Of or pertaining to rain.

A device that allows a terminal or computer at one location to communicate with a terminal or computer at a distant location via wire or phone lines.

A faintly-colored circular arc similar to a rainbow but formed on fog layers containing drops whose diameters are 100 microns or less. Also called mistbow, white rainbow.

An instrument for measuring the ultraviolet in solar and sky radiation.

Root Mean Square. This notation is used frequently with error analysis. In that context, it is the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the deviations of the individual calibration points from the theoretical or ideal response.

The time required for an instrument to register a designated percentage (frequently 90%) of a step change in the variable being measured.

A buoyant balloon rising freely in the atmosphere, as opposed to a captive balloon.

An addition to a rawinsonde system which allows determination of the slant range to the radiosonde.

A mercury barometer of the fixed cistern type in which a moveable scale terminating in an ivory point is used to compensate for the variations in the height of the mercury in the cistern

A spring which is designed to achieve a fixed spring constant over a wide temperature range. Usually, this involves an alloy with high nickel content such as Ni-Span C. It is common for these springs to be stress relieved at elevated temperature after for ...

A line drawn through geographical points having the same duration of sunshine (or other function of solar radiation) during a given interval of time.

An anemometer which derives wind speed from measurements of dynamic wind pressures. Wind blowing into a tube develops a pressure greater than the static pressure, while wind blowing across a tube develops a pressure less than the static. This pressure dif ...

The scientific study of the waters of the earth, especially with relation to the effects of precipitation and evaporation upon the occurrence and character of water in streams, lakes, and on or below the land surface. In terms of the hydrologic cycle, the ...

A type of recording siphon barometer. The mechanically magnified motion of a float resting on the lower mercury surface is used to record atmospheric pressure on a rotating drum.

The total electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. About 99.9 percent of its energy output falls within the wavelength interval from 0. 15 microns to 4.0 microns, with peak intensity near 0.47 microns. About one-half of the total energy in the solar ...

An air-launched balloon designed to be released in the eye of a tropical cyclone, float within the eye at predetermined levels, and transmit radio signals for RDF positioning.

Sustained winds greater than or equal to 40 mph or gust greater than or equal to 58 mph.

In general. the severe wind of an intense tropical cyclone (hurricane or typhoon). The term has no further technical connotation, but, unfortunately, is easily conftlsed with the strictly defined hurricane-force wind,

Any and all forms of water particles, liquid or solid, that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground.

The general term for dry atmospheric suspensoids, including dust, haze, smoke. and sand. Compare to hydrometeor.