An estimate of the temperature of an incandescent body, determined by observing the wavelength at which it is emitting with peak intensity (its color) and using that wavelength in Wien's law.

Ragged low clouds, usually stratus fractus. Most often applied when such clouds are moving rapidly beneath a layer of nimbostratus.

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

Any meteorological instrument, such as a radiosonde, in which the recording apparatus is located at some distance from the measuring apparatus.

An anemometer which measures wind speed in terms of the drag which the wind exerts on a solid body. See bridled-cup anemometer, normal-plate anemometer, pendulum anemometer.

Companion to the wet-bulb thermometer in a psychrometer. Used to measure ambient air temperature.

Electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than visible radiation but longer than x-rays, between 0.02 and 0.4 micron (200 and 4000 angstrom).

An atmospheric sounding instrument which is supported by a captive balloon and used to obtain temperature and humidity data from the ground level to a height of a few thousand feet. The data is telemetered to the ground through a wire cable.

A decrease in the central pressure of a pressure system. Usually applied to a low rather than to a high.

Generally, a measure of the departure of the mean daily temperature from a given standard, one degree day for each degree (

Generally, an instrument designed to measure or estimate the blueness of the sky. See Linke-scale.

A unit of pressure equal to 10' dyne per cm-' (101 barye), 1000 millibars. 29.53 inches of mercury.

Snow shower, particularly of a very light and brief nature.

That portion of the record of a microbarograph between any two (or a specified small number) of successive crossings of the average pressure level (in the same direction). Analogous to microseism.

Instrument for measuring the depth of water from precipitation that is assumed to be distributed over a horizontal, impervious surface and not subject to evaporation.

An instrument whose calibration can be determined by means of simple physical measurements on the instrument. Compare to secondary instrument.

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. A method of making silicon chips that results in low power consumption by the circuits.

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.

Same as radiation pattern. Anticyclone-An area of high atmospheric pressure which has a closed circulation that is anticyclonic (clockwise in northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in southern hemisphere).

Solar and terrestrial radiation directed downwards (towards the earth's surface); incoming radiation.