Maximum
The greatest value attained by a function, for example, temperature, pressure, or wind speed. The opposite of minimum.
Temperature
The measure of molecular motion or the degree of heat of a substance. It is measured on an arbitrary scale from absolute zero, where the molecules theoretically stop moving. It is also the degree of hotness or coldness. In surface observations, it refers primarily to the free air or ambient temperature close to the surface of the earth.
Pressure
The force per unit area exerted by the weight of the atmosphere above a point on or above the earth’s surface.
Wind Speed
The rate of the motion of the air on a unit of time. It can be measured in a number of ways. In observing, it is measured in knots, or nautical miles per hour. The unit most often used in the United States is miles per hour.
Minimum
The least value attained by a function, for example, temperature, pressure, or wind speed. The opposite of maximum.