Windy.app glossary: 100+ common terms you may see in the app and site
Read and learn definitions of the 100+ common terms you may see while using the application: weather and natural phenomena, different indexes, sports, operating systems, and, of course, the features of the app.
If you don't see some term and want to know more about it, write to [email protected]. We will add it to this useful glossary.
A
Air is a colloquialism used to name the Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere of our planet consists of several gases (nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, etc.) and protects us from harmful solar radiation. The state of the lower part of the atmosphere is called weather.
Air quality is usually referred to as how polluted the atmosphere is. Some gases and substances can cause human health issues and, therefore, should be closely monitored. There are several different air quality indices used to measure concentration of pollutants in different regions.
Altitude is a measurement in the vertical direction. Usually, the word is used to describe how much higher than the sea level a place is located.
Android is an operating system for mobile devices developed by Google and unveiled in 2007. The system is open-source software, so, at the moment it can also be used on PCs, game consoles, TVs, etc.
Anticyclone is a weather pattern, a large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure. Winds move clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and the other way round in the Southern Hemisphere. Anticyclones are associated with not stormy weather.
App is a kind of software developed mostly for end users. Usually, apps are installed on mobile devices, however, there are desktop applications on the market as well. Apps can be used for gaming, communication and getting access to valuable information.
App Store is an online marketplace created by Apple. Users can buy apps for their iOS-based devices there. Developers can sell or distribute their apps for free there as well.
App Version is referred to an update of software. Newer versions of apps are usually released quite often and offer new features to users as well as have some bugs fixed (or added).
Archive is a feature that lets users see information about the weather on a spot in previous years.
Atmospheric pressure is actually a weight of our atmosphere. Under different circumstances and in different regions that pressure can differ. However, a normal atmospheric pressure is considered to be 760 mm Hg.
Aurora is a weather phenomenon which can be described as colorful splashes in the sky. The nature of this phenomenon which occurs mostly in high-latitude regions is quite simple — solar wind disturbs Earth’s magnetosphere and ionizes particles which makes our atmosphere glowing.
B
Bicycling, or riding a bicycle, is a kind of sport or a kind of physical activity. Bicycles are good for transportation and are considered to be a very fun and healthy hobby.
Bike is a profile in Windy.app that displays air temperatures, bicycle riding temperature, clouds and precipitation, relative humidity, wind direction and some other weather parameters.
Breeze is a kind of wind, usually very mild and gentle. A sea breeze is a kind of wind blowing from water to land.
Business profile can be created by users of Windy.app who have something to offer to other users. For example, owners of schools, private instructors or other service providers can create their business profiles to get in touch with their possible clients.
C
Chat is a function of Windy.app that helps users communicate. Chats can be found in almost every spot, however, sometimes locations that are next to each other share the same chat.
Cloud is a visible mass of different particles and substances in the atmosphere. Usually, clouds are formed when the air is cooled to its dew point or when the air has gained enough moisture in the form of water vapor. Clouds are divided into several categories based on their shape, altitude, etc.
Comment is a written thought expressed by a user. Windy.app allows users to write comments in chats, in community or in accounts of the project on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Community allows users to create their own posts on Windy.app. Posts can tell about users themselves, spots, activities, events and can contain written texts and images. Posts in the community are open for commenting.
Compare mode is a mode that allows Windy.app users to compare different forecasts in one chart. Forecasts made with different models are available for Pro users.
Coordinate is a point on the surface of the Earth that helps people find a needed location. Latitude describes how far from the equator a place is. Longitude describes how far from the Prime Meridian a place is. Every place on the planet has its own unique coordinates.
Current is an ongoing movement of sea water induced by wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, or temperature and salinity differences. Ocean currents are very important for Earth’s climate as they affect temperatures throughout the world.
Customization allows users to adjust apps for their needs. Windy.app users are able to form their own forecasts, they can choose to see only the parameters (humidity, pressure, wind speed, sea currents, etc.) they need. There are more than 50 parameters to choose from.
Cycling, the same as bicycling, is riding a bicycle. Bicycles can be used as transportation, however, cycling can be considered as a sport, a physical activity or a hobby.
Cyclone is a weather phenomenon, a large mass of air spinning around the center with low atmospheric pressure. Cyclones are widely associated with rainy, windy or stormy weather.
