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DIRT > Climate Chapter 8 > Flashcards

Climate Chapter 8 Flashcards

1
Q

Koppen climate classification

A

based only on average annual + monthly values for temp + precip

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2
Q

How to read Koppen letter code

A

First letter = climate group
second letter = precipitation patterns
third letter = temperature patterns

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3
Q

What are the 5 big categories for Koppen (first letter in code)

A

A = tropical humid
B = dry
C = mild midlatitude
D = severe midlatitude
E = Polar
H = Highland

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4
Q

What is a climograph

A

12 columns for each month w. temperature scale on left + precip on right + monthly temperatures connected by curved line at top of graph
shows important climate details + used to classify climate of particular region

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5
Q

Tropical Humid Climates (Group A)

A

occupy majority of land area in TROPICS
lack cold winters
3 classifications = tropical wet (rainfall every month) tropical savanna (low sun dry season + rainy high sun season) tropical monsoon = (dry season + very very rainy high-sun)

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6
Q

low sun vs high sun

A

low sun = winter
high sun = summer
use this terminology since some places don’t have a winter

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7
Q

Tropical Wet (Af)

A

mainly equatorial, extends to about 10 degrees N/S
seasonless climate, with all months having similar average temp of 27
cumulus clouds in morning, no clouds afternoon
high relative humidity, always feels warm

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8
Q

Tropical Wet (Af) control

A

Mainly latitude
(little variation in day length)

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9
Q

Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw)

A

north + south of Af climates
clear cut summer + winter dry periods
more temperature variation than Af

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10
Q

Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw) controls

A

unstable converging air of ITCZ = explains characteristic rainfall there
summer = ITCZ moves poleward = causes rain, opposite happens in winter

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11
Q

Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)

A

mainly India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand BUT parts of Africa, South America, Australia
high sun season - ENORMOUS amount of rain
higher temps in spring bc in summer cloud cover reduces insolation
ITCZ moves up in summer, bringing convergent lifting + bringing SE tradewinds which bring onshore moist winds BUT in summer ITCZ moves down, bringing NE tradewinds which bring offshore winds taking moisture away

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12
Q

Tropical Monsoon climate (Am) controls

A

summer monsoon brings moist onshore winds so LOTS of rain
low sun (winter) season = offshore winds (push away moist clouds) = lack of rain

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13
Q

Dry Climates (Group B)

A

cover 30% of world land area
largest expanse of dry area in subtropical latitudes
lack of air uplift + lack of moisture characteristic of dry climate
main categories desert + steppe, which further divided into subtropical + midlatitude

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14
Q

Subtropical desert climate (BWh)

A

lie near STH
2 major deserts in this band = Sahara + Arabian desert
characteristics:
- scarce rain (almost rainless)
- unreliable rain (average rainfall in BWh unreliable)
- intense = when it does rain it’s intense

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15
Q

Subtropical desert climate (BWh) controls

A

STH strong effect + cool oceans stabilize air
foggy deserts possible = cool currents from ocean going over desert produces fog

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16
Q

Subtropical Steppe Climate (BSh)

A

surrounds BWh climates

17
Q

Midlatitude Desert (BWk)

A

deep interior of continents
mainly in central Eurasia + protected by mountains so monsoon doesn’t come
characteristics:
severely cold winters + may have snow

18
Q

Midlatitude Desert Controls

A

band of westerlies + located in rain shadows

19
Q

Mild Midlatitude (C) Climates

A

located in equatorward margin of midlatitudes
transition between warm tropical climates + cold severe midlatitude climates
Long, hot summers + short, mild winters
3 categories = mediterranean, humid subtropical, marine west coast

20
Q

Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb)

A

WESTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
Coast of California, central Chile, southern tip of Africa, two southwestern corners of Australia
Characteristics:
1) modest annual precip in winter, summers rainless
2) winter temps mild + summers warm - hot
3) clear skies + lots of sun

21
Q

Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb) controls

A

STH provides dry subsiding air for summer = hence no rain bc high pressure
winter = westerlies shift downward bringing rain

22
Q

Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa, Cwa, Cwb)

A

EASTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
summers generally warm to hot
precip max in summer + winter has diminished precip
cooler than mediterranean regions

23
Q

Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa) controls

A

westerly winds bring midlatitude cyclones + precip to regions
summer = cool ocean water + STH stabalize it bringing dry weather

24
Q

Marine west coast (Cfb, Cfc)

A

West coast of continents btwn 40-60 N/S
most extensive marine west coast climate is Western + Central Europe
Characteristics:
oceanic influences keeps it mild
wettest in midlatitudes
rains majority of time

25
Q

Marine west coast (cfb) controls

A

maritime influence keeps region mild

26
Q

Severe midlatitude climates (Group D)

A

Northern hemisphere only
remote from oceans
have 4 clearly recognizable seasons
summer is max precip BUT there is also some precip in winter
2 types = humid continental (long warm summers) + subarctic (short summers, very cold winters)

27
Q

Severe midlatitude Humid continental climate (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb)

A

day to day variability + dramatic changes
summer temperatures warm like humid subtropical BUT they are shorter

28
Q

Severe Midlatitude (D)

Humid continental climate controls

A

Westerlies = frequent cyclones + anticyclones
summer rain is mostly convective/frontal

29
Q

Severe Midlatitude (D)

subarctic climate (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd)

A

higher midlatitudes between 50 and 70
Mainly in western Alaska-Canada + Scandinavia to Siberia region
long, dark, bitterly cold winters
short summers
summers warm up a lot
huge annual temperature range
low precip

30
Q

Severe Midlatitude (D)

Subarctic climate (Dfc) controls

A

high midlatitude location + westerlies bring meager precipitation

31
Q

Polar and Highland climates (Group E, H)

A

polar climates = too little insolation for warming
no month has average temperature over 10 C
two categories
- tundra (At least one month with average temp over freezing point)
- ice cap (does not have that)

32
Q

tundra (ET)

A

low, ground hugging vegetation of high latitude high altitude
characteristics:
long cold dark winters
brief cool summers
no melting of snow –> makes winter snow seem more than actually is
radiation fog

33
Q

tundra (ET) controls

A

daily temperature range is small (either all daylight or all night)
air is too cold to contain water vapor despite proximity to ocean

34
Q

Ice Cap climate (EF)

A

restricted to Greenland + most of Antarctica
Characteristics:
perpetual frost, no vegetation, permanent cover of ice + snow
strong surface temperature inversions

35
Q

Ice Cap climate (EF) controls

A

1) high latitude = little warming which is why it is so cold
2) low precip = too cold so low water capacity
3) polar high

36
Q

highland climate (Group H)

A

foudn in high areas
characteristics:
altitude more significant than latitude to determine climate here
vertical zonation = climbing up few hundred meters equivalent to journey of several hundred kilometers poleward in terms of temp + environmental characteristics

37
Q

Subdivisions of A, B, C

A

Af, Bf, Cf = locations with year-round preicp (equator)
Aw, Bw, Cw = drought in winter caused by low pressure area moving away, rain in summer caused by temporary low pressure area (further from equator)
As, Bs, Cs = dought in summer

38
Q

Csb vs Csa climates

A

Csa = west side of continents
Csb = east side of continents
Csa = Summer, the ITCZ moves north, which pushes the STH higher up, bringing cool, dry tradewinds BUT in winter the ITCZ moves down, which pushes the STH down, bringing westerlies + MLCs so wet winter

DIRT (26 decks)

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