Global-warming deniers often cite anomalies like warm spells in the winter as evidence backing their point of view, when they are referencing the weather, not the climate.
In the year 350 B.C., the Greek philosopher Aristotle gave one of the earliest descriptions of weather patterns in a text called "Meteorologica." It included some of mankind's first attempts to observe and record natural phenomena like water evaporation and earthquakes. Although it was a far cry from the Weather Channel, "Meteorologica" was the start of something that had eluded human beings for time immemorial: the ability to understand—and even predict—the weather.
Stacker used a variety of scientific sources to compile a list of 50 common weather terms. Here's a look at the phrases, words, and terminology that dominate weather reports, which are correct far more frequently than the people who craft them are given credit for. an.somov9 // Shutterstock Inch of mercury Inch of mercury is a unit used to measure air pressure. It represents the amount of pressure the atmosphere places on a one-inch column of mercury under standard gravity at zero degrees Celsius.
lynnlin // Shutterstock Dew point Dew point represents the temperature to which air would have to be cooled to reach a level of moisture saturation. When it reaches the dew point, droplets of water, or dew, begin to form on solid objects like grass and cars. justoomm // Shutterstock Snow squall Snow squalls are brief but intense bursts of snowfall that usually occur during the day. Snow squalls are always accompanied by strong gusts of wind, which, combined with the sheer volume of snow, is known to reduce visibility to nearly zero with almost no warning.
trendobjects // Shutterstock Wintry mix Two words cold-weather commuters never want to hear are "wintry mix." When precipitation travels through an above-freezing "warm" layer of air followed by a cold, below-freezing layer, it's possible for snow, sleet, and freezing rain to fall simultaneously. NOAA // Wikimedia Commons La Niña One half of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, La Niña is a global weather pattern that describes a dramatic cooling of ocean temperatures in the Western Hemisphere. La Niña is known for its disruptive impact on weather, specifically heavy rainfall and an increase in low-pressure systems.
Mark Key // Shutterstock Haze The dreaded three H's are hazy, hot, and humid. Hot is self-explanatory, humidity deals with the level of moisture in the air, but what exactly does it mean to be hazy? Haze can look like a thin fog, but it actually isn't caused by precipitation. Hazy conditions occur when large amounts of fine, dry particulate matter like dirt are suspended in the air, which scatters light and gives the lower atmosphere a cloudy appearance.
Canva Breezy and windy The terms "windy" and "breezy" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they don't describe the same phenomenon. Breezy conditions involve air moving between 12 and 22 mph during pleasant conditions. Windy days, on the other hand, involve stronger winds up to 50 mph during stormy or inclement weather.
Minerva Studio // Shutterstock Waterspout Although they look like tornadoes made of water, waterspouts are made of cloud-filled wind that descends in a rotating form over a body of water. They descend from cumulus clouds and behave like tornadoes, but they form over lakes or oceans and are generally less intense.
They develop ahead of and/or along cold fronts, and when they form, they're not to be taken lightly. Squall lines are known to bring driving rain, severe lightning, straight-line wind, hail, tornadoes, and waterspouts. It becomes an ice storm when a quarter-inch or more of ice accumulates, creating dangerous conditions. Ice storms, which can be deadly and cause a lasting impact, can add 500 pounds to the weight of power lines and increase the weight of tree limbs by a multiplier of 30.
Red flag warnings advise residents to take action like being careful with open flames. Fire weather watches are a step up, warning people that fire conditions are possible, but not imminent. Extreme fire behavior is the most severe, warning that fires are burning and likely to rage out of control. Fed by polar winds from high-pressure areas, they're strongest in the winter when pole pressure is low.
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