WEATHER

WEATHER

Weather is defined as the Atmospheric conditions at a particular time and place; climate is the average weather conditions for a given region over time.

Weather is assessed in terms of temperature, wind, cloud cover, and precipitation, such as rain or snow. Fine weather is associated with high-pressure areas, where air is sinking.

Cloudly, wet changeable weather is common in low-pressure zones with rising, unstable air.

Such conditions occur at temperate latitudes, where warm air meets cool air along the polar fronts. Here, spiralling low-pressure cells known as depressions (mid-latitude cyclones) oftern form.

A depression usually contains a sector of warmer air, beginning at a warm front and ending at a cold front. If the two fronts merge, forming an occluded front, the warm air is pushed upwards.

An extreme form of low-pressure cell is a hurricane ( also called a typhoon or tropical cyclone), which brings torrential rain and exceptionally stron winds.