An empirical curve relating stream discharge or stage at a point on a stream to discharge or stage at one or more upstream points and, possibly. to other parameters. Also called stage relation.

A very sensitive electrostatic electrometer for measuring small potential differences.

The ratio of the amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected by a body to the amount incipient upon it, commonly expressed as a percentage. The albedo is to be distinguished from the reflectivity, which refers to one specific wavelength.

One of the radiation laws which states that the wavelength of maximum radiation intensity for a black body is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature of the radiating black body.

See evaporation pan.

Video Display Terminal. An input and display device which includes a keyboard and a screen and allows a human to communicate with a computer.

The standard deviation of a sufficiently large number of measurements of the same quantity by the same instrument or method. The non-correctable part of the inaccuracy of an instrument, it represents the limit of measurement precision. The uncertainty of ...

in United States weather observing practice, the highest "instantaneous" wind speed recorded at a station during a specified period, usually the 24-hour observation day. Therefore, a peak gust need not be a true gust of wind.

In general, pertaining to or affording an overall view. In meteorology, this term has become somewhat specialized in referring to the use of meteorological data obtained simultaneously over a wide area for the purpose of obtaining a comprehensive and near ...

A general term for instruments designed to measure the amount of cloudiness.

A clock-driven instrument mounting which automatically and continuously points in the direction of the sun. It is used with a pyrheliometera,hen continuous direct solar radiation measurements are required.

A graphical aid used in fire weather forecasting to calculate the degree of forest-fire danger (or burning index). Commonly in the form of a circular slide rule, the firedanger meter relates numerical indices of (a) the seasonal stage of foliage, (b) the ...

Same as mirror nephoscope.

Same as wind sock.

Part of a computer word that has meaning in itself, often, a byte.

Same as windsock.

Any one of numerous devices for the measurement of either speed alone or of both direction and speed (set and drift) in flowing water.

A hypothetical "body" whose surface absorbs no electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength. An idealization exactly opposite to that of the black body. In nature, no true white bodies are known. Moist white pigments exhibiting high reflectivity for visibl ...

A rain gauge capable of measuring very small amounts of precipitation. Also called micropluviometer, trace recorder.

A device for measuring sea-surface waves. It consists of a weighted pole below which a disk is suspended at a depth sufficiently deep for the wave motion associated with deepwater waves to be negligible. The pole will then remain nearly as if anchored to ...