Agricultural meteorology (agrimet): A branch of
applied meteorology that examines the effects and impacts of weather and
climate on crops, rangeland, livestock, and various agricultural
operations. The branch that studies the processes and impacts of
climatic factors over larger time and spatial scales is often referred
to as agricultural climatology.
Applied climatology: The scientific analysis of climatic data in the light of a useful application for an operational purpose. This is the general term for all such work and includes climatology, aviation climatology, bioclimatology, industrial climatology, and others.
Applied meteorology: A field of study where weather data, analyses, and forecasts are put to practical use.
Climatology: The scientific study of climate. Climate is the expected mean and variability of the weather conditions for a particular location, season, and time of day. The climate is often described in terms of the mean values of meteorological variables such as temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and cloud cover.
Climate change: A change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events).
Forecast: A "best" prediction made by a particular person with a particular technique or forecast system.
Forensic meteorology: The application of atmospheric science to legal matters, criminal investigations, and insurance claims. Meteorological forensic investigations typically involve analysis, interpretation and reconstruction of past weather events.
Greenhouse effect: The name applied to the process which causes the surface of the Earth to be warmer than it would have been in the absence of an atmosphere. Unfortunately, the name greenhouse effect, is a misnomer.
Global warming: The name given to an expected increase in the magnitude of the greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic causes whereby the surface of the Earth will become warmer than it is now.
Industrial meteorology: Generally, the application of meteorological data and techniques to industrial, business, or commercial problems. Generally, industrial meteorology is a branch of applied meteorology, which is the broad field where weather data, analyses, and forecasts are put to practical use. The term "private sector meteorology" has taken on the broader context of traditional industrial meteorology.
Long-range forecasting: A forecast for a period greater than seven days in advance. There are no absolute limits to the period embraced by this definition.
Medium-range forecasting: A forecast for a period extending from about three days to seven days in advance. There are no absolute limits to the period embraced by this definition.
Meteorological intelligence: A broad term of art that refers to information measured, gathered, compiled, exploited, analyzed and disseminated by meteorologists and climatologists to characterize the past or current, or predict the future state of the atmosphere at a given location and time. The term is synonymous with the term weather intelligence.
Nowcast: Forecast of weather conditions 0-2 hours from the present time.
Prediction: A probabilistic statement that something will happen in the future based on what is known today.
Projection: A probabilistic statement that it is possible that something will happen in the future if certain conditions develop. For instance, the possible future state of the atmosphere given a doubling of CO2 is a projection.
Short-range forecast: A weather forecast made for a time period up to 48 hours.
Solar energy management: Multi-site optimization based on the simultaneous probability of cloud-free conditions during peak load scenarios from analysis of high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery. This involves solar resource assessment which is a term of art for the process of mapping solar intensity.
Very short-range forecast: A weather forecast made for a time period of generally less than six hours.
Weather derivative: A financial instrument used by companies or individuals to hedge against the risk of weather-related losses. The investor who sells a weather derivative agrees to bear this risk for a premium. If nothing happens, the investor makes a profit. However, if the weather turns bad, then the company who buys the derivative claims the agreed amount. Farmers can use weather derivatives to hedge against poor harvests caused by frost or drought. Gas and power companies may use heating degree days (HDD) or cooling degree days (CDD) contracts to smooth earnings. Derivatives are not the same as insurance. Insurance is for low-probability events like hurricanes. Derivatives, other the other hand, cover high-probability events like a dryer than expected summer.
Weather risk: Weather risk is the potential effect of weather on an activity. Common usage in the commercial sector involves the potential financial impact of weather on profitability. In this context, weather risk can be defined as financial gain or loss due to weather effects on one or more business related activities. These effects can be instantaneous or span several years. For instance, a lightning strike at an outdoor concert could have an immediate consequence. On the other hand, an agricultural operation could be increasingly effected over years by an extended drought.
