atmospheric river
noun
plural atmospheric rivers
: a concentrated band of water vapor that flows through the atmosphere and that is a significant part of the global hydrologic cycle and an important source of regional precipitation
Environment Canada is working on a new system to rank atmospheric rivers, a type of weather system that damaged highways, flooded farms and homes, and left at least four people dead in southern B.C. earlier this week.—
Wendy Stueck
Wendy StueckAtmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow.—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationIn a typical year, significant atmospheric river storms occur about 10 to 15 times in California. Ultimately, they account for up to 50% of the state's precipitation.—Paul Rogers
Paul RogersExamples of atmospheric river in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
An atmospheric river and bomb cyclone are what make this storm so powerful — but what do those terms mean?
—Nikki Nolan, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Other recent studies show future atmospheric river events may heighten this trend.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024
Cities like San Diego saw heavy flooding, power outages, mudslides and more from just one atmospheric river.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
The Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, may see multiple atmospheric river events, which could bring beneficial moisture but also increase risks of flooding and landslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
—Jim Foerster, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atmospheric river 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nikki Nolan, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Other recent studies show future atmospheric river events may heighten this trend.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024
Cities like San Diego saw heavy flooding, power outages, mudslides and more from just one atmospheric river.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
The Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, may see multiple atmospheric river events, which could bring beneficial moisture but also increase risks of flooding and landslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
—Jim Foerster, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atmospheric river
Dictionary Entries Near atmospheric river
Cite this Entry
“Atmospheric river.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atmospheric%20river. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share