Wake-
The region of turbulence immediately to the rear of a solid body in motion relative to a fluid.
Wall cloud-
A local, often abrupt lowering from a cumulonimbus cloud base into a low hanging accessory cloud, normally a kilometer or more in diameter.
Warm conveyor belt-
A narrow stream of air that transports large amounts of heat, moisture, and westerly momentum.
Warm sector-
That area, within the circulation of a wave cyclone, where the warm air is found. Traditionally, it lies between the cold front and warm front of the storm; in the typical case, the warm sector continually diminishes in size and ultimately disappears (at the surface) as the result of occlusion.
Water circulation coefficient-
The ratio of a regions total precipitation to the amount of external precipitation originating as evaporation from the oceans as opposed to evapotranspiration from the land.
Water content-
The liquid water present within a sample of snow (or soil), usually expressed in percent by weight.
Water spout-
1. In general, any tornado over a body of water. 2. In its most common form, a nonsupercell tornado over water.
Well mixed layer-
A type of atmospheric boundary layer characterized by vigorous turbulence tending to stir and uniformly mix, primarily in the vertical, quantities such as conservative tracer concentrations, potential temperature, and momentum or wind speed.
West east transport-
The eastward flux of mass, momentum, heat, moisture or any other property of a fluid by mean motion or by correlation with the eastward component of motion, that is, eddy flux.
Wet bulb potential temperature-
The temperature an air parcel would have if cooled from its initial state adiabatically to saturation, and thence brought to 1000 mb by a moist adiabatic process.
Wet deposition-
The removal of atmospheric gases or particles through their incorporation into hydrometeors, which are then lost by precipitation.
Whiteout-
An atmospheric optical phenomenon in which the observer appears to be engulfed in a uniformly white glow.
Wind chill index-
A means of quantifying the threat of rapid cooling during breezy or windy conditions that may result in hypothermia in cold conditions.
Wind shear-
The local variation of the wind vector or any of its components in a given direction.
Work-
A form of energy arising from the motion of a system against a force, existing only in the process of energy conversion.