D
Dew point is a temperature at which air gets enough water vapor. If temperature goes lower, water vapor will start condensating.
Directions is an option that allows users of Windy.app to map a route to their selected spot with help of third-party apps.
Discounts (or “Special offers”) is an option inside Windy.app that allows business owners to offer discounts to other users.
Distance shows how far a spot is. Distance can be measured in kilometers, miles, nautical miles. You can choose the right unit in Windy.app.
Drone is a robotic aircraft that can be used in meteorology and environmental studies. Drones are useful for creating maps, monitoring meteorological parameters and wildlife and natural phenomena observations.
Dust is a conglomerate of visible particles in the atmosphere. Such particles are often soil or sand lifted in the air and moved by wind. Dust can also be a result of volcano eruptions or severe pollution.
E
Earth is the third planet in the Solar system, our home planet.
Ensemble model is a model that creates a set of possible weather scenarios. Such models are good if you are looking for a long-term forecast. The option is available for PRO users.
Extreme forecast is a forecast of extreme weather events (severe cold waves, very strong wind, heat waves, avalanches, blizzards, etc.).
F
Favorite spot is a spot a user wants to follow. Any spot can be added to favorites. To do so, press the star in the top right corner of the screen.
Feedback is your opinion about Windy.app or its content. You can share your thoughts via social networks, App Store or Google Play. You can also write your feedback about any spot in the app using chats or community.
Feel like temperature is the temperature perceived by humans (as opposed to the temperature of the air). Sometimes people think that it is colder or hotter than it is. It happens because some parameters (wind speed, humidity) can alter our perception. Feel like temperature always takes these parameters in consideration and says how people would feel a temperature under given circumstances.
Fishing is a sport or a hobby based on catching fish in water bodies. People interested in fishing may use the Fish profile. This profile offers solunar forecasts, displays sea temperatures, atmospheric pressure at sea level, moonrises/sunrises, wind speed and other parameters.
Fog is a visible aerosole of water droplets near the surface of the Earth.
Forecast is a scientific prediction of weather. Forecasts are made with computer-based models taking different atmospheric parameters into account and calculating the most probable weather for a specific time and region.
Front is an area between two air masses with different characteristics. If a spot is in a front area, weather may change soon there.
G
Google Play is an online marketplace where users can buy apps for Android devices. App developers can showcase and sell their products there.
H
Halo is an optical weather phenomenon, different shining structures (rings, arcs, pillars, etc.) visible in the sky. Such structures are the result of light interacting with ice crystals in the atmosphere.
HD map is a map with the definition that is four-time higher than that of a standard one.
Humidity is a measure of water vapor in the air. Water vapor is usually not visible but knowing how much of it is in the atmosphere is essential for weather forecasting.
Hurricane is one of the names of tropical cyclones, weather systems with a low-pressure center and a large mass of air around it. The word “hurricane” is usually used to describe cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Pacific Ocean.
I
iOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple and used on Apple’s devices.
iPadOS is a version of iOS developed for Apple’s tablets.
Isobar is a contour line showing areas having the same atmospheric pressure. Such lines can be seen on maps.
Isotherm is a contour line showing areas having the same temperature. Such lines can be seen on maps.
J
Jet stream is a strong and narrow wind appearing at the boundaries of large air masses with big temperature differences. Jet streams can speed up to a hundred kilometers per hour or even more.
K
Kite size is a parameter you may notice in Windy.app using the Kite profile. The kite size suggestion helps users choose the right size of the kite for the current weather conditions on the spot.
Kitesurfing is an activity or a sailing sport, kitesurfers use the power of wind to move across the water on boards. They use kites to catch wind. Use the Kite profile in Windy.app to see weather parameters important for this kind of activity.
L
LAT stands for “Lowest Astronomical Tide”. It means the lowest possible water in a region. The term is used in Europe.
Light theme is a theme of Windy.app that has white as a base color.
Lite is a basic Windy.app profile for general outdoors activities.
Low internet mode is a new mode available in Windy.app. Users can turn in on in the Extra Settings and use it while in areas with poor 3G connection.
M
Meteostation is a feature available in the Windy.app web version. That feature lets users see the actual weather on a spot.
