepts including atmospheric conditions, biomes, air masses, and cloud types.

Weather

Describes the conditions of the atmosphere, such as temperature, cloudiness, and wind, over a short time; can change quickly in moments or hours.

Climate

The long-term pattern of weather and conditions of the atmosphere over many years in one specific place.

Equator

An area located at $0^\circ$ latitude that receives more direct and concentrated sunlight, making it warmer.

Latitude

A measure of distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees from $0^\circ$ to $90^\circ \, N$ or $90^\circ \, S$.

Altitude

Also called elevation, it is the height above sea level; regions at higher altitudes are typically cooler.

Jericho

The lowest city in the world, located $-250 \, mts$ below sea level.

Mexico City Altitude

Located at $2,240 \, mts$ above sea level.

Big Bodies of Water

Oceans, big lakes, and falls that moderate temperature, often causing warmer winters compared to inland areas.

Transpiration

A process where plants release excess evaporated water from their leaves to cool themselves and the surrounding environment, similar to sweating.

Deep Sea Currents

Water moving in a global looping path driven by differences in salt content.

Surface Sea Currents

Ocean currents moved by winds that affect Earth’s climate by carrying warm water from the Equator or cool water from the Poles.

Biome

A large terrestrial or aquatic area with a particular climate and primary type of vegetation.

Grassland

A biome characterized by warm and dry weather, little rainfall, grasses, and scattered trees.

Temperate Forest

The second rainiest biome; it is warm in summer, very cold in winter, and contains big trees.

Tropical Forest

A biome with warm and wet weather that rains heavily almost every year and has a huge variety of plants and animals.

Desert

A biome with extreme weather, almost no rainfall, very little vegetation, and few animals.

Tundra

An extreme weather biome covered in snow most of the year, treeless, with little rainfall.

Chaparral

A biome with temperate weather, heavy rainfall in autumn and winter, and dry conditions in spring and summer.

Air

The gas that surrounds us.

Wind

Moving air.

Air Masses

Huge bodies of air, kilometers long, with their own similar temperature, moisture content, and air pressure.

Air Pressure

A measure of the weight of the atmosphere pressing down toward Earth’s surface above a specific point.

Barometer

An instrument used to measure air pressure.

Front

A defined sloped boundary where two air masses meet, causing sudden changes in weather.

Convection Loop

A continually moving circle of air where warm air rises and cools, and cold air falls and warms.

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of air patterns caused by Earth's rotation, moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Clouds

Visible formations created when water vapor in rising air condenses into tiny water droplets or ice crystals in areas of low pressure.

Cirrus

High-altitude clouds that indicate fair weather.

Cirrostratus

Clouds that may indicate rain or snow will arrive within $24$ hours.

Cumulonimbus

Also known as a 'Thunderhead,' these tall formations indicate that severe weather is coming.

Altocumulus

Clouds that may appear before afternoon thunderstorms.

Nimbostratus

Clouds that mean rain or snow is coming.

Stratus

Low-lying clouds that produce fog or drizzle.