meteorology

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BBOY 1996 map: Strong El Nino Conditions, December - May.

Know about the development of a thunderstorm prediction model that can run on a laptop

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Weather map, meteorology

Why Is Predicting the Weather So Difficult for Meteorologists?

Hurricane Catarina, which hit Brazil, was taken by an Expedition 8 crewmember on the International Space Station, March 27, 2004. Tropical cyclones below the equator rotate clockwise when viewed from space.

How Are Hurricanes and Typhoons Named?

Kansas tornado over field. (twister, strom, weather, clouds)

How Do Tornadoes Form?

This image depicts a 3-day average of actual sea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, with 2005 hurricane season names overlaid

How Do Hurricanes Get Their Names?

Alcoholic beverages bottles at Host 2013, international exhibition of the hospitality industry on OCTOBER 18, 2013 in Milan.

Why Is Alcohol Measured by Proof?

Discover

Moonrise over Tucson, Arizona

Why Doesn’t Arizona Observe Daylight Saving Time?

Giorgione, Italian, 1477/1478-1510, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1505/1510, oil on panel, overall: 90.8 x 110.5 cm (35 3/4 x 43 1/2 in.), Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1939.1.289, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

8 Must-See Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

airplane in flight (plane, aircraft, flying)

7 Puzzling Plane Disappearances

Town of Sisimiut located on the coast of the Davis Strait on Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay, Greenland

The Largest Islands in the World

Prayer beads on Quran or Koran written in Arabic Islam's sacred and liturgical language. text, words, Ramadan

Celebrating Ramadan

Alexandria, Egypt - September 12, 2014 - Wedding Bridesmaids Competition, reward for Best Bridesmaids for participation in competitions. Prize for victory

Who Votes for the Academy Awards?

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)

New Seven Wonders of the World

Science & Tech

meteorology

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Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Category: Science & Tech

Key People:: Alexander von Humboldt; Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac; John Dalton; A.A. Michelson; Milutin Milankovitch

Related Topics:: weather forecasting; weather; hydrometeorology; synoptic meteorology; dynamic meteorology

meteorology, Scientific study of atmospheric phenomena, particularly of the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Meteorology entails the systematic study of weather and its causes, and provides the basis for weather forecasting. See also climatology.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.