Climate Vocabulary

Word Definition Image

climate the composite or generally prevailing

weather conditions of a region, as
temperature, air pressure,
humidity,precipitation, sunshine,
cloudiness, and winds, throughout the
year, averaged over a series of years.

tropical very hot and humid

temperate relating to or denoting a region or climate 

characterized by mild temperatures.

polar relating to the North or South Pole.

climate zone Climate Zone: are divisions of the 

Earth's climates into general climate 
zones according to average 
temperatures and average rainfall.
global winds The global wind pattern is also known 
as the "general circulation" and the 
surface winds of each hemisphere are 
divided into three wind belts

surface winds Surface wind is the wind blowing near 

the Earth's surface

Coriolis effect On the earth, the effect tends to deflect 

moving objects to the right in the northern 
hemisphere and to the left in the southern 
and is important in the formation of 
cyclonic weather systems.

jet stream a narrow variable band of very strong 

predominantly westerly air currents 
encircling the globe several miles above 
the earth.

California a cold current originating in the northern

current part of the Pacific Ocean, flowing SE
along the coast of W North America.
ocean current An ocean current is any more or less 
permanent or continuous, directed 
movement of ocean water that flows 
in one of the Earth's oceans. The 
currents are generated from the 
forces acting upon the water like the 
earth's rotation, the wind, the 
temperature and salinity differences 
and the gravitation of the moon.

surface current A surface current is an ocean current 

that extends to depths of about 3 
meters near the shore and 10 meters 
in deep water.

Gulf Stream a warm ocean current flowing from the

Gulf of Mexico, along the E coast of the
U.S., to an area off the SE coast of
Newfoundland, where it becomes the
western terminus of the North Atlantic
Current.

Ocean Convection is the circular motion that 

convection happens when warmer air or liquid — 
cycle which has faster moving molecules, 
making it less dense — rises, while the 
cooler air or liquid drops down. ... 
Convection currents within the earth 
move layers of magma, and 
convection in the ocean creates 
currents.

Density a turbid, dense current of sediments in 

currents suspension moving along the slope 
and bottom of a lake or ocean. Also 
called density current.
El Nino an irregularly occurring and complex 
series of climatic changes affecting the 
equatorial Pacific region and beyond 
every few years, characterized by the 
appearance of unusually warm, 
nutrient-poor water off northern Peru and 
Ecuador, typically in late December.

topography the relief features or surface

configuration of an area
Local climate the climate of comparatively small
regions with fairly uniform natural
conditions—for example, a particular
wooded area, seashore, part of a river
valley, intermontane basin, small city,
or urban district.

albedo such a ratio for any part of the earth's

surface or atmosphere.

Urban heat An urban heat island is an urban area or 

island metropolitan area that is significantly 
warmer than its surrounding rural areas 
due to human activities.

microclimate the climate of a very small or restricted 

area, especially when this differs from the 
climate of the surrounding area.

deforestations the action of clearing a wide area of trees.

Ice age a glacial episode during a past geological 
period.

Climate change a change in global or regional climate 

patterns, in particular a change apparent 
from the mid to late 20th century onwards 
and attributed largely to the increased 
levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide 
produced by the use of fossil fuels.

Global warming a gradual increase in the overall 

temperature of the earth's atmosphere 
generally attributed to the greenhouse 
effect caused by increased levels of 
carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and 
other pollutants.

Enhanced Increases in the amount of carbon 

greenhouse dioxide and other greenhouse gases 
effect in the Earth's atmosphere have 
caused an enhanced greenhouse 
effect.