Climate and Global System Flashcards
is the outdoor condition of the
moment
weather
occurs close to the
surface of the earth. It is what we see
and experience when we go outside
weather
tell us the predicted
temperature and the possibility of rain
weather forecast
The average of weather conditions and
patterns over time is called
climate
is the long-term average of
daily changes in weather.
climate
is the generic term for all
forms of condensation falling back to
earth like rain, snow, hail, or mist.
precipitation
graphs showing the relationship of the temperature and precipitation
climatograms
Factors of weather
temperature and precipitation
the study of the
atmosphere.
meteorology
hot air rises, cold air sinks.
principle of convection
the amount of heat absorbed by the earth’s surface in a given amount of time.
insolation
more slanted the incident rays
lower insolation
gets the most sunlight, higher rainfall.
tropical zone
Gets the least amount of sunlight
polar zone
warmest regions
tropic
coldest region
polar
The origin of dry air mass is from the land
continental
moist air mass from water
maritime
dry & cold.
Continental Arctic
dry & cold summer, dry & mild winter.
continental polar
dry & cold summer, dry & mild winter.
continental tropical
-colder & higher moisture
maritime polar
-very hot & very humid.
maritime tropic
region between 23.50 N and 23.50
S
tropical region/low latitude
have higher rainfall amounts due to the greater amounts of radiation and insolation they receive
tropical region/low latitude
from 23.50 N to 66.50 N and from 23.50 S to 66.50 S,
Temperate zones/mid latitude
formation of precipitation involves ice
temperate zones/mid latitude
extend from the North Pole to
the Arctic Circle (66.50 N latitude) and from the South Pole to the Antarctic Circle
Polar region/ high latitude
White surfaces do not absorb radiation.
Radiation reflects from white surfaces.
albedo effect
affects climate
distance from the equator (latitude)
distance from the ocean (continentality)
topography of the land (relief)
altitude above sea level (elevation)
distance from the equator
latitude
distance form the ocean
contenantality
topography of the land
relief
usually green with vegetation.
windward side
warm air rises up on the mountain
windward side
air sinks on this side of the mountain
leeward side
This is the rain shadow region
leeward side
side gets no rain and is therefore, dry
and bare
leeward side
altitude above sea level
elevation
an area within a fluid where warm material is rising in the center and cold material is sinking at the edges
convection cell
warm air rises=
low pressure area
cold descending air creates belts of=
high pressure
the low-latitude overturning circulations that have air rising at the equator and air sinking at roughly 30° latitude.
Hadley cell
Winds that move on the surface of the
earth.
Coriolis Principle
the winds seem to come from the northeast
northeast trade winds
these winds seem to
blow from the southeast.
southeast trade winds
60°-90°
high pressure belts (horse latitude)
0°-60°
low pressure belts
winds seem to blow from the west
westerlies
wind in these cells moves southward; they deflect to the left and they blow as if coming from the west
Ferrel cell
30 degrees to 60 degrees
ferrel cell
The low pressure zone at the equator.
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
Dry weather with sunshine.
High pressure
Clouds a precipitation.
low pressure
region of clear skies but with hot, humid,
slowly rising air. There is little or no wind
doldrums
two pressure belts at 30°.
subtropical high
Air sinks and there is
no wind.
subtropical high
It is defined as steady and persistent winds which blow on the Equatorial side of the subtropical high pressure systems in both Hemispheres.
tradewinds/easterlies
are prevailing winds from the west toward the east in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees .
westerlies/anti-trade winds
are dry, cold prevailing winds
that blow from the east; are dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the east
Polar easterlies
the global patterns of air movements: tradewinds, the westerlies, and the easterlies
prevailing winds
-are masses of air blowing from cold to warm region; blow from cold winter regions to hot summer regions.
monsoons
dry & cold air from siberia.
amihan
hot & moist air from the Indian
ocean.
habagat
salinity: dense and heavy
cold water
salinity: light with lower density
warm water
The world’s climates are classified according to the
Koppen Climate Classification System
hot, moist biome found
near Earth’s equator.
Tropical Rainforest
the driest biome with only about 50 cm of annual rainfall
DESERT
coldest of all the biomes
tundra
found in the temperate middle latitudes, go through changes throughout the year. Seasonal leaf loss, adapted to climate change.
Middle Latitude Deciduous Forest (MLDF)
Long, dark winter, high winds; the
northernmost wooded zone on
earth
Taiga
irregular warming of the ocean
surface of the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean off South America
El Nino