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The terms and definitions found in the glossary relate to the science of meteorology.
For descriptions and definitions of words used in the Bureau's forecasts and warnings, please refer to Weather Words.
- Vapour
- Gaseous form of a substance.
- Variability index
- An index for assessing the variability of annual rainfall.
Variability Index = {(90th percentile -10th percentile) / 50th percentile} - Virga
- Precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the ground.
- Vorticity
- Measure of the amount of local rotation or spin in the atmosphere at a specified level. In weather analysis and forecasting, it usually refers to the vertical component of rotation (i.e. rotation about a vertical axis).
- Vortex
- Rotating mass of air or water, such as water going down a plug hole.