Instrument used to
measure temperature
Thermometer
Instrument used to
measure wind speed
Anemometer
Instrument used to
measure precipitation
Rain gauge
Shows wind direction
Wind vane
An instrument used to
measure air pressure
Barometer
High feathery fair-weather
clouds. They indicate rain
or snow may fall within
several hours.
Cirrus clouds
Cumulus clouds
Fluffy and white with flat
bottoms; They usually
indicate fair weather, but
may produce
thunderstorms
Stratus clouds
Smooth, gray clouds, that
cover the whole sky (block
out direct sunlight); Light
rain and drizzle usually
come.
Gray and white clouds that
bring rain
Cumulonimbus clouds
Front
Boundary between air
masses of different
temperature and humidity
Air pressure
The weight of the air
pushing down on the earth
Meteorologists
Temperature
Weather scientists who
collect data and predict
weather patterns
The amount of heat energy
in the atmosphere
The layer of air that
surrounds our planet
Atmosphere
Air mass
Hail
Large body of air that has
moisture content and
temperature similar to the
water or land over which it
formed
These are pieces of ice that
have several layers and
form in high clouds during
thunderstorms
This falls to the ground as
drops of water
Rain
This freezes as it falls
through the air
Sleet
This forms inside clouds
when the temperature
falls below freezing
Snow
Kind of storm that has a
funnel shaped cloud
Tornado
A violent storm that forms
over the ocean
Hurricane
A type of stratus cloud
resting close to the ground
Fog
Condensation
When water vapor cools, it
changes into drops of
water.
When water is heated it
changes into water vapor
Evaporation
Tiny drops of water
Cloud
Precipitation
When water drops in
clouds become large and
heavy enough they fall to
the ground
Stratosphere
Contains most of the
atmosphere’s ozone
Mesosphere
Coldest layer
Troposphere
thermosphere
Almost all weather
happens here; we live in
this layer of the
atmosphere
Hot, outermost layer of
the atmosphere