Extreme weather vocabulary

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What do we call a long period of time with hotter than normal temperatures?

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Heatwave: A prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity.

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What is the name of this extreme weather that causes high winds and storms, usually in tropical countries?

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Hurricane: A powerful tropical storm with strong winds and heavy rain.

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What type of weather is characterized by an overflow of water onto normally dry land?

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Flood: An overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry.

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What do we call a large amount of snow or ice falling quickly down a mountain?

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Avalanche: A sudden and fast flow of snow and ice down a slope.

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What is the name of a severe snowstorm with strong winds and low visibility?

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Blizzard: A severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds and heavy snowfall.

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What do we call a storm that produces hail?

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Hailstorm: A storm that produces balls or irregular lumps of ice, known as hail.

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What is the term for a rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud?

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Tornado: A rapidly rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.

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What do we call a weather event that involves a sudden release of energy in the atmosphere, resulting in thunder and lightning?

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Thunderstorm: A rain-bearing cloud that also produces lightning and thunder.

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What is the term for a prolonged period of unusually low temperatures?

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Cold wave: A weather phenomenon that involves a significant drop in temperature over a period of time.

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What do we call a weather condition characterized by a lack of precipitation?

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Drought: A prolonged dry period in the natural climate cycle that can occur anywhere in the world.