Weather, Climate and Vegetation of South Africa

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the notes on weather, climate, precipitation, measurement tools, and natural vegetation in South Africa.

Weather

The state of the atmosphere at a particular time, including temperature, wind, cloud cover and rainfall.

Temperature

How hot or cold a place is; measured in degrees Celsius (°C).

Wind

The movement of air; can be felt on the body and moves leaves, paper, and clouds.

Cloud cover

The amount of the sky covered by clouds; clouds are made of tiny water droplets.

Rainfall

The amount of rain that falls in a place; measured in millimetres (mm).

Precipitation

All the different forms of water that come from the air, such as rain, snow, and hail.

Hail

Balls of ice that fall from the sky; can be large and cause damage.

Thermometer

Instrument used to measure temperature.

Rain gauge

Instrument used to measure the amount of rainfall in millimetres (mm).

Celsius

Unit for measuring temperature; symbol is °C.

Wind vane

Instrument used to indicate wind direction; the arrow points to where the wind is coming from.

Wind sock

A tool to show wind direction and strength.

Wind direction terms

Terms like northerly, southerly, easterly describing where wind originates.

Wind speed

How fast the wind is blowing; measured in kilometres per hour (km/h).

Weather map

A map showing weather conditions and forecasts for different locations.

Meteorologist

A scientist who records and studies the weather.

South African Weather Service

South Africa’s national meteorological service.

Weather forecast

A prediction of future weather conditions.