Weather Word of the Day
August 30, 2026
Advection -
The transfer of an atmospheric property by wind. The most common entities that meteorologists look at when diagnosing areas of advection are temperature and moisture.
August 29, 2026
CAPE -
An important term used to describe how unstable the atmosphere is. CAPE is an acronym for Convective Available Potential Energy. CAPE is a measure of potential energy in the atmosphere. The greater the CAPE is, the stronger a thunderstorm will be if one develops. The presence of CAPE alone does not mean thunderstorms will develop, as other factors must be overcome for the energy potential to be realized.
August 28, 2026
Cloud -
Any visible mass of water droplets, ice crystals, or a mix of both that become suspended in the atmosphere. Fog is a cloud that forms at the ground, while cirrus clouds oftentimes form at around 40,000 feet.
August 27, 2026
Barometer -
An instrument used to monitor variations in air pressure at the surface. The first barometer was invented by the Italian physicist Torricelli in 1643. For the centuries to follow, the barometer was the main tool used in weather forecasting.
August 26, 2026
isodrosotherm -
A line of equal dew point temperature. Isodrosotherms are typically drawn for surface dew points. They can give meteorologists a good read on where surface fronts are located since tightly packed isodrosotherms indicate a dew point gradient.
August 25, 2026
Centripetal Force -
A force that acts on an object moving in a curved path. Centripetal force is directed towards the center of an objects axis of rotation. This force is responsible for keeping an object moving in a curved path.
August 24, 2026
Microburst -
A strong and localized downdraft that occurs beneath a strong to severe thunderstorm. Microburst's occur on a small scale, as most are smaller than a mile wide in diameter. These localized, intense winds can produce major damage and typically last for a matter of seconds to several minutes.