CLIMATE
a glossary
Acid rain:
rain or other forms of precipitation that is unusually acidic.
Climate change:
any long-term change in weather statistics over decades or millions of years.
Carbon dioxide:
the most abundant greenhouse gas (CO2) emitted from fossil fuels.
Drought:
an extended period when a region receives very little rain.
Ecosystem:
a natural area/environment where interdependent organisms (plants, animals and
micro-organisms) are functioning together.
Emission
Standards:
requirements that set specific limits to the amount of pollutants that can be
released into the environment.
Fahrenheit:
a temperature scale in use in the USA. 0C (Celcius) = 32F (Fahrenheit).
Flood:
an overflow or accumulation of an expanse of water that submerges land.
Forecasting:
the process estimating future weather patterns. “Prediction” is a similar term.
Global warming: the increase in the average temperature of the Earth near-surface, air and oceans
since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation.
Greenhouse gas:
gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation. The greenhouse effect
is the heating of the surface of the Earth due to the presence of greenhouse gases.
Meteorology:
the scientific study of the atmosphere.
Precipitation:
rainwater (atmospheric water vapor deposited on the surface of the Earth.)
Storm:
disturbances of the atmosphere with severe weather, marked by strong wind,
thunder (thunderstorm) and lightning, heavy precipitation, with ice (ice storm),
strong winds (as in a dust storm, snowstorm, hailstorm, etc.)
Tide(s):
the rising of oceans caused by tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun.
Weather:
a set of all the phenomena occurring in the atmosphere at a given time.
Wetland:
an area of land soil saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally.
Winds:
cyclone, hurricane (start in the tropics), typhoon (Pacific Ocean), tornado
(mostly in US), monsoon (typically in Indian Ocean and Southern Asia), jet
stream (rapidly moving air)
www.papajoop.com