ATSC 113    Applied Meteorology
Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports



Jargon

Here are links to jargon pages used in each theme:
Aviation weather jargon.
Snow-sports weather jargon.
Sailing weather jargon.

Glossary

Here is a list of all the keywords used in the online meteorological content, and the associated learning goal IDs where you can find them.

Learning Goals: 
• 1 - 4 are in Flying Weather,
• 5 - 7 are in Snow-sports Weather,
• 8 - 11 are in Sailing Weather, and
• 12 - 13 are in Applied Weather.


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

A

Above ground level (AGL): 1c, 1d
Accretion: 7k, 7l
Adiabatic lapse rate: 3b, 6c
Adiabatically: 6e
Advection fog: 1h, 6d, 10e
Aerosol: 1i
Aerosol swelling: 1i
Aggregation: 7k, 7l
Air parcels: 3b
Air traffic controllers (ATC): 1e, 1g
Airmass thunderstorm: 4a
Airmass transformation: 6e
Airspaces: 1g
Along-valley: 6m
Altocumulus: 1a
Altocumulus undulatus: 1b (billow)
Altostratus: 1a
Amplitude: 8b, 8c
Anabatic circulation: 2f, 6b
Anabatic cumulus: 2f, 6b
Anabatic winds: 2e, 2f, 6b
Analysis map: 5a, 5b
Anticyclone: 5e, 5i, 9b, 10c, 11d
Anti-icing: 3g
Anvil: 4a
Arc cloud: 4d
Arctic airmass: 6l
Arctic front: 6l
Arctic sea smoke: 10e
Armstrong altitude: 2b
Armstrong limit: 2b
Atmospheric boundary layer (ABL): 3f
Atmospheric stability: 3b
Avalanche: 7j
Avalanche control: 7m, 7n
Aviation Weather Center (AWC): 4i
Aviation Weather Web Site (AWWS): 4i
Axis: 5e, 5i


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B

Back scatter: 1e
Banner clouds: 1b
Barometer: 11c
Basic storms: 4a
BC = British Columbia, Canada
Beaufort wind force scale: 8e
Bernoulli effect: 6f
Billow (K-H wave) clouds: 1b, 3e
Boundary-layer turbulence: 3e
Bow-echo thunderstorm: 4a
Broken: 1c, 1d
Buoyancy: 1a, 4c, 4d


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C

Cap cloud: 1b (lenticular)
CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy): 3b
Capillary wave: 8b
Capped columns: 7k, 7l
Capping inversion: 6c
Castellanus: 1b
Cat’s paws: 1a
CAVOK (ceiling and visibility are OK): 1d
Ceiling: 1c, 1d, 1e, 4b
Cell: 4a, 4h
Chop: 3d
Cirrocumulus: 1a, 1b
Cirrocumulus undulatus: 1b (billow)
Cirrostratus: 1a, 1c
Cirrus: 1a
Classic supercell: 4a
Clear-air turbulence (CAT): 1b, 3e, 4c
Clear ice: 3g
Climate: 7g
Closed cells: 10c
Cloud amount: 1c
Cloud cover: 1c
Cloud streets: 2f
Cloud-to-ground lightning (CG lightning): 4e
Coastal snow climate: 7f
Cold-air advection: 10c
Cold air pooling: 6a, 6b, 6d
Cold front: 1a, 3h, 5g, 6l, 9f, 9g, 10c, 10e, 11c, 11d
Cold frontal passage: 7o, 7p
Cold occlusions: 3h
Columns: 7k, 7l
Condensation
Confused: 8d
Conservation of air mass: 6m
Constructive interference: 8b
Continental snow climate: 7g
Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB): 11a
Contrails: 1b
Control yoke (or stick): 1g, 4c
Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE): 3b
Convective boundary layers: 2f
Convective clouds: 1a, 3h, 4b, 4c, 10c
Convective turbulence: 3c, 4b, 4c
Converge: 5d, 5m
Coriolis effect: 9a, 9d, 9e, 10e, 11c
Corona (halo around celestial body): 1a (stratiform)
Corona (discharge of static electricity): 4e
Crest: 8b
Crosswind: 2d
Crosswind component: 2d
Cumuliform clouds: 1a, 3h
Cumulonimbus: 1a, 4c, 4g
Cumulus congestus: 1a, 1b (pileus)
Cumulus humilis: 1a
Cumulus mediocris: 1a
Cumulus stage: 4a
Current: 9g
Current tables: 11e
Cyclones: 5d, 5m, 9b, 9f, 10c, 11d


