100 Words Related to Natural Disasters

100 Words Related to Natural Disasters

No. Term Definition
1. aftershock Smaller quake after main earthquake.
2. ash cloud Airborne volcanic ash plume.
3. atmospheric river Narrow band of intense moisture.
4. avalanche Rapid snow and ice slide.
5. ball lightning Rare glowing sphere during storms.
6. barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure affecting weather.
7. blizzard Severe snowstorm with strong winds.
8. brushfire Fast-burning fire in shrubs.
9. caldera Large volcanic crater from collapse.
10. catastrophe Sudden event causing great damage.
11. cinder cone Small volcano built from cinders.
12. coastal erosion Shoreline loss from waves and storms.
13. cyclone Large rotating storm system.
14. debris flow Fast mix of mud and rocks.
15. dike Embankment built to hold water.
16. drought Long period of low rainfall.
17. dry lightning Lightning with little or no rain.
18. dust storm Strong winds carrying dust.
19. earthquake Ground shaking from crust movement.
20. El Niño Pacific warming altering global weather.
21. emergency kit Supplies for survival and first aid.
22. epicenter Point above earthquake focus.
23. evacuation Moving people to safety.
24. extreme heat Unusually high temperatures for days.
25. fault line Fracture where rocks move.
26. firebreak Cleared strip to stop fires.
27. firestorm Intense fire creating its own winds.
28. flash flood Sudden flooding after heavy rain.
29. floodplain Low land beside a river.
30. forewarning Advance notice of impending danger.
31. frostbite Tissue injury from extreme cold.
32. funnel cloud Rotating cloud not touching ground.
33. geysers Hot springs that erupt water.
34. glacier outburst flood Sudden flood from ice-dammed lake.
35. global warming Long-term rise in Earth temperature.
36. groundwater depletion Declining underground water reserves.
37. gust front Leading edge of storm winds.
38. hail Falling balls or lumps of ice.
39. hailstorm Storm producing heavy hail.
40. harmattan haze Dry dusty wind causing reduced visibility.
41. heat wave Prolonged period of extreme heat.
42. heavy rainfall Intense rain over a short time.
43. hotspot volcano Volcano fed by mantle plume.
44. hurricane Powerful tropical cyclone with high winds.
45. ice jam River ice blockage causing flooding.
46. ice storm Freezing rain coating surfaces in ice.
47. intensity scale Measure of shaking effects.
48. inundation Area covered by floodwater.
49. jet stream shift Change in high-altitude wind path.
50. jökulhlaup Sudden glacial outburst flood.
51. lahar Volcanic mudflow of ash and water.
52. landslide Mass of earth moving downhill.
53. lava flow Molten rock moving on surface.
54. levee Raised bank to prevent flooding.
55. liquefaction Soil loses strength during shaking.
56. magma chamber Underground reservoir of molten rock.
57. magnitude Measure of earthquake energy released.
58. microburst Sudden strong downward wind burst.
59. monsoon Seasonal winds bringing heavy rains.
60. mudslide Water-saturated earth sliding downhill.
61. nor’easter Strong coastal storm in northeast US.
62. ocean surge Sudden rise of sea level.
63. outbreak wildfire New rapidly spreading wildland fire.
64. outgassing Release of gases from volcano.
65. permafrost thaw Frozen ground melting over time.
66. pyroclastic flow Fast hot ash and gas avalanche.
67. rain shadow Dry area behind mountains.
68. reddening skies Smoke or dust coloring the sky.
69. richter scale Older logarithmic quake magnitude scale.
70. rip current Strong narrow current flowing seaward.
71. river flooding Overflow of rivers onto land.
72. sandstorm Windstorm carrying sand particles.
73. seiche Standing wave in enclosed water.
74. seismic wave Energy wave from an earthquake.
75. shelter-in-place Stay indoors for immediate safety.
76. sinkhole Ground collapse into underground void.
77. smoke plume Column of smoke from fire.
78. squall line Line of severe thunderstorms.
79. storm surge Sea level rise from storm winds.
80. stratospheric warming Upper-air warming altering weather patterns.
81. subduction zone Where one plate dives beneath another.
82. supercell Severe rotating thunderstorm.
83. tectonic plate Large moving slab of Earth’s crust.
84. thunderstorm Storm with lightning and thunder.
85. tornado Violent rotating column of air.
86. torrential rain Very heavy rainfall in short time.
87. tremor Small or continuous ground shaking.
88. tropical depression Weak organized tropical storm system.
89. tropical storm Tropical cyclone with moderate winds.
90. tsunami Large sea waves from seafloor shift.
91. typhoon Western Pacific hurricane-strength cyclone.
92. uplift Rising of Earth’s surface.
93. urban flooding Flooding in built-up areas.
94. volcanic eruption Release of lava, ash, and gases.
95. volcanic gas Gases emitted from a volcano.
96. volcanic vent Opening where magma and gases escape.
97. vulnerability Susceptibility to harm or damage.
98. waterspout Tornado over water.
99. weather warning Official notice of hazardous weather.
100. wildfire Uncontrolled fire in natural areas.