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Random Weather Terminology Selections

1. Loaded Gun (Sounding)
[Slang], a sounding characterized by extreme instability but containing a cap, such that explosive thunderstorm development can be expected if the cap can be weakened or the air below it heated sufficiently to overcome it.

2. lapse rate
The rate of change of an atmospheric variable, usually temperature, with height. A steep lapse rate implies a rapid decrease in temperature with height (a sign of instability) and a steepening lapse rate implies that destabilization is occurring.

3. Positive-tilt Trough
An upper level system which is tilted to the east with increasing latitude (i.e., from southwest to northeast). A positive-tilt trough often is a sign of a weakening weather system, and generally is less likely to result in severe weather than a negative-tilt trough if all other factors are equal.

4. local storm report (LSR )
Used to distribute severe weather reports to the media, emergency managers, and other NWS offices. It is issued as reports are received, and may also be issued as a collection of all reports received after an event is over. Delayed reports are disseminated after an event is over as well.

5. Sub-synoptic Low
Essentially the same as mesolow.