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

D

Debris cloud: 4g
De-icing: 3g
Density altitude: 2c
Deposition: 7i
Depth hoar: 7d, 7e
Destructive interference: 8b
Dewpoint temperature: 1h, 6e, 7i
Diamond dust: 7k, 7l
Dissipate: 1h, 6d
Dissipating stage: 4a
Diurnal slope flow: 6b
Doldrums: 9a
Downbursts: 4b, 4d, 9f
Downslope flow: 6d
Downwelling: 9c
Drag: 8a, 8did, 9d
Dry line: 3h
Duration: 8a
Dust: 1i
Dust storm: 1i


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E

Easterly aspects: 7h
Easterly wave: 9e
Ebb: 11e
Ebb currents: 10d
Eddies: 3c, 4c
Ekman transport: 9d, 10e
El Niño: 9c
Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale: 4g
Ensemble forecast: 7a
Environment Canada: 11a
Evolution: 7d, 7e
Exobase: 3a
Exosphere: 3a
Extratropical cyclones: 9f


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

F

Faceted crystals: 7d, 7e
Facets: 7d, 7e, 7g
Faceting: 7h
Fata Morgana: 10f
Ferrel cell: 9a, 9b
Fetch: 8a
Flat light: 5e, 5h, 5i
Flight manual: 2c
Flight plan: 1g
Flight service station: 4h
Flood: 11e
Flood currents: 10d
Fog: 1h, 1i, 5g, 10a, 10e
Forced convection: 3c
Forecast map: 5a, 5b
Forward scatter: 1e
Fractus: 1b
Free-air temperature: 6h, 6i
Free convection: 3c
Freezing fog: 1h, 6d
Freezing level: 7a
Freezing spray warning: 11b
Fresh powder: 7o, 7p
Front: 3h, 9b, 9f, 10a
Frontal fog: 1h, 10e
Frontal hazards: 4b
Frontal zone: 5f, 5g, 5h
Frontogenesis: 3h
Frontolysis: 3h
Frost: 3g, 7i
Frostbite: 5g
Frostpoint: 7i
Froude number (Fr): 3d
Fumulus: 1b
Funnel cloud: 4g


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

G

Gale warning: 11b
Gap winds: 6m
Geostationary: 5n, 5o
Geostrophic wind: 9a
Giant hail: 4f
Glidescope: 4d
Go around: 4d
Gradient: 5h, 7d, 7e
Graupel: 4e, 4f, 7k, 7l
Gravity wave: 8b
Green flash: 10f
Groomed ski pistes: 7m, 7n
Group velocity: 8b
Gust fronts: 4b, 4d
Gyres: 9d


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

H

Habits: 7k, 7l
Haboob: 1i, 4d
Hadley cell: 9a, 9b
Hail: 4b, 4f
Hail shaft: 4f
Hail swath: 4f
Hailstone: 4f
Hand-hardness test: 7f
Hard-packed: 7o, 7p
Hard slab: 7j
Haze: 1i
Headwind: 2d
Headwind component: 2d
Heavy rain: 4b, 4h
Hectopascal: 6n
High-precipitation supercell: 4a
High pressure: 5e, 5i, 6a, 6l
High pressure cyclone: 5e, 5i
High pressure system: 5d, 5e, 5i, 5m, 9g
High slack: 10d, 11e
Hoarfrost: 7i
Holding pattern: 4d
Horizontal roll vortices: 10c
Horizontal visibility: 1e, 1h
Hurricane: 9e, 9f
Hurricane force wind warning: 11b
Hygroscopic: 1i
Hypothermia: 5g
Hypoxia: 2b


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

I

Ice fog: 1h
Icing: 4b
Ideal gas law: 2c
Inferior mirage: 10f
Inflows, inflow winds: 10b
Infrared (IR): 5n, 5o
Ingestion: 4h
Insolation: 5e, 5i, 7h
Instrument flight rules (IFR): 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 4b
Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC): 1g
Interpolation: 6h
Intertropical Convergence Zone: 9a, 9e
Inversion: 6a, 6c, 6d, 10a, 10c
Ionized: 4e
Isobar: 5d, 5e, 5i, 5m, 11c
Isotherms: 5g, 5h


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

J

Jet stream: 3e, 9b

K

K-H wave clouds: 1b, 3e
K index, 3b
Katabatic winds: 2e, 6a, 6b, 6d, 10a
Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (K-H waves): 1b, 3e
Kilopascal: 6n


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

L

La Niña: 9c, 10e
Lake breeze: 2e
Laminar: 3b
Land breeze: 10a
Latent heat: 1a
Layer clouds: 1a
Lee shadowing: 6e
Lee-wave cloud: 1b, 3d
Lee waves: 1b
Lenticular cloud: 1b, 3d
Lift: 1h, 6d
Lifting condensation level (LCL): 1b (fractus)
Lightning: 4b, 4e
Location: 7o, 7p
Loose snow: 7j
Loss of control: 1g
Low-level wind shear: 4b, 4d
Low-precipitation supercell: 4a
Low pressure systems: 5d, 5e, 5i, 5m, 9g, 11d
Low slack: 10d, 11e


