Geographical Terms in Climatology Part 2

 

Air – Humidity
Humidity	The amount of moisture present  in the air is called Humidity.
Absolute Humidity	The amount of moisture present in the air per unit is termed as Absolute Humidity.
Relative Humidity	The ratio between the actual amount of moisture present in the air and saturation point of the same air at same temperature is termed as Relative Humidity.
Specific Humidity	The ratio between the mass of moisture in an unit of the air and total mass of the air is termed as Specific Humidity.
Precipitation
Precipitation	The fall and deposition of moisture content from the atmosphere to surface of the earth is called Precipitation. Rainfall, fog, mist, snow, hail etc. are the different forms precipitation.
Convectional Rainfall	The water is heated and evaporated from the earth’s surface. The water vapour raise upward due to convectional current. Due to the fall of temperature in the water vapour, the water vapour condensed and rainfall occurs. This type of rainfall is called Convectional Rainfall.
Orographic Rainfall or Relief Rainfall	Wind which blow towards the mountain get ascended over the slope of the mountain. The moisture content in the ascending wind get condensed and then rainfall occurs. This type of rainfall is called Orographic Rainfall.
Cyclonic rainfall or Frontal Rainfall	Due to the cyclones or depressions, two airmasses meet or converge each other and then brings rainfall. This type of rainfall is called Cyclonic Rainfall.
Snow	Snow is a form of precipitation with fine and tiny ice crystals.
Fog	The tiny water drops fall from the Troposphere is termed as Fog.
advection Fog	Advection Fog is formed due to the horizontal movement of the warm air mass over the cooler surface.
Mist	A large mass of water droplets present in the Troposphere is termed as Mist.
Dew	Dew is the moisture of the air deposited as water droplets on the surface or vegetation of the earth.
Frost	The moisture of the air fall on the surface of the earth and frozen by low temperature is called Frost.
Hoar Frost	Deposit of Ice Crystals is called Hair Frost.
Haze	Tiny solid substances present in the atmosphere and lowering the visibility of the air is called Haze.
Hail	Small spherical ice pellets fall from rainy clouds are called Haze.
Sleet	Sleet is the mixture of rainfall and snow due to the low temperature.
Alpine Glow	Alpine Glow is the flush glaring of the snow covered mountains of Alps regions before the sunrise and after the sunset.
Smog	Smog is the mixture of fog and snow. Smog fall is common in highly polluted temperate region in temperate regions.
Clouds
Cloud	Cloud is a mass of tiny water particles and ice crystals present in the layer in the Troposphere.
Stratus Clouds	Stratus clouds are the low level clouds look like sheets or layers and found horizontally. They bring light rainfall.
Cirrus Clouds	Cirrus clouds are found above 6000 meter altitude and look like feathery, wispy and thin clouds.
Cumulus Clouds	Cumulus clouds are the low clouds found up to 2000 meter height and looks puffy.
Nimbus Clouds	Nimbus clouds are the low level clouds brings rain, snow, sleet, fog etc.
Low Clouds	Low clouds are found up to 2000 meter height from the ground level. Stratus, Stratocumulus and Nimbostratus clouds are the Low Clouds.
Middle Clouds	Middle clouds are found in the altitude of 2000 to 8000 meter height from the ground level. Altostratus and Altocumulus clouds are the Middle Clouds.
High Clouds	Cirrus, Cirrostratus and Cirrocumulus are the High Clouds found between 5000 and 13000 meter height.
Alto Stratus Clouds	Alto stratus clouds are them medium clouds found in  looks like continuous sheets found in 2000 – 7000 meter height.
Alto Cumulus Clouds	Alto cumulus clouds are the medium clouds look like rounded or parallel banded shape.
Cirro Cumulus Clouds	Cirro cumulus clouds appears like flakey and patches between 5000 -15000 meter height.
Cumulo Nimbus Clouds	Cumulo nimbus clouds form due to great variation in atmospheric pressure and found in 2000 to 20000 meter height. This is the King of Clouds.
Heat Zones
Torrid Zone	Torrid Zone lies between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. The temperature is high in this zone
Temperate Zone	Temperate Zone lies between the Tropic of Cancer and Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and between Tropic of Capricorn and Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere. The temperature is Moderate in this zone. North Temperate Zone and South Temperate Zone are the two Temperate Zones.
Frigid Zone	Frigid Zone lies beyond the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The temperature is low in these zones. North Frigid Zone and South Frigid Zone are the two Frigid Zones.
Air – Pressure
Equatorial Low pressure Belt	Equatorial Low Pressure Belt lies between 5⁰ North and 5⁰ South. The air pressure is low here due to the high temperature and ascending movement of the air.
Sub Tropical High Pressure Belt	Sub Tropical High Pressure Belts lie between 25⁰  and 30⁰ of northern and southern latitudes. Here the air pressure is high due to descending movement of air.
Sub Polar Low Pressure Belt	Sub Polar Low Pressure Belts lie in 60⁰ and 70⁰ north and south latitudes. The air pressure is low  due to the presence of vast land mass in the North and adjoining high pressure belts.
Polar High Pressure Belt	Polar High Pressure Belts lie beyond 70⁰ north and south latitudes. Here the air ascends and creates high pressure belts.
Doldrums	Between 5⁰ north and 5⁰ south latitudes the wind is feeble. The zone is dull and calm around the Equator. This zone is called Doldrums.
Horse Latitudes	Trade wind originate between the latitudes of 30⁰ and 35⁰ north and south latitudes. This zone is calm and known as Horse Latitudes.
Roaring Forties	The region of Roaring Forties lies in the oceanic southern hemisphere between 40⁰ to 50⁰ South latitudes. Here the wind blow and roar with great velocity due to the absence of barriers.
Furious Fifties	The region of Furious Fifties lies in the oceanic southern hemisphere between 50⁰ to 60⁰ South latitudes. Here the wind blow furiously with great velocity due to the absence of barriers.
Screaming Sixties or Shrieking Sixties	The region of Screaming Sixties lies in the oceanic southern hemisphere between 60 ⁰and 65⁰ South latitudes. Here the wind blow with high sound and great velocity due to the absence of barriers.
Aleutian Low	Aleutian Low is the Sub Polar low pressure area near by the Aleutian Islands over Bering Sea.
Wedge of High Pressure	Wedge of High Pressure is a small high pressure region forms between two depressions.
Inter Tropical Convergence Zone	The Trade Wind from Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere  converge over the Equator. This zone is called Inter Tropical Convergence Zone.