MLL stands for “Mean Lower Low Water”. The term is used to describe the average value of the lowest low water level.
Model rating is a feature that evaluates the accuracy of weather forecasts. Models that are more accurate get better ratings, ratings are shown under the weather station data.
Moonrise is a time of appearance of the Moon over the horizon. Knowing the time when the Moon rises may be helpful for fishermen, therefore, information about moonrises can be found in the Fish profile.
Moonset is the setting of the moon below the horizon. Knowing the time when the Moon sets may be helpful for fishermen, therefore, information about moonsets can be found in the Fish profile.
MSL stands for “Mean Sea Level”. It shows an hourly sea level.
N
Nearest spot is a feature that shows spots nearest to a user. There are 5 nearest spots listed.
O
Ocean, often referred to as the World Ocean, is the largest water reservoir on our planet covering the largest part of the Earth’s surface.
Offline mode allows Windy.app users to use the app with no Internet connection.
Outdoor map is a map showing real-time feeds from outdoor video cameras installed in different regions. That may help see the actual weather in any location.
P
Paragliding is a sport or an activity, paragliders use foot-launched glider aircrafts to catch wind and fly. You can use the Air profile of Windy.app to learn the paragliding-related weather parameters on a spot.
Personal profile is a profile any user can create for themselves. Personal profile can have users’ photo, nickname and selection of sports and favorite spots.
Precipitation is a visible condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Rain, snow, hail, drizzle are considered to be precipitation.
Predictive model is a model that allows to predict weather based on measuring and following different parameters (wind speed, cloudiness, pressure, humidity, etc.) and calculating the most possible scenario.
Pro version is a version of Windy.app that gives users access to some special features like Offline mode, Wind Alerts, Weather Archive, more weather models, etc. Users can subscribe to get the Pro version or get it for free by participating in a Weekly Photo Contest.
Q
Quizz is a small game or a mini contest that users can see in Windy.app’s Instagram stories.
R
Rain is visible water droplets that condensed from the atmospheric water vapor and fell down because of gravity.
Rainbow is a visible colorful arc visible in the sky and formed because of reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets.
Report is a feature that allows users to add a wind report for any spot they are on. It can be done on the spot forecast page.
Review is an option that lets users review any spot and write about its characteristics.
Route to spot is an option of Windy.app that allows users to map a route to their selected spot with help of third-party apps (Apple Maps, Google Maps, Yandex. Navigator).
S
Sailing is a sport or an activity based on catching the wind with sails for moving on water’s surface. Use the Sail profile, to get sailing-related weather parameters for a spot.
Satellite is an artificial mechanism launched to the Earth’s orbit for communication or science purposes. Satellites can be used to measure atmospheric parameters and follow weather systems.
Seasickness is a condition that often occurs on water. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and headache and develop because of a difference between actual and expected motion.
Sharing forecast is a feature that allows Windy.app users to share forecasts with friends.
Snow forecast is a forecast showing important information about the current and the expected snow cover — for example, last snow, snow depth, general precipitation forecast.
Snow profile is a Windy.app profile useful for skiers and snowboarders. It gives users information that will help them prepare for their time at ski resorts — it shows air temperatures at top and bottom stations, rain and snow charts, wind speed and direction, etc.
Snow sport is a sport or an activity on snow — for example, snowboarding, skiing, ski jumping, etc. Users can go to the Snow profile to get weather parameters crucial for snow sports.
Snowfall is an amount of snow that fell or is expected to fall in a region at a certain time.
Social networks are online resources that let users have their accounts, share their content and communicate with each other. Windy.app has its pages on different social networks — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.
Solunar shows the probability to catch fish. It is said that fish and animal behavior depends on the location of the Moon, so, the solunar forecasts show the best dates for fishing based on that parameter. It can be found in the Fish profile.
Special offer is an option letting business owners offer discounts to Windy.app users. All special offers are moderated.
Sport is all kinds of competitive physical activities — for example, football, tennis, skiing, athletics are considered to be sports.
Spot is a place on a map, a location. Windy.app lets you find locations good for outdoor activities — ski resorts, beaches, tourist destinations, etc.
Spot gallery is a gallery where you can find images of a spot. Photos can be added by users there.
Spot review is an option that lets users review any spot and write about its characteristics.
