Weather.com Glossary

Weather Glossary

By the Weather.com, The Weather Channel

Language: English

No. of terms:  800+, hyperlinked, browse only, offering related terms.

Description: If the National Weather Service Glossary is offering too technical jargon for you, the Weather.com Glossary might be just the right pick for you. 800 plus terms, very down to earth, with short, informative definitions. Only minus, the glossary has no search function.

Example Term:

HURRICANE WATCH

A formal advisory issued by forecasters at the National Hurricane Center when they have determined that hurricane conditions are a potential threat to a coastal area or group of islands within a 24 to 36 hour period. A watch is used to inform the public and marine interests of the storm’s location, intensity, and movement.

More Weather  Dictionaries and Glossaries on DictionaryNet

Keywords: Meteorology, Weather, Hurricane, Storm

Quote as:  Weather Glossary, © 1995 – 2011, The Weather Channel, LLC weather.com® –
http://www.weather.com/glossary

Hurricane Glossary of Terms

Glossary of NHC Terms

By the National Hurricane Center

Language: English

No. of terms:  50, hyperlinked

Description: Only a short glossary, but good complement to the National Weather Service Glossary. No later than when Hurricane Irene was heading towards New York earlier this year, we needed to update our vocabulary.

Example Term:

Hurricane Season:

The portion of the year having a relatively high incidence of hurricanes. The hurricane season in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico runs from June 1 to November 30. The hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific basin runs from May 15 to November 30. The hurricane season in the Central Pacific basin runs from June 1 to November 30.

More Weather  Dictionaries and Glossaries on DictionaryNet

Keywords: Meteorology, Weather, Hurricane, Storm

Quote as:  Glossary of NHC Terms – http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml – Public domain.

National Weather Service Glossary

National Weather Service Glossary

Language: English

No. of terms:  2000+

Description: The National Weather Service is a component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA is an Operating Unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This glossary contains information on more than 2000 terms, phrases and abbreviations used by the NWS. Many of these terms and abbreviations are used by NWS forecasters to communicate between each other and have been in use for many years and before many NWS products were directly available to the public. It is the purpose of this glossary to aid the general public in better understanding NWS products.

Example Term: Severe Thunderstorm Watch

This is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. A severe thunderstorm by definition is a thunderstorm that produces 3/4 inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. The size of the watch can vary depending on the weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours. They are normally issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review severe thunderstorm safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Prior to the issuance of a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, SPC will usually contact the affected local National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWFO) and they will discuss what their current thinking is on the weather situation. Afterwards, SPC will issue a preliminary Severe Thunderstorm Watch and then the affected NWFO will then adjust the watch (adding or eliminating counties/parishes) and then issue it to the public by way of a Watch Redefining Statement. During the watch, the NWFO will keep the public informed on what is happening in the watch area and also let the public know when the watch has expired or been cancelled.

More Weather  Dictionaries and Glossaries on DictionaryNet

Keywords: Meteorology, Weather

Quote as:  National Weather Service Glossary. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Public domain.