AC - Abbreviation: A CLOUD!! Uttered by storm chasers who have suffered from supercell deprivation syndrome.
ACCAS - What a storm chaser does when he busts. (pronounced I-Cuss)
Advection - A popular slang term used by chasers (i.e. groovy, cool, rad, advection!)
Air-mass Thunderstorm - A thunderstorm which attends a catholic church service.
Algorithm - The technical terminology for the rhythym of Al Gore while watching a severe thunderstorm.
Anticyclonic Rotation - The name of the World Famous Band made out of storm chasers who once tried out for American Idol and were told "That was horrendous" as thunder boomed.
Anvil - The iron part of a severe thunderstorm which makes the sky so dark.
Anvil Crawler - [Slang], A large, twelve-legged carnivore which feeds off negative ions within a thunderstorm.
Anvil Dome -The Storm Chaser's convention auditorium in Denver, Colorado. Well, not yet.
Anvil Rollover - A cataclysmic clash between two competing anvils. Usually, the second anvil will win.
Anvil Zits - What happens just before a thunderstorm reaches it's mature stage.
AP - Anomalous Propagation. Radar's messed up.
Approaching (severe levels) - The opposite of Not Approaching.
Arcus - Like ACCUS, except this is how the good people from Georgia pronounce this saying.
AVN - AViatioN model; A meteorologist, usually a brunette, who loves to fly in airplanes to catch hurricanes.
-B-Back-building Thunderstorm - A thunderstorm which takes great pleasure in weight lifting.
Backing Winds - What happens when shirtless storm chasers face a severe thunderstorm as the winds hit them from the south as they look north or northwest. Otherwise known as Winds From the Back.
Back-sheared Anvil - [Slang], A project which removes hair from anvil follicles on the top of the thunderstorm, leaving the smooth, glaciated appearance we all see.
Barber Pole - , The newest Yahoo storm chasing fad to bring attention to themselves. The relation behind the Barber Pole and Storm Chasing is not quite yet apparent.
Baroclinic Zone - The Free Clinic all barometers must attend if they feel they are under too much pressure.
Barotropic System - A Not Free Clinic, usually in Jamaica, all barometers must attend if they feel they are under too much pressure.
Bear's Cage - [Slang], The Vehicle of a storm chaser who has busted for over 10 weeks and has yhet to see a tornado while his fellow chase partners have seen 3 outbreaks and over 15 tornadoes.
Beaver('s) Tail - What a storm chaser does not want to see if one is observing a supercell in a ditch on the side of the road.
Blue Watch (or Blue Box) - The color timepiece of preference by experienced storm chasers and spotters.
Boundary Layer - The best part of an AllSup's Burrito.
Bow Echo - (slang) Storm Chaser's Lingo for a Bow Tie. Usually uttered by StormDorks.
Box (or Watch Box) - [Slang], The case that the blue timepiece of preference is usually purchases in.
BRN - (Abbreviation) Big Rainy Nusiance. Uttered by storm chasers on days with too little cap.
Bulk Richardson Number (or BRN) - THe number given on a daily basis of how many Allsup's burritos were consumed on a given chase. Otherwise known as BAN (Bulk Allsup's Number)
Bust - [Slang], What male storm chasers think of if there is not any supercells.
BWER - Bounded Weak Echo Region. The opposite of an Unbounded Strong Echo Region.
C-CA - Cloud-to-Air lightning. Nothing too special about this!
Cap - A hat or facial shield worn by storm chasers. Usually with a picture of a tornado, lightning bolt, or skywarn logo.
CAPE - applied to cities in the United States with little or no chance of being hit by an F5. i.e. Cape Canaveral, Cape Hattaras.
*Cb - Outdated storm chaser communication device. Now replaced by Cp (Cell Phone)
CC - Uttered by a storm chaser who sees a funnel no one else seems to be able to. (see! see!!
Cell - The place where chasers who illegally enter a damage zone or knowingly break the law usually reside for a period of time.
*CG - Cloud-to-Ground lightning flash. Also uttered by chasers who are suffering from supercell deprivation syndrome who see a radio tower's flashing strobe in the corner of their eye and fail to think before speaking.
