meteorology
Atmospheric study field
Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere and its phenomena—weather, climate, and the processes that produce them.
A meteorologist analyzes atmospheric conditions to forecast weather: The meteorology suggested a hurricane was forming.
The field encompasses everything from daily forecasts to long-term climate modeling.
Lowest atmospheric layer
- stratosphereSecond atmospheric layer up
- mesosphereAtmospheric layer, 50-85km up
- thermosphereHigh-temperature atmospheric zone
- exosphereAtmosphere's outermost region
ozone layer · air pressure · humidity · convection · jet stream · trade winds · polar vortex · air mass
Instrument gauging atmospheric pressure
- anemometerInstrument measuring air velocity
- thermometerHeat-measuring instrument
- hygrometerMeasures air's moisture level
- rain gaugePrecipitation measurement device
weather vane · radiosonde · weather satellite · Doppler radar · ceilometer · weather buoy
Anticipated atmospheric conditions
- Doppler radarMotion-sensing weather instrument
- satellite imageryEarth views from orbit
- weather mapsDiagrams showing atmospheric conditions
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
temperature · wind speed · storm tracking · five-day forecast · nowcasting · weather balloons · forecast accuracy · storm surge
Violent rainstorms with lightning
- hurricanesPowerful tropical rotating windstorms
- typhoonsWestern Pacific tropical storms
- tornadoesRotating destructive wind columns
- blizzardsViolent prolonged winter storms
heatwaves · cold fronts · warm fronts · cyclones · anticyclones · fog · hail · lightning
Rising planetary temperatures
- greenhouse effectAtmospheric heat retention mechanism
- ice agesExtended global cooling epochs
- El NiñoPeriodic Pacific warming event
- La NiñaCool-phase climate pattern
monsoons · drought · paleoclimate · glaciation · Holocene · Pleistocene · interglacial · climate zones
Equal-pressure contour lines
- isothermsEqual-temperature map lines
- troughsLong narrow containers
- ridgesNarrow elevated formations
- divergenceSeparation from common origin
troposphere
Lowest atmospheric layer
- stratosphereSecond atmospheric layer up
- mesosphereAtmospheric layer, 50-85km up
- thermosphereHigh-temperature atmospheric zone
exosphere · ozone layer · air pressure · humidity · convection · jet stream · trade winds · polar vortex · air mass · pressure systems
barometer
Instrument gauging atmospheric pressure
- anemometerInstrument measuring air velocity
- thermometerHeat-measuring instrument
- hygrometerMeasures air's moisture level
rain gauge · weather vane · radiosonde · weather satellite · Doppler radar · ceilometer · weather buoy
weather prediction
Anticipated atmospheric conditions
- Doppler radarMotion-sensing weather instrument
- satellite imageryEarth views from orbit
- weather mapsDiagrams showing atmospheric conditions
precipitation · temperature · wind speed · storm tracking · five-day forecast · nowcasting · weather balloons · forecast accuracy · storm surge · visibility
thunderstorms
Violent rainstorms with lightning
- hurricanesPowerful tropical rotating windstorms
- typhoonsWestern Pacific tropical storms
- tornadoesRotating destructive wind columns
blizzards · heatwaves · cold fronts · warm fronts · cyclones · anticyclones · fog · hail · lightning · rainbows
global warming
Rising planetary temperatures
- greenhouse effectAtmospheric heat retention mechanism
- ice agesExtended global cooling epochs
- El NiñoPeriodic Pacific warming event
La Niña · monsoons · drought · paleoclimate · glaciation · Holocene · Pleistocene · interglacial · climate zones · biomes
isobars
Equal-pressure contour lines
- fields of studyart, music, mathematics, history, biology
- sciencesbiology, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics
- STEMscience, engineering, mathematics, math, technology
- academic fieldsmathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history
- disciplinesbiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology
- earth scienceatmosphere, earthquake, geology, volcano, crust
meteorologygeology
Study of Earth's composition
astronomy · speleology · oceanography · seismology · volcanology
meteorologygeology
Study of Earth's composition
paleontology · paleoclimatology · stratigraphy · geochronology · climatology
- TV meteorologistBroadcast climate forecaster