Weather Vocabulary

Sun
The star closest to the Earth. The sun gives us light and heat. The Earth orbits the Sun. Light from the sun

Sunshine Weather Cloud Wind Rain Thunder

The way the air is outside. The weather may be hot and sunny or cool and rainy. Condensed water vapour floating in the sky, high above the ground. Moving air. Wind can move leaves on trees, sailboats, kites, flags and pinwheels. Drops of water falling from clouds in the sky.

A loud rumbling noise heard after a lightning flash.

Lightning Thunderstorm Rainbow Snow

A flash of bright light and a streak of electricity between a cloud and the ground. The sound made by lightning is thunder. A storm with rain, thunder and lightning.

An arch of 7 colors visible in the sky, seen when it is sunny and rainy at the same time. Light white flakes of ice crystals that fall from the sky and settle on the ground and buildings as a white layer.

Umbrella

A canopy we hold up as protection from rain.

Jacket

A short coat that protects us from cold or rainy weather.

Hat & sun block Thermometer

When we go in the sunshine, we can wear a hat to cover our head and sun block cream to Protect our skin from sunburn. A tool that measures temperature. A thermometer measures the temperature of the air outside. The measure of how hot or cold something is. Temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius.

Temperature

Cirrus

A kind of cloud that is thin, feathery and high in the sky. We see cirrus clouds when it is sunny.

Cumulus

A kind of cloud that looks like puffy, white cotton. We see cumulus clouds in fair weather.

Stratus

A kind of cloud that is low and gray and stretches across the sky. Stratus clouds usually bring rain and storms.

Nimbus

A kind of cloud that looks like puffy grey cotton. Nimbus clouds bring rain.

Water cycle

The movement of water from the Earth up to the sky and back down again.

Water vapor

Water that you cannot see in the air.

Meteorologist

A scientist that studies the weather over time, and makes predictions or forecasts about what the weather will be.

Forecast Rain gauge

A prediction of what the weather will be over the next few days.

A cylinder shaped tool used to measure how much rain falls.

Cloud cover

The part of the sky that is covered by clouds. Cloud cover is normally recorded in quarters of the whole sky.

Precipitation

Rain, snow, sleet or hale that fall from the sky.

Condense

To change from water vapour into tiny drops of water.

Evaporate

To change from water into water vapour, which is a gas. Water in a puddle will evaporate in the warm sunshine.

Hurricane

A very large storm with strong winds, high ocean waves, and heavy rain.

Weather data

Records of weather measurements (rainfall, temperature etc) over time, showing patterns.

Drought

A long time without rain. Many plants die during a drought.

Flood

A large amount of water on land, often due to heavy rainfall.

Tornado

A funnel-shaped, spinning cloud with strong winds. A tornado can destroy buildings. A proposed explanation based on the existing evidence. The hypothesis is a basis for further investigation, data collection & tests. The scientist tries to disprove the hypothesis. The end results of tests. What was found out by gathering information.

Hypothesis

Conclusion