Storm Glossary

BLIZZARD
A storm with dry, driving snow, strong winds and intense cold.

CONDENSATION NUCLEI
Small particles on which water vapors attach to initiate condensation. Dust particulates, sea salt, sulfur and nitrogen oxide aerosols serve as common condensation nuclei.

CUMULONIMBUS
A type of cloud that is vertically developed and often has an anvil shape. These clouds are often called thunderheads and can produce hail, tornadoes and lightning.

ELECTRONS
Particles with a negative charge.

FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Flash flooding is actually occurring in the warning area. A warning can also be issued as a result of torrential rains, a dam failure or snow thaw.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH
Flash flooding is possible in or close to the watch area. Flash Flood Watches can be put into effect for as long as 12 hours, while heavy rains move into and across the area.

FLOOD WATCH
Means an overflow of water from a river is possible for your area.

FLOOD WARNING
Means flooding conditions are actually occurring in the warning area.

FREEZING RAIN
Rain that falls as a liquid but freezes into glaze upon contact with the ground.

LEADERS
A channel of charged air created by excess electrons in a thunderstorm cloud. A leader reaches from the cloud to the ground below, looking for positive charges.

LIGHTNING
Any visible electrical discharge produced by positively charged and negatively charged areas in a thunderstorms.

PROTONS
Particles with a positive charge.

RETURN STROKE
An electrical charge that travels from the ground to a thundercloud. This return stroke releases tremendous energy, bright light and thunder.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
A severe thunderstorm is taking place in your area.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
A severe thunderstorm is likely to develop in your area.

SLEET
Precipitation in the form of ice pellets created by the freezing of rain as it falls.

SNOW FLURRIES
A light, brief shower of snow.

SNOW SHOWERS
A brief fall of rain or, sometimes, of hail or snow.

SQUALL
A sudden, violent gust of wind, often accompanied by rain, snow, or sleet.

STATIC ELECTRICITY
A form of electricity created when an object has too many electrons, giving it a negative charge.

SUPERCOOLED
To cool (a liquid) below a transition temperature without the transition occurring, especially to cool below the freezing point without solidification.

THUNDER
The sound that follows a flash of lightning and is caused by sudden expansion of the air in the path of the electrical discharge.

UPDRAFTS
An upward current of warm, moist air. With enough moisture, the current may visibly condense into a cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud.

WIND CHILL
A still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human flesh as a given combination of temperature and wind speed called also chill factor, wind-chill factor, wind-chill index

Glossary of Weather

Weather is its own language. There are many terms that are self explanatory, like wind, cloudy, sunny, but some terms can make you scratch your head, vortex, hook echo, gustnado. To answer all your weather term questions visit the National Weather Service's weather glossary