Weather
All > Science > Climate Change
- Atmospheric condition at any given time or place. It is measured in terms of such things as wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation. In most places, weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the "average weather", or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years. The classical period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system. A simple way of remembering the difference is that climate is what you expect (e.g. cold winters) and 'weather' is what you get (e.g. a blizzard). See climate.
EPA - Cite This Source - This Definition - Weather is the specific condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. It is measured in terms of such things as wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation. In most places, weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate is the average of weather over time and space. A simple way of remembering the difference is that climate is what you expect (e.g. cold winters) and 'weather' is what you get (e.g. a blizzard). See climate.
EPA - Cite This Source - This Definition - the state of the atmosphere at a particular time, as defined by variables such as temperature, precipitation and winds.
NCDC National Climatic Data Center - Cite This Source - This Definition - Weather The state of the atmosphere, mainly with respect to its effects upon life and human activities. As distinguished from climate, weather consists of the short-term (minutes to about 15 days) variations of the atmosphere state.
NSIDC - Cite This Source - This Definition - anomaly, Average value, Climate, Climate variability, field, Grid, inversion, Meteorological element, Meteorology, parameter, Upper atmosphere, World Meteorological Organization program
- The state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc. Weather refers to these conditions at a given point in time (e.g., today's high temperature), whereas Climate refers to the "average" weather conditions for an area over a long period of time (e.g., the average high temperature for today's date).
NOAA National Weather Service - Cite This Source - This Definition - anomaly, Diurnal Temperature Range, Maximum Temperature, Mean Annual Temperature, Mean Daily Temperature, Minimum Temperature, MINT, Sea Surface Temperatures, Temperature Recovery, Thermistor, Wet-Bulb Temperature