____________________, the beginning of winter, is the shortest day of the year.

Twice a year on the ____________________, the days and nights all over the world are equal in length. They mark the beginning of spring and autumn.

____________________ is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time.

____________________ is the term for weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time.

An important factor of weather is ____________________, falling water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

Geographers classify percipitation into three types: ____________________, ____________________, and ____________________.

In Asia, this type of storm is referred to as a ____________________.

Another violent storm, called a ____________________, is a powerful, funnelshaped column of spiraling air that forms quickly and sometimes without warning.

A heavy snowstorm with winds of more than 32 miles per hour and reduced visibility is referred to as a ____________________.

In contrast, a long period without precipitation or with minimal precipitation is called a ____________________.

____________________ occur when water, in the form of melted snow or rain, accumulates at such a rate that it cannot return to the atmosphere in the usual manner. As a result, stream and rivers overflow into the surrounding area