atmospheric rivers
Airborne moisture corridors
Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that transport water vapor from tropical regions toward higher latitudes.
These corridors of humid air can stretch thousands of miles and, when they make landfall, often produce heavy precipitation.
A strong atmospheric river can deliver beneficial water to drought-prone areas or cause catastrophic flooding: The atmospheric river brought a month's worth of rain in two days.
H₂O in gaseous state
- moistureSmall amounts of liquid
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
troposphere · jet stream · saturation · transport · plume · corridor · conveyor · fetch
Rising planetary temperatures
- extreme weatherUnusual, dangerous atmospheric events
- climate modelsComputational atmospheric prediction systems
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- intensityStrength or force level
climate change · El Niño · La Niña · Pacific Ocean · megaflood · climate adaptation
Study of atmospheric phenomena
- satellite imageryEarth views from orbit
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- predictionForecast of coming events
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
monitoring · research · detection · tracking · weather balloon · radiosonde
Water falling from clouds
- downpourIntense precipitation event
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- cloudburstSudden heavy localized rainfall
- torrentialFlowing in violent streams
rain bomb · accumulation · intensity · duration · rainstorm · rain gauge · millimeters · inches
Accumulated mountain winter layers
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- water supplyProvisioned H2O delivery system
- water tableTop of groundwater zone
- soil moistureWater in ground
irrigation · agriculture · water storage · Sierra Nevada · mountain snow · crop yield · water management
Overwhelming surge of water
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
- leveeRiver flood barrier
- damWater-holding barrier
- mudslideFlowing mass of wet soil
landslide · debris flow · evacuation · displacement · erosion · watershed · flash flood · waterlogging
water vapor
H₂O in gaseous state
- moistureSmall amounts of liquid
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
condensation · troposphere · jet stream · saturation · transport · plume · corridor · conveyor · fetch · landfalling
global warming
Rising planetary temperatures
- extreme weatherUnusual, dangerous atmospheric events
- climate modelsComputational atmospheric prediction systems
- frequencyRate of recurrence
intensity · climate change · El Niño · La Niña · Pacific Ocean · megaflood · climate adaptation
meteorology
Study of atmospheric phenomena
- satellite imageryEarth views from orbit
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- predictionForecast of coming events
reconnaissance · monitoring · research · detection · tracking · weather balloon · radiosonde
rainfall
Water falling from clouds
- downpourIntense precipitation event
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- cloudburstSudden heavy localized rainfall
torrential · rain bomb · accumulation · intensity · duration · rainstorm · rain gauge · millimeters · inches · wet season
snowpack
Accumulated mountain winter layers
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- water supplyProvisioned H2O delivery system
- water tableTop of groundwater zone
soil moisture · irrigation · agriculture · water storage · Sierra Nevada · mountain snow · crop yield · water management
inundation
Overwhelming surge of water
mudslide · landslide · debris flow · evacuation · displacement · erosion · watershed · flash flood · waterlogging · property damage
- California weatherSanta Ana winds, June gloom, marine layer, Mediterranean climate, dry summers
- water cyclewater cycle, precipitation, evaporation, condensation, rain
- hydrometeorologyprecipitation, rainfall, rain, snow, snowpack
- weatherweather, rain, sun, snow, wind
- hydrologystreamflow, aquifers, aquifer, lakes, watershed
- weather controlcloud seeding, weather modification, silver iodide, rainmaking, dry ice
atmospheric riversdrought
Prolonged water scarcity
water scarcity · dry spells · megadrought · desiccation · flash drought
atmospheric, rivers, atmosphere, atmospheres, atmospherically, river, river's, rivered, riverine