A major component of the atmospheric sciences, weather is defined as a state or condition of the atmosphere at any particular place and time. A broad, integrated weather picture is known as a weather system. Weather is specifically distinguished from climate, which represents a regional or global synthesis of weather extended through time on the scale of years, rather than minutes or hours. Weather involves measurement of multiple parameters, so-called weather elements: temperature, pressure, wind, cloud condition, visibility, humidity, precipitation, and other hydrometeors (dew, rain, hail, snow). In relation to humans, weather often conditions personal comfort or economy and goes further to embrace related factors such as sea state, tidal hazards, avalanche liability, and river flooding. Additionally, weather study also includes optical phenomena, such as lightning, aurora, and solar phenomena.
In aviation, the word weather is used in relation to the synoptic weather observations of...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Bibliography
Aguado, E., and Burt, J.E., 2001. Understanding Weather and Climate. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Ahrens, D.L., 2000. Meteorology Today: an introduction to weather, climate, and the environment, 6th edn. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks & Cole.
Barry, R.G., and Chorley, R.J., 1998. Atmosphere, Weather, and Climate. London: Routledge.
Geer, I.W., 1996. Glossary of Weather and Climate. Boston, MA: American Meteorological Society.
Lutgens, F.K., and Tarbuck, E.J., 2001. The Atmosphere, 8th edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Oliver, J.E., and Hidore, J.J., 2002. Climatology: an atmospheric science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Thompson, R.D., 1998. Atmospheric Processes and Systems. London: Routledge.
Cross-references
Applied Climatology
Bioclimatology
Climatology
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer
About this entry
Cite this entry
Oliver, J.E. (2005). Weather. In: Oliver, J.E. (eds) Encyclopedia of World Climatology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht . https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3266-8_225
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3266-8_225
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-3264-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-3266-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences