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| direct measure of mass of water in volume of air (g/L) |
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| direct measure of mass of water in mass of air (g/kg) |
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| actual vapor content/vapor capacity |
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| radiative, advective, adiabatic |
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| ground loses heat and cools air directly above it (ground fog, dew, frost) |
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| horizontal movement of air (coastal fog) |
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| cooling without energy loss as a result of pressure loss (clouds) |
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| ground fog, dew, frost, coastal fog, clouds |
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| convective, orographic, frontal, convergent |
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| surface is warm, warms air, air rises |
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| mountains push air up, it cools and condenses into clouds and rain, air rushes down leeward side and humidity drops |
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| (like a polar front) 2 air types converge, one rises, one sinks |
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| (ITCZ) low pressure, air rises |
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temp change with altitude change avg lapse rate: 3.5°F/1,000 ft (6.4°C/km) |
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| saturated adiabatic lapse rate |
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| lifting condensation level |
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| altitude at which rising air cools sufficiently to reach 100% relative humidity at the dew point temperature and condensation begins |
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Definition
| conditions that promote rising air (and cloud formation) |
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| conditions that do not promote rising air |
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Definition
| extreme stability (opposite of normal lapse rate, layer of air in the troposphere that warms as you rise through it) |
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| bigger drops move down and collect smaller droplets |
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| ice crystal (bergeron) process |
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Definition
| crystals grow large enough to fall, melt beneath cloud on way to earth |
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