24/7 Weather Glossary -- X, Y and Z Words
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XEROPHYTES
Vegetation that resists drought.
X-RAYS
The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that has a very short wave length. It has a wave length longer than gamma rays, yet shorter than visible light. X-rays can penetrate various thicknesses of all solids, and when absorbed by a gas, can result in ionization.Y
YEAR
The interval required for the earth to complete one revolution around the sun. A sidereal year, which is the time it take for the earth to make one absolute revolution around the sun, is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.5 seconds. The calendar year begins at 12 o'clock midnight local time on the night of December 31st-January 1st. Currently, the Gregorian calendar of 365 days is used, with 366 days every four years, a leap year. The tropical year, also called the mean solar year, is dependent on the seasons. It is the interval between two consecutive returns of the sun to the vernal equinox. In 1900, that took 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, and it is decreasing at the rate of 0.53 second per century.YELLOW SNOW
Snow that is given golden, or yellow, appearance by the presence of pine or cypress pollen in it.Z
ZENITH
The point which is elevated 90 degrees from all points on a given observer's astronomical horizon. The point on any given observer's celestial sphere that lies directly above him. The opposite of nadir.ZODIAC
The position of the sun during the course of the year as it appears to move though successive constellations. Also, the band where the ecliptic runs centrally through the celestial sphere and contains the sun, the moon, and all the planets except Venus and Pluto.ZONAL FLOW
The flow of air along a latitudinal component of existing flow, normally from west to east.ZONAL INDEX
The measure of the strength of the westerly winds of the middle latitudes. It is expressed as the horizontal pressure difference between 35 degrees and 55 degrees latitude, or as the corresponding geostrophic wind.ZULU TIME
One of several names for the twenty-four hour time which is used throughout the scientific and military communities. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J and K | L | M | N | O | P | Q and R | S | T | U | V | W | X, Y and Z
XEROPHYTES
Vegetation that resists drought.
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The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that has a very short wave length. It has a wave length longer than gamma rays, yet shorter than visible light. X-rays can penetrate various thicknesses of all solids, and when absorbed by a gas, can result in ionization.Y
YEAR
The interval required for the earth to complete one revolution around the sun. A sidereal year, which is the time it take for the earth to make one absolute revolution around the sun, is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.5 seconds. The calendar year begins at 12 o'clock midnight local time on the night of December 31st-January 1st. Currently, the Gregorian calendar of 365 days is used, with 366 days every four years, a leap year. The tropical year, also called the mean solar year, is dependent on the seasons. It is the interval between two consecutive returns of the sun to the vernal equinox. In 1900, that took 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, and it is decreasing at the rate of 0.53 second per century.YELLOW SNOW
Snow that is given golden, or yellow, appearance by the presence of pine or cypress pollen in it.Z
ZENITH
The point which is elevated 90 degrees from all points on a given observer's astronomical horizon. The point on any given observer's celestial sphere that lies directly above him. The opposite of nadir.ZODIAC
The position of the sun during the course of the year as it appears to move though successive constellations. Also, the band where the ecliptic runs centrally through the celestial sphere and contains the sun, the moon, and all the planets except Venus and Pluto.ZONAL FLOW
The flow of air along a latitudinal component of existing flow, normally from west to east.ZONAL INDEX
The measure of the strength of the westerly winds of the middle latitudes. It is expressed as the horizontal pressure difference between 35 degrees and 55 degrees latitude, or as the corresponding geostrophic wind.ZULU TIME
One of several names for the twenty-four hour time which is used throughout the scientific and military communities. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J and K | L | M | N | O | P | Q and R | S | T | U | V | W | X, Y and Z
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