Meteorology and atmospheric science terminology · MLC-0110
Meteorology and atmospheric science terms: Z (48)
- ZZulu time; the same as Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), i.e. 18z is the same as 18:00 UTC.
- Z timeThe standard time reference used in meteorology and aviation, equivalent to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)...
- Z0The aerodynamic roughness length, a parameter representing the effective height above the ground where the...
- Zanzibar CurrentA warm ocean current that flows southward along the coast of East Africa, past the island of Zanzibar. This...
- ZastrugiIrregular ridges or grooves formed on a snow surface by wind erosion and deposition. These features are...
- Zeeman effectThe splitting of a single atomic spectral line into multiple, closely spaced components when the light source...
- Zeldovich mechanismA chemical pathway for the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) at high temperatures, particularly in...
- ZenithThe point in the celestial sphere directly above an observer's location on Earth. It represents the highest...
- Zenith distanceThe angular distance of a celestial object from the zenith, measured along the great circle passing through...
- Zenithal rainsPrecipitation that occurs when the sun is directly overhead, or at its zenith, in tropical and equatorial...
- ZephyrA light and gentle breeze, typically from the west, associated with mild and pleasant weather. The name...
- ZephyrosThe personification of the west wind in Greek mythology, often depicted as a gentle and favorable breeze. In...
- Zero curtainA phenomenon in frozen ground where the temperature within a layer of soil remains at or near 0 degrees...
- Zero datumIn hydrologic terms, a reference "zero" elevation for a stream or river gage. This "zero" can be referenced...
- Zero layerA layer in the atmosphere where a specific meteorological variable, such as temperature or wind speed...
- Zero-order closureA simplification in atmospheric modeling where turbulent fluxes are parameterized without explicitly...
- Zero-plane displacementA correction factor applied to the height above the ground when calculating wind profiles and turbulent...
- Zero-pressure balloonA type of high-altitude research balloon designed to maintain a constant volume by allowing excess lifting...
- ZFPZone Forecast Product
- Zigzag lightningA common visual characteristic of cloud-to-ground lightning, where the discharge channel appears to follow an...
- ZLFreezing Drizzle
- ZNSzones
- ZodiacAn imaginary belt in the celestial sphere extending approximately 8 degrees on either side of the ecliptic...
- Zodiacal bandA faint, diffuse band of light extending along the ecliptic, visible in very dark skies away from city...
- Zodiacal lightA faint, cone-shaped glow of light visible in the night sky shortly after sunset or before sunrise, extending...
- Zombie turbulenceA theoretical concept describing a type of turbulence that can persist in stratified fluids even after the...
- ZonalRelating to a pattern of atmospheric motion that proceeds in an east-west direction, parallel to lines of...
- Zonal flowAn atmospheric circulation pattern characterized by winds blowing predominantly in an east-west direction...
- Zonal indexA measure of the strength of the zonal flow in the mid-latitudes, typically calculated as the difference in...
- Zonal kinetic energyThe portion of the kinetic energy of the atmosphere or ocean associated with the mean flow in the east-west...
- Zonal wavenumberA measure of the number of complete waves or cycles that fit around a full circle of latitude. It describes...
- Zonal windThe component of the horizontal wind that blows parallel to lines of latitude, either from west to east or...
- Zonal wind-speed profileA representation of how the speed of the zonal wind changes with altitude or depth in the atmosphere or...
- Zonality of hydrological phenomenaThe tendency for hydrological characteristics, such as precipitation patterns, river regimes, and evaporation...
- Zonally averaged modelsAtmospheric or oceanic models that simplify the three-dimensional system by averaging all variables over...
- ZondaA warm, dry foehn wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains in Argentina. It results from...
- Zone of aerationThe region in the ground above the water table where the pore spaces in the soil and rock are filled with...
- Zone of maximum precipitationA geographical area that consistently receives the highest amounts of rainfall or snowfall within a larger...
- Zone of saturationThe region beneath the Earth's surface where all the pore spaces in the soil and rock are completely filled...
- Zone of silenceAn area on the Earth's surface where sound waves from a distant source are not heard, due to atmospheric...
- Zone timeThe standard time maintained within a specific geographical region, based on its approximate longitude...
- Zone windA localized wind system that develops within a specific geographical zone, influenced by local topography and...
- Zoned embankment damIn hydrologic terms, an embankment dam which is comprised of zones of selected materials having different...
- ZRFreezing Rain
- Z''-''R'' relationAn empirical relationship between radar reflectivity (Z) and rainfall rate (R), used to estimate...
- Z\/R RelationshipAn empirical relationship between radar reflectivity factor z (in mm^6 / m^3 ) and rain rate ( in mm / hr )...
- Zulu (Z) timeFor practical purposes, the same as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The notation formerly used to identify...
- Zurich sunspot classificationIn solar-terrestrial terms, a sunspot classification system that has been modified for SESC use.
48 of 10,816 terms in Meteorology and atmospheric science terminology (MLC-0110). Request the full dataset.