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

M

Maneuvering speed: 4c
Marginal VFR (MVFR): 1g
Marine cloud: 6d
Marine fog: 6d
Mature stage: 4a
Mean-free path: 3a
Mean sea level pressure (MSLP): 5e, 5i
Mechanical turbulence: 3c
Melt/freeze crust: 7f
Meso-low: 4a (supercell)
Mesocyclone: 4a (supercell)
Mesopause: 3a
Mesoscale cellular convection: 10c
Mesoscale convective complex (MCC): 4a
Mesoscale convective systems (MCS): 4a
Mesoscale convective vortex (MCV): 4a
Mesosphere: 3a
METAR (Meteorological Aviation Report): 1c, 1f, 4i
Meteogram: 7a
Microbursts: 4b, 4d
Mirages: 10f
Mist: 1i
Mixed ice: 3g
Mountain valleys: 6g
Mountain-wave cloud: 1b, 3d
Mountain-wave turbulence: 3d
Mountain waves: 1b, 2f, 3d
Multicell thunderstorm: 4a


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N

Needles: 7k, 7l
Newly-fallen snow density: 7b
Nimbostratus: 1a
Nitrates: 1i
Northerly aspects: 7h
Numerical weather prediction (NWP): 5f


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

O

Obscured, obscuration: 1c, 1h, 1i
Obstacle turbulence: 3c
Occluded front: 3h, 11c
Occlusion: 5n, 5o
Off-piste: 7m, 7n
Offshore wind: 8d
Oktas: 1c
Onshore wind: 8d
Open cells: 10c
Organic: 1i
Orographic thunderstorm: 4a, 2f
Orographic uplift: 6e
Outflows, outflow winds: 4d, 5k, 6l, 10b
Overcast: 1c, 1d


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

P

Panic: 1g
Persistent weak layers: 7g, 7h, 7i
Phase velocity: 8b
Pileus: 1b
Pilot report: 4h
Planetary boundary layer (PBL): 3f
Plunging breakers: 8c, 8d
Polar cell: 9a, 9b
Polar-orbiting: 5n, 5o
Postfrontal: 5j
Precipitation fog: 1b (fractus), 1h
Precipitation static: 4b, 4e
Prefrontal: 5j
Pressure altitude: 2c
Pressure gradient: 5k, 6l, 6m
Pressure-level map: 5a, 5b, 6n
Pyrocumulus: 1b


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

Q


R

Radiation fog: 1h, 6d, 10e
Radiative cooling: 6b
Radiative heating: 6b
Rain cell: 4h
Rain crust: 7f
Rain shadow: 6e
Rain-snow line: 7a
Rawinsonde: 3b
Rear inflow jet (RIJ): 4a (MCS)
Relative humidity: 5c
Residue: 4a
Return flow: 6b
Ridges: 5e, 5i
Right-side-up snow: 7c
Rime ice: 3g, 6d
Rogue wave: 8b
Rotor: 1b
Rotor clouds: 1b
Rounded crystals: 7d, 7e, 7f
Rounding: 7d, 7e
Rounds: 7d, 7e, 7f
Runway numbering / labeling / orientation: 2d, 2e
Runway visual range (RVR): 1e


