global network of observational stations which is the coordinated system of methods, techniques and facilities for making observations on a world-wide scale in the framework of the World Weather Watch, a World Meteorological Organization program.

the coordinated global system of telecommunication facilities and arrangements for the rapid collection, exchange and distribution of observational data in the framework of the World Weather Watch, a World Meteorological Organization program.

the same as geostrophic wind, but blowing parallel to curved isobars or contours; the curved airflow pattern around a pressure center results from a balance among pressure-gradient force, coriolis force, and centrifugal force.

a wave disturbance in which buoyancy (or reduced gravity) acts as a restoring force on parcels displaced from hydrostatic equilibrium; there is a direct oscillatory conversion between potential and kinetic energy in the wave motion.

the anticyclone that appears to overlie Greenland; analogous to the antarctic anticyclone.

a finite collection of points to which the meteorological variables used in a numerical model, or interpolated from observations, apply; a field of such regular values (points) is termed gridded field.

group of optical phenomena, in the form of rings, arcs, pillars or bright spots around the sun or moon, produced by the refraction or reflection of light by ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere (cirrus clouds, diamond dust, etc.).

fine dust or salt particles dispersed through a portion of the atmosphere; the particles are so small that they cannot be felt or individually seen with the naked eye, but they diminish horizontal visibility and give the atmosphere a characteristic opalescent appearance that subdues all colors; a type of lithometeor.

equilibrium between the gain and loss of heat at a specific place or for a specific system.

the equilibrium that exists between the radiation received by the earth and atmosphere from the sun and that emitted by the earth and atmosphere.

relation between fluxes of heat into and out of a given region or body and the heat stored by the system; in general, this budget includes advective, evaporative, and other terms as well as a radiation term.

the amount of heat transferred across a surface of unit area in a unit time.

process, or region, in which energy is removed from the atmosphere in the form of heat.

process, or region, in which energy is added to the atmosphere in the form of heat.

area of high pressure in the atmosphere; used interchangeably with anticyclone.

typically thin, white clouds above 6,000 meters (20,000 feet); at these altitudes, temperatures are so cold that clouds are composed primarily of ice crystals; includes cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds.