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Weather

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top 50

Memorize these and recognize 36.8% of all Weather clues.

#AnswerCountSample Clue
1 fog 17 A 2-word weather event in a European capital, or a brand of raincoat
2 humidity 13 Some hygrometers use a human hair to measure this
3 Lightning 12 "It's as if God is trying to tell me something, but I don't know what that is", a man said after the 6th time this happened
4 a front 11 A stationary one of these boundaries between air masses can stay in the same region for days
5 the Snow 10 "Smilla's Sense of" this helps her solve a murder in Copenhagen
6 a tornado 10 World Book says it's "the most violent of all storms"
7 hail 7 To welcome, or to order a cab
8 Thunder 7 To take attention from another; it literally happened to a guy who came up with a stage audio effect
9 clouds 7 These rotating cone-like clouds aren't called tornadoes until they touch the ground
10 a typhoon 7 ( Sarah of the Clue Crew shows time-elapse satellite imagery of a storm on the monitor.) On November 5, 2013, with 74-plus-mile-per-hour winds, the st...
11 a hurricane 7 The Scorpions sang, "Here I am, rock you like" one of these
12 a cyclone 7 A waterspout has all the same characteristics as one of these, except that it's over water, not land
13 the trade winds 7 Winds blowing almost steadily from N.E., they helped speed westward travel for sailors
14 the doldrums 6 When you're down & out, you're said to be "in" this belt of calm, light winds near the equator
15 hurricanes 6 Sept. 4, 2007 was the first time that 2 of these, Henriette & Felix, made landfall on the same day
16 Indian summer 6 Period of mild, warm weather occurring in late autumn in U.S.
17 acid rain 6 Word used to describe rain, snow or fog with a pH value of less than 5.6
18 a hailstone 6 ( Daisy Edgar-Jones presents the clue.) Never mind the usual comparison to golf balls, how about a volleyball? In South Dakota in 2010, the largest of...
19 Hawaii 5 This state's Kona storms are characterized by strong southerly or southwesterly winds & heavy rains
20 the troposphere 5 Most weather occurs in this lowest "sphere" of the Earth's atmosphere that extends up to around 12 miles
21 Frost 5 From the type of plant they resemble, these ice crystals are alliteratively called this type of frost
22 barometer 5 Invented by French scientist Lucien Vidie in 1843, this type of barometer uses a metal capsule instead of mercury
23 tornadoes 4 The "Super Outbreak of 2011" is named for more than 300 of these that struck 15 states
24 the jet stream 4 This is the narrow band of strong winds at the level of the tropopause
25 hailstones 4 These, which may be described as softball-sized, begin in clouds as "embryos" to which frozen droplets adhere
26 blizzard 4 In March 1888 one of these blinding snowstorms struck the East Coast, creating 40-to-50-foot snowdrifts
27 Antarctica 4 In 1983 Vostok Station on this continent had the lowest temp. ever recorded on Earth, -128.6 degrees F.
28 a rainbow 4 This post-shower delight is always in the opposite side of the sky from the sun
29 wind 4 Triangular flags on a weather map show the direction of this
30 monsoon 3 From "mausim", season, it's the wind system around the Indian Ocean that brings weather changes
31 London 3 During the 1952 "Great Smog" in this metropolis, folks in the Isle of Dogs area couldn't see their own feet
32 ice 3 In Montreal in 1998 this was 2 inches thick on some branches, damaging 94% of trees in the Ville Emard district
33 drizzle 3 When the folks at the National Weather Service are feeling a bit "DZ," "DZ" stands for this weather condition
34 cirrus 3 The name of these highest clouds comes from the Latin for "curl" or "tuft"
35 California 3 Mountain passes speed up hot, dry air, giving this U.S. state its Santa Ana winds
36 the eye 3 This calm circular region at the center of a hurricane can range from a few miles in diameter to more than 100
37 the Department of Commerce 3 In 1940 FDR transferred the Weather Bureau to this cabinet department
38 a storm surge 3 ( Glen Powell presents the clue.) The Saffir-Simpson scale categorizing hurricanes is named in part for Robert Simpson, who was interested in meteorol...
39 Tropical storm 3 Don't worry about Ulka yet—she's not a hurricane, just one of these "storms" with winds over 38 MPH
40 waterspouts 2 Tornadoes that develop over water are called these
41 thunderheads 2 From the type of storms they bring, cumulonimbus clouds are known by this booming term
42 the Indian Ocean 2 On March 15-16, 1952 it rained a record 73.62" in 24 hours on the island of Reunion in this ocean
43 Sunshine 2 Bill Withers passed away in 2020 & as he sang, "Ain't No" this when he's gone
44 Sahara 2 If you experience a wind known as a sirocco, you're in this desert
45 Russia 2 Country in which both Hitler & Napoleon were defeated by winter weather
46 red sky at night 2 A sailor's delight
47 precipitation 2 From the Latin for cast down, it's any form of rain or snow
48 Nuclear Winter 2 "Seasonal" term that describes the cold & dark weather that nuclear war could bring
49 Miami 2 Warnings of tropical storms come from the National Hurricane Center in this Florida city
50 mercury 2 One millibar, a measurement of atmospheric pressure, equals.75 millimeters of this element, Hg

Sub-Areas

Medicine / Health

2 clues
tornado (1) a mirage (1)
87
answers to learn
7 Must-Know
23 Should-Know
57 Worth Knowing

Must-Know Answers

These appear 8+ times. Memorize these first.

fog 17 humidity 13 Lightning 12 a front 11 the Snow 10 a tornado 10 hail 8

Answers by Category

Jump to: Chemistry / Elements | Earth Science | Astronomy / Space | Other | Biology / Animals | Medicine / Health | Botany / Plants | Math / Physics

Chemistry / Elements

41 answers | 168 clues
Must-Know (4)
Lightning 12x 8.3% stumper $358 avg J:8 DJ:4
J $100 1992 A safety tip says if your hair stands on end, hit the ground; this may be about to strike
J $600 2015 "It's as if God is trying to tell me something, but I don't know what that is", a man said after the 6th time this happened
DJ $1,600 2011 Still a scientific mystery, the ball type of this appears as a glowing sphere & has sometimes been seen in houses
a front 11x $1,136 avg J:5 DJ:6
J $200 1993 This is defined as the interface of 2 air masses of different temperatures or densities
DJ $800 1988 Term for what is formed where 2 air masses at different temperatures meet
DJ $1,000 2000 To face, as property does on a lake
the Snow 10x 10.0% stumper $460 avg J:5 DJ:5
J $100 1995 A lot of this blowing around creates a "whiteout"
DJ $600 2000 To overwhelm with flattery or insincere talk
J $1,000 DD 2022 A Joyce story ends with this falling "upon all the living and the dead"
hail 8x 12.5% stumper $675 avg J:3 DJ:5
DJ $200 2000 Salute, or call out to get a cabbie's attention
J $800 2022 A book about the underworld says Al Capone's rival Joe Aiello died in this type of storm "of lead"
DJ $1,200 2021 Pellets of ice have a diameter of less than 5mm; if the ice's diameter is between 5mm & 15cm, it's called this
Should-Know (12)
Thunder 7x 14.3% stumper $529 avg J:3 DJ:4
J $100 1985 While a cannon shot may be heard 50 or more miles away, this rarely heard beyond 20
J $1,000 2017 To take attention from another; it literally happened to a guy who came up with a stage audio effect
J $200 1999 It must be hard to sleep late in Kipling's "Mandalay", where "The dawn comes up like" this
clouds 7x 14.3% stumper $357 avg J:4 DJ:3
J $100 1994 They're classified by their shape & elevation
DJ $600 1990 These rotating cone-like clouds aren't called tornadoes until they touch the ground
DJ $200 1987 Fog is simply these, so low they touch the ground
a hurricane 7x $471 avg J:4 DJ:3
J $100 1991 The National Center for these storms is in Coral Gables, Florida
J $800 2015 It comes between "National" & "Center" in the workplace of about 50 people
DJ $1,000 DD 1987 Admiral Beaufort designated this wind, "that which no canvas could withstand", #12 on his scale
a cyclone 7x 42.9% stumper $571 avg J:4 DJ:3
DJ $200 1985 This term comes from the Greek "kyklon", meaning the "coil of a snake"
DJ $800 2017 The circular wind motion during this event goes clockwise in the S. Hemisphere; the Indian Ocean sees tropical ones
J $1,000 2015 In 1848 Henry Piddington coined this word from a Greek root
the trade winds 7x 14.3% stumper $586 avg J:4 DJ:3
J $400 2003 In addition to helping commerce, these ocean winds bring pleasant weather to islands like Hawaii
J $500 1985 Gallegos, Santa Anas, & cockeyed bobs for example
DJ $800 2014 Santa Anas are dry ones
the doldrums 6x $767 avg J:3 DJ:3
J $100 1990 You're in them where the trade winds meet near the equator, even if you're not down in the dumps
DJ $800 1995 Early sailing ships were often stranded for many weeks in this region of calm winds on the Equator
DJ $1,000 1984 Region near Equator that took the wind out of Sinbad's sails
hurricanes 6x 33.3% stumper $300 avg J:3 DJ:3
J $100 1997 In 1995, 11 tropical storms in the Atlantic strengthened to these, the most in one year since 1969
J $500 DD 1987 Weather phenomenon which caused E. Coast radio stations to play the following in 9 1985: "... calling Gloria? / Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'? / If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody..."
J $200 2015 The University of Miami named its sports teams after them
Indian summer 6x 16.7% stumper $233 avg J:5 DJ:1
J $100 1985 Period of mild, warm weather occurring in late autumn in U.S.
J $300 1985 In Poland, it's "God's gift to Poland", in England "all hallow's summer", & in America, this
J $200 2013 Like our "Indian" one, a spell of warm, pleasant weather in October in Greece is called this "of St. Dimitrios"
acid rain 6x $500 avg J:2 DJ:4
J $100 1989 In July 1889 a city in Romania got over 8 inches of this in 20 minutes
DJ $600 1987 Term for modern weather eco-hazard caused by sulfur dioxide's reaction to moisture in air
DJ $1,000 1989 Rain with a pH reading of less than 5.6
the troposphere 5x 20.0% stumper $880 avg J:1 DJ:4
DJ $600 1994 Nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer of the atmosphere
DJ $1,600 2021 Most weather occurs in this 5-to-9-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere that's closest to Earth
J $800 2018 Most weather occurs in this lowest "sphere" of the Earth's atmosphere that extends up to around 12 miles
wind 5x $340 avg J:3 DJ:2
DJ $200 1999 In "Paint Your Wagon" it's called "Maria"
J $600 2013 A 10 on the modern Beaufort scale for this means ocean waves will have dense white streaks
DJ $200 1990 Air in motion at any speed, especially on a parallel with the earth, is called this
Antarctica 4x $400 avg J:2 DJ:2
J $200 1993 The highest temperature ever recorded on this continent was 59° F.
DJ $800 2011 Bring a jacket—this highest continent is also the windiest
J $200 1989 The highest temperature recorded on this continent is 59° F
Worth Knowing (25)