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

S

Salt: 1i
Sand: 1i
Sand storm: 1i
Sastrugi: 7b
Scatter: 1e
Scud: 1b
Sea breeze: 2e, 10a
Sea level pressure (SLP): 5e, 5i
Settling: 7f
Shady aspects: 7h
Shear: 4c
Side scatter: 1e
Single-cell thunderstorm: 4a
Sky cover: 1c
Slab avalanche: 7i, 7j
Slant visibility: 1e
Sluff: 7j
Slush: 7o, 7p
Smoke: 1i
Snow climates: 7g
Snow density: 7b
Snow metamorphism: 7d, 7e
Snow pits: 7f
Snowpack temperature gradient: 7d, 7e
Socked in: 1h
Soft packed: 7o, 7p
Soft slab: 7j
Solar aspects: 7h
Sounding: 3b
Southeasterly: 5j
Southerly aspects: 7h
SPECI (Special Weather Report): 4i
Spilling breakers: 8c, 8d
Spin: 1g
Spray: 1i
Squall line: 3h, 4a, 9f, 9g
Squall warning: 11b
St. Elmo’s fire: 1i, 4e
Stable (air): 3b, 6a
Stable (snow): 7c
Stall: 1g
Standard atmosphere: 2a, 3a
Standing lenticular: 1b (lenticular)
Statically stable: 6c
Stationary front: 3h, 5f, 11c, 11d
Steam fog: 1h
Steepness of the wave: 8d
Stellar dendrites: 7f, 7k, 7l
Sting jets: 9f
Storm avalanche: 7g
Storm cycle: 7c
Storm snow: 7f, 7g
Storm-snow avalanches: 7c
Storm surge: 9e
Storm warning: 11b
Straight-line winds: 4d
Stratiform: 5h
Stratiform clouds: 1a, 3h
Stratopause: 3a
Stratosphere: 3a
Stratus: 1a
Strength: 7b
Stroke (lightning): 4e
Strong layer: 7f
Strong wind warning: 11b
Subsidence: 6c
Subtropical high pressure zone: 9a, 9e
Sucker hole: 4c
Sulfates: 1i
Sun crust: 7f
Sunny aspects: 7h
Supercells: 4a, 4f, 4g
Supercooled droplets: 1h, 3g, 6d
Superior mirage: 10f
Surface analysis map: 5f
Surface hoar: 7f, 7g, 7h
Surface low: 5d, 5m
Surging breakers: 8c
Swell: 8b, 8c, 8d
Swell decay: 8d
Swell refraction: 8d
Synoptic scale shear: 2e
Synoptic weather: 10b
Synoptic winds: 10a, 10b


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

T

TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast): 4i
Tailwind: 2d
Temperature gradient: 6l
Temperature inversion: 6a, 6c, 6d, 10a, 10c
Terminal fall velocity: 4f
Terrain trap: 7j
Thermal: 6b
Thermal turbulence: 3c
Thermals: 2e
Thunderstorm: 1a, 4a
Tidal range: 10d
Tidal rapids: 10d
Tide: 9g, 10d
Tide stations: 11e
Tide tables: 11e
Time-duration of useful consciousness (TUC): 2b
Time-height: 7a
Tornado: 4a (supercell), 4b, 4g
Tornado funnel: 4g
TORRO: 4f
Total water content: 7b
Trade winds: 9a, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9g
Transitional snow climate: 7g
Transmissometer: 1e
Travelling fetch: 8a
Tree bombs: 6g
Treed areas: 6g
Tropical depression: 9e
Tropical storm: 9e
Tropopause: 3a
Troposphere: 3a
Trough: 5e, 5, 8b
Turbulence: 3b, 3c, 4c
Turbulent: 3b


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

U

Undercast: 5c
Unsaturated: 1h
Unstable (air): 3b, 6d
Unstable (snow): 7c
Upside-down snow: 7c
Upslope flow: 6b
Upslope fog: 1h
Upwelling: 9c, 10e


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

V

Valley cloud: 6c, 6d
Valley fog: 1h, 6c, 6d
Valley winds: 2f
Vectors: 5h
Venturi effect: 6f
Vertical visibility: 1c, 1d, 1e
VFR (see Visual flight rules)
VFR over the top: 1e, 1g
VHF radio: 11a
Virga: 4d
Visibility: 1e, 1i, 4b, 4h
Visible: 5n, 5o
Visual flight conditions (VFC): 1g
Visual flight rules (VFR): 1c, 1d, 1g, 1i, 4a, 4h
Visual meteorological conditions (VMC): 1g
Volcanic ash: 1i


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

W

Wake turbulence: 1b (contrails), 3c
Walker cell: 9c
Warm front: 1a, 3h, 5g, 9f, 9g, 10e, 11c, 11d
Warm frontal passage: 7o, 7p
Warm occlusions: 3h
Warm sector: 5h
Warning: 11a
Waterspout: 9f
Waterspout warning: 11b
Wave height: 8b, 8c, 8d
Wave period: 8b, 8c, 8d
Wave steepness: 8b, 8c
Wave train: 8b
Wavelength: 8b, 8c
Weak layer: 7f
Weather radar: 4h
Westerlies: 9a, 9d, 9f
Westerly: 5j
Westerly aspects: 7h
Wet slab: 7f, 7h, 7j
Wet sluff: 7h, 7j
Whiteout: 5g, 5h
Wind barbs: 5b, 5g, 5h
Wind board: 7b
Wind chill: 5g, 6f, 6j, 6l
Wind shear: 1b, 2e, 4d
Wind shear turbulence: 3c
Wind slab: 7b, 7j
Wind sock: 2d
Wind velocity: 8a
Wingtip vortices: 1b (contrails)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): 1c, 1e


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]

X, Y, Z


[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ]



UBC ATSC 113 Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports
Copyright © 2017-2019 by Roland Stull
Last modification: Aug 2019
.