Sunrise is the time when the Sun appears on the horizon.
Sunset is the time when the Sun disappears below the horizon.
SUP (paddle boarding) is a sport or a physical activity. Paddleboarders stand on boards and use paddles to move themselves through the water.
Surfing is a sport or a physical activity. Surfers use waves to move through water on boards. Windy.app users can go to the Surf profile to get information about weather parameters important for this kind of a sport.
Swell is waves on the water that are not caused by wind but more by the gravity of the Earth.
T
Temperature is a physical quantity expressing how hot or cold objects or substances are. You can use the Celsius scale or the Fahrenheit scale to measure temperature.
Thunderstorms are storms characterized by the presence of electrical discharges occurring inside clouds or between clouds and the Earth's surface.
Tidal datum is a weather parameter showing information about tides. It can be found in the Sail profile and in the Surf profile. It can also be added to a customized profile.
Tide is a rise or fall of sea levels. Tides are periodical and are caused by the gravity of the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. Tides are important to have in mind if you like sailing.
Trade winds are constant winds that blow all year long in the same direction, for example, from tropical latitudes to the equator.
Typhoon is a tropical cyclone occurring in the Northwestern Pacific Basin.
U
Ultraviolet index is a weather parameter showing the level of ultraviolet radiation in a particular place and time.
Update is a renewing of the app (new version) with addition of new features, bug fixes, etc.
V
Viewed spot is a spot a user already visited on Windy.app.
Volcano is a geological formation where magma can escape to the Earth’s surface. It is actually a place where the Earth’s surface has a rupture.
W
Wave is a ripple of water’s surface generated by wind or produced by the Earth’s gravity.
Weather is the current state of the lowest level of the atmosphere in a region.
Weather archive is an option that lets users see what weather was like in the previous years. Every spot has its own archive.
Weather forecast is a scientific prediction of what the weather will be like in a certain area at a certain time. Forecasts are mostly made with computer modelling and calculate the highest probability of a weather event. Forecasts can be long- and short-term.
Weather forecast model is a computer model that takes different atmospheric parameters into consideration and calculates the most possible weather scenario. There are many forecasts models that can be found in Windy.app. Model rating will help users find the most accurate one.
Weather profile is a profile of Windy.app adjusted to the needs of people that are into different kinds of outdoor activities. There are the Surf profile for surfers, the Fish profile for fishermen, the Bike profile for bikers, the Snow profile for skiers and snowboarders, the Kite profile for kiters, the Sail profile for sailors, the Windsurf profile for windsurfers, the Air profile for paragliders, and the Lite profile for non-specified tourists.
Weather station is a facility having equipment for measuring and documenting atmospheric conditions on a location. Data collected on weather stations are used for weather forecasting.
Weekly Photo Contest is a contest in the Community section of the app. Winners of the contest get a lifetime Windy.app Pro subscription for free.
Widget is a small applet, a part of an app (or any other software) that can be used to get access to app’s info without opening the app itself.
Wind alert is an option that informs users about winds in a selected location. Users can choose parameters of wind they need to be informed of — for example, Wind Direction or Wind Speed.
Wind barb is a traditional sign of wind direction and speed. Wind barbs can be seen on Windy.app maps.
Wind gust is a brief increase of the wind speed. Usually, a gust lasts no more than 20 seconds.
Weather map is a map where users can see winds’ directions and speed.
Wind report is an option letting users add their own wind reports. That information will help other users to get an idea of what the actual wind on the place is like.
Wind rose shows wind statistics for a spot for a certain period of time. It shows wind directions and wind strength.
Windsurfing is an activity that is often considered to be a combination of surfing and sailing. Windsurfers use boards with sails to move in the water. Windsurfers can use the Windsurf profile of Windy.app.
Windy.app is an app developed for those who love travelling and outdoors activities. The app helps people get the most accurate weather forecasts for popular tourist destinations.
Working wind direction is a wind direction that is good for practicing this or that sport on a given location at a given time.
X
Y
Z
Text: Windy.app team
Cover photo: tim-vanderhoydonck / unsplash
You will also find useful
Mini guide to sailing and yachting with Windy.app
The complete guide to windsports and the wind speed required to practice them
Guide to all Windy.app features (updating)