Earth Science

15 answers | 48 clues
Must-Know (1)
humidity 13x 7.7% stumper $631 avg J:5 DJ:8
J $200 2018 Expressed as a percentage, it's all "relative" this, the water vapor in the air at any given time & temp
DJ $800 1986 Amount of water vapor in air divided by amount the air could hold at that temp. & pressure
J $1,000 2022 The EPA says keep this below 60% to prevent mold
Should-Know (3)
tornadoes 4x $275 avg J:3 DJ:1
J $100 1993 Most of these don't travel more than 20 miles, though in 1917 one went 293 miles across Illinois & Indiana
J $200 1990 These are the most violent windstorms
J $400 1994 These most violent of all storms can form in thunderstorms located inside hurricanes
hailstones 4x $600 avg J:1 DJ:3
DJ $200 1990 Weighing up to 2 1/4 pounds, the largest ones on record reportedly killed 92 people in Bangladesh in '86
DJ $600 1989 The largest of these reported in the U.S. weighed over 1½ pounds & was found in Kansas in 1970
DJ $1,200 2007 These, which may be described as softball-sized, begin in clouds as "embryos" to which frozen droplets adhere
monsoon 4x $475 avg J:3 DJ:1
J $200 1991 From "mausim", season, it's the wind system around the Indian Ocean that brings weather changes
J $500 1993 Associated with southern Asia, these seasonal winds also occur in North America
J $400 1991 Indra, chief Vedic god of India, killed Vrtra, a dragon who held back these seasonal winds
Worth Knowing (11)