Weather sleuth: A science detective who gathers meteorological evidence to support forensic investigations of crimes or weather related incidents ranging from aircraft accidents to natural disasters, or who gathers weather intelligence to support weather risk assessment, planning and mitigation.
Applied climatology: The scientific analysis of climatic data in the light of a useful application for an operational purpose. This is the general term for all such work and includes climatology, aviation climatology, bioclimatology, industrial climatology, and others.
Applied meteorology: A field of study where weather data, analyses, and forecasts are put to practical use.
Climatology: The scientific study of climate. Climate is the expected mean and variability of the weather conditions for a particular location, season, and time of day. The climate is often described in terms of the mean values of meteorological variables such as temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and cloud cover.
Climate change: A change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events).
Forecast: A "best" prediction made by a particular person with a particular technique or forecast system.
Forensic meteorology: The application of atmospheric science to legal matters, criminal investigations, and insurance claims. Meteorological forensic investigations typically involve analysis, interpretation and reconstruction of past weather events.
Greenhouse effect: The name applied to the process which causes the surface of the Earth to be warmer than it would have been in the absence of an atmosphere. Unfortunately, the name greenhouse effect, is a misnomer.
Global warming: The name given to an expected increase in the magnitude of the greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic causes whereby the surface of the Earth will become warmer than it is now.
Industrial meteorology: Generally, the application of meteorological data and techniques to industrial, business, or commercial problems. Generally, industrial meteorology is a branch of applied meteorology, which is the broad field where weather data, analyses, and forecasts are put to practical use. The term "private sector meteorology" has taken on the broader context of traditional industrial meteorology.
Long-range forecasting: A forecast for a period greater than seven days in advance. There are no absolute limits to the period embraced by this definition.
Medium-range forecasting: A forecast for a period extending from about three days to seven days in advance. There are no absolute limits to the period embraced by this definition.
Meteorological intelligence: A broad term of art that refers to information measured, gathered, compiled, exploited, analyzed and disseminated by meteorologists and climatologists to characterize the past or current, or predict the future state of the atmosphere at a given location and time. The term is synonymous with the term weather intelligence.
Nowcast: Forecast of weather conditions 0-2 hours from the present time.
Prediction: A probabilistic statement that something will happen in the future based on what is known today.
Projection: A probabilistic statement that it is possible that something will happen in the future if certain conditions develop. For instance, the possible future state of the atmosphere given a doubling of CO2 is a projection.
Short-range forecast: A weather forecast made for a time period up to 48 hours.
Solar energy management: Multi-site optimization based on the simultaneous probability of cloud-free conditions during peak load scenarios from analysis of high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery. This involves solar resource assessment which is a term of art for the process of mapping solar intensity.
Very short-range forecast: A weather forecast made for a time period of generally less than six hours.
Weather derivative: A financial instrument used by companies or individuals to hedge against the risk of weather-related losses. The investor who sells a weather derivative agrees to bear this risk for a premium. If nothing happens, the investor makes a profit. However, if the weather turns bad, then the company who buys the derivative claims the agreed amount. Farmers can use weather derivatives to hedge against poor harvests caused by frost or drought. Gas and power companies may use heating degree days (HDD) or cooling degree days (CDD) contracts to smooth earnings. Derivatives are not the same as insurance. Insurance is for low-probability events like hurricanes. Derivatives, other the other hand, cover high-probability events like a dryer than expected summer.
Weather risk: Weather risk is the potential effect of weather on an activity. Common usage in the commercial sector involves the potential financial impact of weather on profitability. In this context, weather risk can be defined as financial gain or loss due to weather effects on one or more business related activities. These effects can be instantaneous or span several years. For instance, a lightning strike at an outdoor concert could have an immediate consequence. On the other hand, an agricultural operation could be increasingly effected over years by an extended drought.
Weather sleuth: A science detective who gathers meteorological evidence to support forensic investigations of crimes or weather related incidents ranging from aircraft accidents to natural disasters, or who gathers weather intelligence to support weather risk assessment, planning and mitigation.