Chaff - What some people call chasers named Jeff when eating an Allsup's Burrito.
CIN - Word in the saying "Go and CIN no more" -- referring to the chaser's desire for no convective inhibition.
Cirrus - Cloud named after the popular sedan.
Classic Supercell - The golf tournament for storm chasers. Otherwise known as the Supercell Classic.
Clear Slot - No comment.
Closed Low - The opposite of an open high.
Cloud Streets -The top network television show about the lives of storm chasers. Usually precedes American Idol.
Cloud Tags - What is placed on a cloud before the cloud is put on sale...if it does't dissipate first.
Cold Advection - When the slang word "Advection" is used in a negative fashion. The opposite of the above "Advection" term when used for positive reasons.
Cold-air Funnel - A funnel cloud or tornado that can develop from a shower or thunderstorm when the air aloft is cold. There is nothing, absolutely nothing humurous about this.
Cold Pool - What storm chasers would DIE for after a 95 degree bust day.
Collar Cloud - Storm chaser's verbage for Ring Around the Collar. Cured by Wisk.
Comma Cloud - Any cloud shaped like a comma.
Comma Echo - Any echo shaped like a comma.
Condensation Funnel - A funnel with condensation. The opposite of a Non-Condensation Funnel, which is, appropriately, a funnel without condensation, which is actually, hardly a funnel at all since it is actually invisible. But it is still a funnel shape, though one cannot see it. Controversial.
Confluence - Confused with Convergence. Experienced chasers know the difference, and this is what defines a Real Chaser from a Yahoo. Just kidding.
Congestus (or Cumulus Congestus) - (Medidcal) the Medical name for storm chasers who get colds and go into doctors offices and say "I have congestus"
Convection - Rising hot air. Refers to the foul language of a storm chaser who has repetitively busted.
Convective Outlook (sometimes called AC) -An outlook on the chances of a storm chaser using foul language in the event of a bust.
Convective Temperature - The temperature where foul language is increased in the event a storm chaser is busting.
Convergence - Confused with Confluence. Again, See Confluence.
e Punch - Because it is possible minors may be viewing this web site, details on this definition would not be appropriate here.
Culiform Anvil - An anvil which has been seeded with cauliflower seeds.
Cumulus - word that is used much like "Dude"
Cumulus Congestus (or simply Congestus) - Lots of chasers using the word Cumulus
Cutoff Low - The style of jeans chasers love to see.
Cyclic Storm - A storm which every 28 days goes through a cycle. No further discussion here due to the graphic and distatsteful topic of conversation.
Cyclogenesis - The beginning of circulation in cyclonic rotation. Technically known as "when Things Start To Spin Real Good".
*Cyclonic Circulation (or Cyclonic Rotation) - Circulation (or rotation) The visible apparition of when things start to spin real good.
-D-dBZ -An annoying and constant statement uttered by chasers who have no clue what it is except it means really pretty colors.
*Debris Cloud - Often imagined by non-chasers and some spotters who believe they are seeing a tornado's earthly disturbance of dirt and material... when it is actually a large cloud of bees who were disturbed by a curious monkey.
Delta T - T-shirt worn by most chasers.
Derecho - The mostmispronouced meteorological phenomenon. De-RESH-o..De RAY-co... DE- recho...which is it?
Dew Point (or Dew-point Temperature) - World Famous Amusement Park near Sandusky, Ohio. Otherwise known as Cedar Point.
Differential Motion - When clouds decide to party in the sky.
Difluence (or Diffluence) - What happens when all chasers leave Aunt Meg's after a storm warning i issued.
Directional Shear - Term relating to Anvil Shear...when Anvil Hair is trimmed neatly and effortlessly by those manning The Project.
Diurnal - (slurred) literally "The Urinal". What chasers usually wish for when tracking a long tracked tornado after drinking 5 cans of Root Beer.
Divergence - Who the heck cares.
Doppler Radar - An Upgrade of WSR-57. Allows more pretty colors to be seen. This can, and has, saved lives and is the most important piece of weather equipment today. And the most advanced color generator on the market.
*Downburst - Phenomenon when a chaser gives in to Supercell Deprivation Syndrome and can no longer function a normal life.
Downdraft - Phenomenon when chasers get togetrher at the local pub and down drafts.
Downstream - Phenomenon when chasers use Diurnal.
Dry Adiabat - The opposite of a Wet Adiabat. Not preferred.
Dry Line - The area in a thunderstorm where it is raining on one side of the street and not raining on the other side of the street, causing many to run just behind the rain shield taunting it with words lile "hey you cant get me"
Dry-line Bulge - When the rain reacts after being mocked and lurches forward and "gets me"
Dry-line Storm -Storm with a Dry-Line.
Dry Microburst - No comment.
Dry Punch - [Slang], Absolutely no comment.
Dry Slot - Again, no comment whatsoever.
Dust Devil - Name applied to a chaser who continually busts.
*Dust Plume - What happens when a chaser speeds off on a dusty road just after realizing he busted.
*Dust Whirl - When a chaser's dust plume suddenly starts rotating, creating a landspout, but the chaser misses it because he is looking forward now to an Allsup's burrito.
Dynamics - Loud chaser music.
-E-ECMWF -Extremely Crappy Mesoscale Weather Feature. No chaser wants one of these.
Elevated Convection - A storm chaser is required to use an elevator to reach this convection. Available from a retailer near you.
Energy Helicity Index (or EHI) - If you dont know I am not going to tell you.
Enhanced Wording - When what normally, usually, and typically would most undeniably be a simple, common statement is thrown out as a non-simple statement.
Entrance Region - Absolutely no comment.
Equilibrium Level (or EL) - When a chaser can't get any more excited.
Eta Model - The "Worst Model Ever Created".
Exit Region - see Entrance Region
-F-F scale - See Fujita Scale.
Feeder Bands - Lines of Chasers at a Restaurant going towards the Buffet line.
*Flanking Line - Chaser Convergence. The inflow region of chasers to a target area.
Forward Flank Downdraft - Technical term for "Cold Air Rushing To The Earth In Front Of A Big Storm"
Front - The opposite of the Back.
Fractus - Ripped up portions of paper which was once a target forecast that is now a complete bust.
Fujita Scale (or F Scale) - Ted Fujita's Damage Scale. Keep in mind. An F0 can have f5 strength if it touches nothing. an F5 can never have F0 strength bacause it has to destroy something. There ya go!
*Funnel Cloud - A cloud that loves Tupperware Funnels.
-G-Ground Clutter - Yahoo Convergence.
Gunge - [Slang], anything in the atmosphere that restricts visibility for storm spotting, such as Yahoos.
Gust Front - In a word, Refreshing!
Gustnado (or Gustinado) - [Slang],small tornado forming in the front of rain cooled downdraft. Can be destructive. Nothing funny here. Sorry. Im lame.
-H-Helicity - City near Siouxcity.
High Risk (of severe thunderstorms) -Term issued by the Storm Prediction Center guaranteeing a tornado bust.
Hodograph - Graph of Hodo. Measures distances from one Hodo to another Hodo. You cannot chase without this.
Hook - Yahoo piece of equipment designed to attempt to wrap around a tornad such as a cane to bring it closer. Dismal failure.
HP Storm or HP Supercell - Supercell with a heckuv lot of rain or hail.
Humidity - wet.
Impulse - The first attempt to chase too early in the day.
Inflow Bands (or Feeder Bands) - See Feeder Bands.
Inflow Jets - Jet aircraft hired by sponsored storm chaers to see tornadoes.
Inflow Notch - Absolutely no comment.
Inflow Stinger -OUCH!
Insolation - Material applied to most storm chaser vehicles to protect it from lightning strikes.
Instability - The tendency for storm chasers to go off the edge if they begin to see they are busting. Symptoms include temper tantrums, shortness of breath, hood pounding and tire kicking.
Inversion - the proper, true, not exxagerates storm chase account. This is in comparison to the outversion, the "im out to impress others" chase account version.
Isentropic Lift - A very big elevator.
Isentropic Surface - your desktop. Its flat and the temperature is the same from point A to point B.
Isobar - The local chaser hangout where one can downdrafts.
Isodrosotherm - Technical term for "DewPointotherm"
Isohyet - phrase "Are we there yet" when uttered with a mouthfull of Allsup's Burritos..
Isopleth - phrase "I so special" uttered with a mouthful of Allsup's Burritos..
Isotach - phrase "I so tacky" uttered with a mouthful of Allsup's Burritos..
Isotherm - phrase :I so nerdy" uttered with a mouthful of Allsup's Burritos.
-J-Jet Max (or Speed Max, Jet Streak) - The maximum speed attained by a storm chaser en route to a supercell.
Jet Streak - The maximum speed of a yahoo attempting to shed his or her clothes while watching a tornado.
Jet Stream - The fast speed of "taking care of business" when one has to stop at a rest area while a tornado is on the ground 4 miles away and you are missing it.
-K-Knuckles - [Slang], What turn white when approaching a tornado.
-L-Laminar - the word which means Laminar.
Landspout - [Slang], what a chaser who busts does while on land.
Lapse Rate - The year-to-year bust increment of an unfortunate chaser.
Large-scale - scale needed for those who eat to many Allsup's Burritos.
Left Front Quadrant (or Left Exit Region) The area which includes your left arm, left chest and left shoulder.
Left Mover - A chaser who continually steps left as a tornado moves between trees so once can keep the view.
LEWP -(slang) means LOOPY. Symptom of Supercell Deprivation Syndrome.
Lifted Index (or LI) - Opposite of the Sinking Index.
Loaded Gun - [Slang], no comment.
Longwave Trough - What chasers who love pigs carry with them in the back of their pickup. Why some chasers carry pigs I will never know. Haven't really met one yet who does, either..
Low-level Jet (abbrev. LLJ) - Jet plane of a Corporate-Sponsored Chaser maneuvering to scare the normal chasers. Deleted scene out of Twister. j/k
LP Storm (or LP Supercell) - Low power storm. Once was termed Low-Precipitation..but low power stuck better. ha!
LSR - Local Storm Report. A product issued by local NWS offices to inform users of reports of severe and/or significant weather-related events. No joking here!
-M-Mammatus Clouds - Rounded, smooth, sack-like protrusions hanging from the underside of a cloud (usually a thunderstorm anvil). Always accompanied by some sort of off-joke by storm chasers of the male gender. Then accompanied by a slap on the face by chasers of the female gender.
MCC - Mesoscale Convective Complex. BIG A-- THUNDERSTORM!!!
MCS - Mesoscale Convective System. SMALLER BIG A-- THUNDERSTORM!!!
Medium Range - Stove used by chasers, but not the biggest.
Meridional Flow - no comment.
*Mesocyclone - A storm-scale region of rotation, typically around 2-6 miles in diameter and often found in the right rear flank of a supercell (or often on the eastern, or front, flank of an HP storm). The circulation of a mesocyclone covers an area much larger than the tornado that may develop within it. Straight from the Real Spotter Glossary. YOU try to make a joke out of this one!!
Mesohigh - What a chaser utters after seeing his or her first tornado. (ME SO HIGH!).
Mesolow (or Sub-synoptic Low) - What a chaser utters after missing the chance to see a tornado. (ME SO LOW!)
Mesonet - What a chaser utters when he doesnt know what else to say. (ME SO......NET!)
Mesoscale - Medium scale systems.
*Microburst - Term applied after a chaser has a StormGasm (definition of which can NOT be applied here.)
Mid-level Cooling - what happens when one puts allsups burritos in the fridge.
Moderate Risk (of severe thunderstorms) - WHOA its chase time!!!.
Moisture Advection - (slang) word used in a positive situation if in the Gulf Flow.
Moisture Convergence -Where all the waters meet.
Morning Glory - The elated look of anticipation on a chaser's face the morning of a potentially great chase day.
MRF - Major Retarded Forecast.
Multi-cell(ular) When two or more chasers break the law and end up in one or more cells.
*Multiple-vortex (or Multi-vortex) Tornado - Dangerous.
Mushroom - [Slang], Chaser quick food when there are no allsup's burritos.
-N-NCEP - National Centers for Environmental Prediction; the modernized version of NMC. Make a joke out of this? I cant!
Negative-tilt Trough - A pig trough that is arranged in a direction 90 degrees opposite of most.
NEXRAD - NEXt-Generation Weather RADar.
Doppler much more colorful then the WSR-57.NGM - Not a Good Morning. Usually on cloudy, drizzle-filled mornings that should have cleared hours ago.
NMC - No More Chasing. Uttered by chasers who are on a bust streak.
NOAA - Uttered by chasers unsure of whats going on. (No.........uh.....)
Nowcast - A short-term weather forecast, generally out to six hours or less. woohoo!!!
NSSFC - No Severe Sign Forecasted Currently. Horrible omen.
NSSL - No stupid Severe Luck. Another bust phrase.
NWP - No Way Partner. When a chaser wants to go another way and is refused by his or her chase partner.
NWS - No Wiener Salami. Totally useless statement, origin unknown.
(Excuse me, useless? From the woman's point of view I would think it is critical to know if my salami has weiner! Ok.........moving on!)
-O-Occluded Mesocyclone - Occluded Mesocyclone.
Orographic - When a chaser tells a horrible off-color joke that is graphic.
Orographic Lift - No comment. Reaction to a orographic joke.
Outflow Boundary - Dividing line between warm and cold. In chasers, the dividing line between those who scored and those who didnt.
Overhang - Reaction to chasers who have drank waaay too much.
Overrunning - Yahoo speeding.
*Overshooting Top (or Penetrating Top) - No comment. -P-
PDS Watch - [Slang], Fancy blue watch warn by storm chasers. The most expensive.
Pendant Echo - Another fancy piece of Jewelry warn by female chasers, usually shaped like a tornado.
Penetrating Top - Absolutely, positively no comment.
Popcorn Convection - [Slang], What happens when a chaser spent all his or her money to chase and all has left is popcorn and watches it in the microwave.
Positive Area - The area in front of a supercell where the fortunate chasers have converged. Positive CG - CG with a loud thunderclap.
Positive-tilt Trough - See Negative Tilt Trough -- the opposite.
Potential Temperature - Temperature a chaser wishes it would get to so it would blow.
PPINE - Trees used by chasers where there are no diurnals.
Profiler - Chaser psychologist.
Pseudo-Cold Front - eensy weensy cold front.
Pseudo-Warm Front -- Eensy weency warm front.
Pulse storm - A storm that pulses.
PVA - Particularly Vicious Afterglow. Happens after single people's stormchase rendozvous.
-R-RADAP II - Top Secret project.
Radial Velocity - who cares
Rain Foot - [Slang], Act of joy by a chaser stomping in a puddle while seeing a tornado.
*Rain-free Base - Like caffeine-free coke. But we're talkin about rain..
Red Watch or Red Box - [Slang],Most expensive timepiece worn by chasers.
Reflectivity - degree of reflection off skywarn stickers on the back of chase vehicles.
Relative Humidity - amount of perspiration by a storm chaser's relative who just now understands you put yourself in the path of a tornado on purpose.
Retrogression (or Retrograde Motion) - Backward motion of a chaser who smells the relative humidity of the chaser's relative.
Return Flow - Forward motion of the chaser who suddenly realizes he or she loves his or her relative anyway and gfoes to give them a hug while holding their breath.
Right Entrance Region (or Right Rear Quadrant) - No comment.
Ridge - The last name of our Homeland Security Chief. Not realted to weather.
Right Rear Quadrant -The right buttcheek, lower back, upper leg..
*Roll Cloud - Chaser terminology for Love Handles.
*Rope ) - A device used to tie one down inside an F5 tornado. worked on Twister.
Rope Cloud - any cloud that looks like a rope.
Rope Stage - Storm Chaser comedy club in Davenport, Iowa.
RUC - Real Bad Chaser.