Astronomy / Space

11 answers | 44 clues
Must-Know (1)
fog 17x 29.4% stumper $653 avg J:10 DJ:7
J $100 1988 During the 1940s, kerosene burners were used along airport runways to dissipate this
J $500 1989 Stratus clouds at ground level are called this
DJ $2,000 2017 Brazil's highest peak is 9,800-foot Pico da Neblina, Neblina being this weather condition that surrounds the summit
Should-Know (2)
barometer 5x 40.0% stumper $800 avg DJ:5
DJ $400 1996 The aneroid type of this weather instrument is often used as an altimeter
DJ $800 1987 The lowest reading on this type of weather instrument was 25.55" during a typhoon
DJ $2,000 2011 Invented by French scientist Lucien Vidie in 1843, this type of barometer uses a metal capsule instead of mercury
a rainbow 4x 25.0% stumper $475 avg J:4
J $300 1987 A thunderbolt symbolizes Zeus while this after storm apparition is symbol of his messenger Iris
J $500 DD 1990 The Greeks saw this as the sign of Iris, messenger of the gods
J $300 1985 Formed by refraction & reflection of light by water droplets, 2 people can never see the same one
Worth Knowing (8)

Other

9 answers | 26 clues
Should-Know (2)
Hawaii 5x $450 avg J:3 DJ:1 FJ:1
J $200 2006 The highest low temperature of any U.S. state is the 12 degrees F. recorded in this state on May 17, 1979
J $500 1987 According to the World Almanac, the lowest recorded temperature for this state was 14º F
FJ 1986 All states have recorded temperatures below zero (F.), except this one
blizzard 5x 20.0% stumper $680 avg J:1 DJ:4
DJ $400 2017 This type of storm includes cold, 35+ mph winds & snow reducing visibility to 1/4 mile or less for at least 3 hours
DJ $2,000 2014 Remember "The Great" one of March 1888?
J $200 1998 It's a snowstorm with winds past 30 knots, below normal temperatures & visibility reduced to 1/8 of a mile
Worth Knowing (7)

Biology / Animals

7 answers | 23 clues
Should-Know (2)
a typhoon 7x $571 avg J:3 DJ:4
DJ $200 1986 This storm's name combines the Chinese words "ta", meaning "great", & "fung", meaning "wind"
J $800 2006 ( Jeff Probst reports from Palau.) Luckily, Palau is outside the zone of these storms, whose name comes from a Chinese word that means "great wind"
DJ $400 2007 ( Cheryl of the Clue Crew shows satellite video of storm movement on two monitors at the Weather Channel in Atlanta, GA.) A tropical storm in the North Atlantic that reaches 74 miles per hour is called a hurricane; if it's here in the Northwest Pacif...
Frost 5x $560 avg J:2 DJ:3
J $100 1999 James Whitcomb Riley wrote of the time when this "is on the punkin", & he didn't mean a fellow poet
DJ $1,600 2018 From the type of plant they resemble, these ice crystals are alliteratively called this type of frost
J $300 1985 Term for frozen dew
Worth Knowing (5)

Medicine / Health

1 answers | 10 clues
Must-Know (1)
a tornado 10x 10.0% stumper $580 avg J:6 DJ:4
J $100 1998 With a funnel more than a mile wide, one of the largest of these occured March 18, 1925 & killed 695 people
DJ $800 2007 On March 18, 1925 the most violent single one of these in U.S. history swept through Mo., Ill., & Ind., killing 695
J $1,000 DD 1995 Its life cycle usually has 5 stages: dust-whirl, organizing, mature, shrinking & decaying

Botany / Plants

1 answers | 6 clues
Should-Know (1)
a hailstone 6x $400 avg J:2 DJ:4
DJ $400 2011 In June 2003 a record one of these, 18.75 in. around, dropped in on Aurora, Nebraska
J $800 2024 ( Daisy Edgar-Jones presents the clue.) Never mind the usual comparison to golf balls, how about a volleyball? In South Dakota in 2010, the largest of these ever measured, came down at 8 inches across & weighed about 2 pounds
DJ $400 2002 The largest of these in the U.S. fell on Coffeyville, Kansas; it measured 17 1/2 inches in circumference

Math / Physics

2 answers | 6 clues
Should-Know (1)
the jet stream 4x 25.0% stumper $450 avg J:2 DJ:2
J $300 1991 In the Northern Hemisphere, eastbound aircraft fly with this to gain speed & save fuel
DJ $600 1992 This is the narrow band of strong winds at the level of the tropopause
J $300 1991 A tubular ribbon of high-speed winds 20,000 to 40,000 feet up
Worth Knowing (1)
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