An instrument, located at the surface observing station, which is used to record the data presented by a radiosonde aloft.

A protective coating applied to circuits.

A device attached to a meteorological instrument to provide ventilation; usually a suction fan.

In meteorology, a deflecting force acting on a body in motion and resulting from the earth's rotation. It deflects air currents to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere, thus having an effect on wind direction.

A barometer which measures atmospheric pressure using one or a series of aneroid capsules. Also called holosteric barometer.

A relatively small-scale, upward moving current of air.

A reversing thermometer (for seawater temperature) which is not protected against hydrostatic pressure. The mercury bulb is therefore squeezed, and the amount of mercury broken off on reversal is a function of both temperature and of hydrostatic pressure.

A clockwise change in wind direction. Veering winds with height are indicative of warm air advection (WAA).

In folklore, a name for rain.

A buoyant balloon kept from rising freely by means of a line secured to a point on the ground, as opposed to a free balloon. See kytoon.

A numbering system using a base number of 2 and having only two digits: 0 and 1. The fundamental system of representing information with electrical pulses.

The record obtained from a bolometer.

The effect upon the measurement of rainfall caused by the presence of the rain gauge.

An instrument for the measurement of both solar and terrestrial radiation.

Central Processing Unit. The part of a computer which controls and directs all functions.

The correction applied to an instrument to account for the effect of temperature upon its response characteristics.

The value of atmospheric pressure to which the scale of a pressure altimeter is set so as to indicate airport elevation. The altimeter setting is included as part of an aviation weather observation.

An instrument whose calibration is determined by comparison with an absolute instrument.

The maximum difference in output for any given input (within the specified range) when the value is approached first with increasing, and then with decreasing, input signals. Caused by energy absorption in the elements of the measuring instrument. Usually ...

Infrared radiation emitted by or being propagated through the atmosphere.