atmospheric phenomenon

Other forms: atmospheric phenomena

Definitions of atmospheric phenomenon

1. noun

   a physical phenomenon associated with the atmosphere
   types:

   cloud

   a visible mass of water or ice particles suspended at a considerable altitude

   air hole, air pocket, pocket

   a local region of low pressure or descending air that causes a plane to lose height suddenly

   aurora

   an atmospheric phenomenon consisting of bands of light caused by charged solar particles following the earth's magnetic lines of force

   condensate, condensation

   atmospheric moisture that has condensed because of cold

   front

   (meteorology) the atmospheric phenomenon created at the boundary between two different air masses

   greenhouse effect, greenhouse warming

   warming that results when solar radiation is trapped by the atmosphere; caused by atmospheric gases that allow sunshine to pass through but absorb heat that is radiated back from the warmed surface of the earth

   inversion

   the layer of air near the earth is cooler than an overlying layer

   storm, violent storm

   a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning

   atmospheric electricity

   electrical discharges in the atmosphere

   midnight sun

   the sun visible at midnight (inside the Arctic or Antarctic Circles)

   halo

   a circle of light around the sun or moon

   meteor shower, meteor stream

   a transient shower of meteors when a meteor swarm enters the earth's atmosphere

   sunrise

   atmospheric phenomena accompanying the daily appearance of the sun

   sunset

   atmospheric phenomena accompanying the daily disappearance of the sun

   afterglow

   a glow sometimes seen in the sky after sunset

   atmospheric condition, conditions, weather, weather condition

   the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

   cirrocumulus, cirrocumulus cloud

   a cloud at a high altitude consisting of a series of regularly arranged small clouds resembling ripples

   cirrostratus, cirrostratus cloud

   a thin uniform layer of hazy cloud at high altitude

   cirrus, cirrus cloud

   a wispy white cloud (usually of fine ice crystals) at a high altitude (4 to 8 miles)

   cloud bank

   a layer of clouds seen from a distance

   condensation trail, contrail

   an artificial cloud created by an aircraft; caused either by condensation due to the reduction in air pressure above the wing surface or by water vapor in the engine exhaust

   cumulonimbus, cumulonimbus cloud, thundercloud

   a dark cloud of great vertical extent charged with electricity; associated with thunderstorms

   cumulus, cumulus cloud

   a globular cloud

   mother-of-pearl cloud, nacreous cloud

   a luminous iridescent cloud at a high altitude that may be seen when the sun is a few degrees below the horizon

   nebule

   a small cloud

   nimbus, nimbus cloud, rain cloud

   a dark grey cloud bearing rain

   storm cloud

   a heavy dark cloud presaging rain or a storm

   stratus, stratus cloud

   a large dark low cloud

   aurora australis, southern lights

   the aurora of the southern hemisphere

   aurora borealis, northern lights

   the aurora of the northern hemisphere

   cold weather

   a period of unusually cold weather

   sweat

   condensation of moisture on a cold surface

   fair weather, sunshine, temperateness

   moderate weather; suitable for outdoor activities

   firestorm

   a storm in which violent winds are drawn into the column of hot air rising over a severely bombed area

   warm front

   the front of an advancing mass of warmer air

   cold front, polar front

   the front of an advancing mass of colder air

   occluded front, occlusion

   (meteorology) a composite front when colder air surrounds a mass of warm air and forces it aloft

   nor'easter, northeaster

   a storm blowing from the northeast

   hailstorm

   a storm during which hail falls

   hot weather

   a period of unusually high temperatures

   ice storm, silver storm

   a storm with freezing rain that leaves everything glazed with ice

   elves

   an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources; extremely bright extremely short (less than a msec) electrical flashes forming a huge ring (up to 400 km diameter) in the ionosphere

   blue jet, jet, reverse lightning

   atmospheric discharges (lasting 10 msec) bursting from the tops of giant storm clouds in blue cones that widen as they flash upward

   lightning

   abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light

   red sprites, sprites

   atmospheric electricity (lasting 10 msec) appearing as globular flashes of red (pink to blood-red) light rising to heights of 60 miles (sometimes seen together with elves)

   thaw, thawing, warming

   warm weather following a freeze, when snow and ice melt

   parhelic circle, parhelic ring, solar halo

   a luminous halo parallel to the horizon at the altitude of the sun; caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere

   downfall, precipitation

   the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)

   rainstorm

   a storm with rain

   blizzard, snowstorm

   a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds

   electric storm, electrical storm, thunderstorm

   a storm resulting from strong rising air currents; heavy rain or hail along with thunder and lightning

   wave

   a persistent and widespread unusual weather condition (especially of unusual temperatures)

   elements

   violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)

   air current, current, current of air, wind

   air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

   windstorm

   a storm consisting of violent winds

   atmosphere, atmospheric state

   the weather or climate at some place

   good weather

   weather suitable for outdoor activities

   bad weather, inclemency, inclementness

   weather unsuitable for outdoor activities

   dew

   water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air

   type of:

   physical phenomenon

   a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy