DAPE - An acronym that stands for Downdraft Available Potential Energy. This is a measurement of a thunderstorm's ability to produce strong currents of descending air that reach the surface, called downdrafts. Thunderstorms with high levels of DAPE, can produce intense downdrafts that can result in straight-line winds of over 100 mph.

Orographic Lifting - The forced rising of air that occurs when winds run into a mountain or any area with notably higher terrain. When moist air pushes against and rises up a mountain, the air cools adiabatically, resulting in clouds and precipitation. This is the reason why higher elevations in the mountains will see greater amounts of precipitation.

Chinook (wind) - Chinook winds are commonly experienced in communities that live just downstream of a mountain range. When prevailing winds blow perpendicular to the mountain range, they ascend on the upstream side of the mountain and then descend on the downstream side. When the winds descend down the mountain, the air warms by compression, resulting in rapid upward spikes in temperatures. These winds are referred to as snow eaters, since they result in rapid snow melt during the cold season.

Backing wind - Winds that change direction in a counterclockwise sense. This occurs when wind directions turn to the left. An example is when the winds at a specific location turn from the north to the northwest. Backing winds can also refer to how the winds change direction with height. An example of this is when winds at the surface are from the north, while winds aloft are from the northwest.

Civil Dusk - The time at which the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon in the evening. At this time objects are distinguishable, but there is no longer enough light to perform any outdoor activities.

Cumulus - Puffy white clouds that typically have flat bases and have a limited amount of vertical growth. If they start to grow vertically they can morph into cumulonimbus clouds, at which point they can spawn a thunderstorm.

Wall Cloud - A localized, persistent, often abrupt lowering from a rain-free base of a cumulonimbus cloud. The location of the wall cloud marks the location of a strong updraft feeding the storm. Therefore, many wall clouds exhibit rapid upward motion and sometimes rotation. However, not all wall clouds rotate. If the wall cloud is seen rotating, the formation of a tornado is possible.