8.3 ES- Weather

Isobar

A line on a weather map that joins places that have the same air pressure

High Pressure Area (symbol)

blue H

Low Pressure Area (symbol)

red l

Air Mass

A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height

Jet stream

a high-speed high-altitude airstream blowing from west to east near the top of the troposphere

Prevailing Winds

winds that blow in the same direction over large areas of Earth

Examples of prevailing winds

trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies

Pressure gradient

the amount of pressure change occurring over a given distance

Front

The boundary where unlike air masses meet but do not mix

Cold Front

A front where cold air moves in under a warm air mass.

Warm Front

a front where warm air moves over cold air and brings drizzly rain and then are followed by warm and clear weather

Stationary Front

A boundary between air masses that don't move possibly causing rain for several days

Hurricane

A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and whose strong winds of more than 120 km/h spiral in toward the intensely low-pressure storm center

Storm Surge

a local rise in sea level near the shore that is caused by strong winds from a storm, such as those from a hurricane

Tornado

A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth's surface.

Station Model

indicates weather conditions at a specific location, using a combination of symbols on a map