| A | B |
|---|
| solstice | either of two times of year when the sun's rays shine directly overhead at noon at the furthest points north or south, and that mark the beginning of summer and winter |
| equinex | each of the two day and night are equal in length marks the beginning of spring and autum |
| weather | the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time |
| climate | the typical weather conditions at a praticular location as boserved over time |
| precipitation | falling water droplets in the from of rain, sleet, snow, or hail |
| rain shadow | the land on the leeward side of hills or mountains that gets little rain from the descending dry air |
| hurricane | a storm that forms over warm, tropical ocean waters |
| convection | the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air |
| El Nino | a weather pattern created by the warming of the waters off the west coast of South America which pushes warm water and heavy rains towards the americans and produces drought contitions in Australia and Asia |
| greenhouse effect | the layer of gases related by the burning of coal and petroleum that traps solar energy causing global temperature to increase |
| ecosystem | an interdependent community of plants and animals |
| biome | regional ecosystem |
| deciduous | a named characteristic of broadleaf trees |
| coniferous | another word for neddlelaf trees |
| savanna | the term for the flat grassy mostly treeless plains in the tropical grassland region |
| steppe | the term used for the temperate glassland region |
