Climate, the environment and people – Key Words
Key word
Definition
Weather
The state of the atmosphere (temperature, rainfall, pressure) over a short
period of time.
Climate
The average weather at a given time of year, normally this is based on
records dating many years back.
Barometer
Anemometer
Instrument to measure air pressure (in Millibars).
Instrument to measure wind speed.
Wind vane
Instrument to measure wind direction.
Rain gauge
Instrument to measure rainfall (in mm).
Beaufort scale
A scale to measure wind speed (from force 0 to force 12-Hurricane).
Relief or Orographic rain
Rainfall caused by wet winds having to rise over mountains, cooling,
condensing and raining.
Rain shadow
Prevailing winds
The area behind a mountain range where very little rain falls.
Most common direction the wind comes from.
North Atlantic drift
Warm ocean current which flows up the west side of the UK making the
temperature much milder.
Convectional rain
Rainfall, caused by sunshine and heat. The warm ground forces warm air to
rise, which then cools, condenses and forms rainclouds
Irrigation
Rainfall caused by two fronts meeting. The warm air mass is forced upwards,
over the cold air mass. It cools and condenses as it rises, forming rain.
Unit of measurement of air pressure. Low pressure means rising air and
unstable weather, high pressure means falling air and stable weather.
Moving water onto crops to help them grow in dry, hot conditions.
Depressions
Areas of low pressure moving across the UK from west to east bringing rain.
Frontal rain
Millibars
Occluded front
Anticyclone
Oktas
Heat wave
Global warming
When the warm sector of air in a depression has been forced up off the
ground, causing heavy rain as it condenses quickly in the cool air above.
Area of high pressure moving slowly across the UK bringing stable, dry
weather and light winds.
Eighths of sky covered by cloud, used as measurement on weather station.
Period of high temperature (e.g. France in 2003)
The phenomenon of warming temperatures caused by the ‘increased’
greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse gases
Gases causing the greenhouse effect to be increased, eg: carbon dioxide,
methane, CFCs, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
Sea level rise
Melting icecaps and expansion of seawater due to rising sea temperatures
could lead to a rise in global sea levels.
Climate change
An overall title given to all the changes that may occur due to the ’increased’
greenhouse effect. E.g. more extreme weather events such as hurricanes,
more desert environment, sea level rise etc...)
Key word
Weather
Climate
Barometer
Anemometer
Wind vane
Rain gauge
Beaufort scale
Relief or Orographic rain
Rain shadow
Prevailing winds
North Atlantic drift
Convectional rian
Frontal rain
Millibars
Irrigation
Depressions
Occluded front
Anticyclone
Oktas
Heat wave
Global warming
Greenhouse gases
Sea level rise
Climate change
Definition