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Term | Definition |
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Cape Verde Islands |
A group of volcanic islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa. A Cape Verde hurricane originates near here. |
Center |
The vertical axis or core of a tropical cyclone. It is usually determined by cloud vorticity patterns, wind, and/or pressure distributions. |
Center Fix |
The location of the center of a tropical or subtropical cyclone obtained by reconnaissance aircraft penetration, satellite, radar, or synoptic data. Aliases (separate with |): Vortex Fix
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Closest Point of Approach |
Point where hurricane eye makes closest contact to shore without actually making landfall. |
Coastal Flood Warning |
A warning that significant wind-forced flooding is to be expected along low-lying coastal areas if weather patterns develop as forecast. |
Coastal Flood Watch |
An announcement that significant wind-forced flooding is to be expected along low-lying coastal areas if weather patterns develop as forecast. |
Convection |
Atmospheric motions in the vertical direction resulting from surface heating and the subsequent rising of warm air. This lifting mechanism is capable of generating the rising motions necessary for clouds and precipitation to form. |
Convergence |
Wind movement that results in a horizontal net inflow of air into a particular region. Convergent winds at lower levels are associated with upward motion. (Antonym- divergence). |
Cyclone |
An atmospheric circulation (low-pressure system) with rotating and converging winds, in which the center has a relative pressure minimum. It usually has a diameter of 2000 to 3000 kilometers. When developing, a cyclone typically consists of a warm front pushing northward and a cold front pushing southward with the center of low pressure (cyclone center) located at the junction of the two fronts. Cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere rotate counter-clockwise while Southern Hemisphere cyclones rotate clockwise. |