8th grade Science Weather vocab

Meteorologist

A scientist who studies and forecasts the weather.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through Earth's systems.

Evaporation

The change of liquid water into water vapor.

Condensation

The change of water vapor into liquid droplets.

Precipitation

Water falling from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Dew Point

The temperature at which air becomes saturated and condensation can begin.

Humidity

The amount of water vapor in the air.

Relative Humidity

The percentage of water vapor in the air compared with the maximum amount it could hold at that temperature.

Air Pressure

The force of air pushing on a surface per unit area.

Altitude

The height of a place above a reference level, usually sea level.

Wind

Air moving from one place to another.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding Earth.

Storm

A violent disturbance of the atmosphere featuring conditions such as heavy rain, wind, or thunder.

Thunderstorm

A weather disturbance featuring lightning, thunder, heavy rain, and strong winds.

Hurricane

A large, powerful tropical weather system with winds exceeding $74\,\text{mph}$.

Tornado

A rapidly spinning, funnel-shaped column of air touching the ground.

Storm Surge

A rise in sea level caused by severe winds pushing water ashore.

Flood

An overflow of water onto normally dry land.

Drought

A long period of unusually low rainfall.

Cycle

A series of events that repeats in a regular pattern.

Synthesize

To combine information from different sources into one clear understanding.

Approximate

Close to the exact value; an estimate.

Stable

Not likely to change; in balance.