Anomaly

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-000145",
  "term": "Anomaly",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definitions": [
    "The difference between an observed value of a meteorological or climatological variable and its long-term average or mean for a specific location and time period. Anomalies highlight deviations from normal conditions, indicating whether a particular observation is warmer, colder, wetter, or drier than usual. They are widely used in climate monitoring to identify trends and extreme events.",
    "The deviation of a measurable unit (e.g., temperature or precipitation) over a period in a given region from the long-term average, often the thirty-year mean, for that region."
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "anomalous",
    "abnormal"
  ],
  "references": [
    "NWS Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/anomaly/"
}