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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
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First Edition Preface Second Edition Preface Acknowledgments
Section W W index 221-229 of 354 terms
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westerly wave—An atmospheric wave disturbance embedded in a mean westerly flow, such as in the midlatitudes. Compare easterly wave.
westerly wind burst—A short-duration low-level westerly wind event along and near the equator in the western Pacific Ocean (and sometimes in the Indian Ocean). This surge may last from one day to several days and is closely linked to deep equatorial convection to its east. The westerly wind burst is most common during El Niño years from September to January and in normal years from October to December. It is absent in the Pacific in La Niña years. It is also thought to be associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation. The westerly winds are usually greater than 5 m s−1(10 knots), and reach 15 m s−1(30 knots) in well- developed systems. These intense westerly wind bursts are associated with a large cluster of deep convective clouds along the equator and are necessary precursors to the formation of tropical cyclone twins symmetric about the equator.
wet adiabat—Same as moist adiabat.
wet-adiabatic lapse rate—Same as saturation-adiabatic lapse rate.
wet air—A volume of air that is in a state of saturation.
wet-bulb depression—The difference in degrees between the dry-bulb temperature and the wet- bulb temperature.
wet-bulb potential temperature—(Also called pseudo wet-bulb potential temperature.) The temperature an air parcel would have if cooled from its initial state adiabatically to saturation, and thence brought to 1000 mb by a moist-adiabatic process. This temperature is conservative with respect to reversible adiabatic changes.
wet-bulb temperature—1. Isobaric wet-bulb temperature: the temperature an air parcel would have if cooled adiabatically to saturation at constant pressure by evaporation of water into it, all latent heat being supplied by the parcel. 2. Adiabatic wet-bulb temperature (or pseudo wet-bulb temperature): the temperature an air parcel would have if cooled adiabatically to saturation and then compressed adiabatically to the original pressure in a moist-adiabatic process. This is the wet-bulb temperature as read off the thermodynamic diagram and is always less than the isobaric wet-bulb temperature, usually by a fraction of a degree centigrade. 3. The temperature read from the wet-bulb thermometer.
wet-bulb thermometer—In a psychrometer, the thermometer that has the wet, muslin-covered bulb, and, therefore measures wet-bulb temperature.
wet climate—(Also called rain forest climate.) A climate with vegetation of the rain forest type.
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