CLIMATE DRIVERS (MESOSCALE) Flashcards
What is Land Type?
Physical material at the surface of the Earth
Land type can be broke down into two, what are this?
Vegetation
Urbanization
Can directly affect the climate through?
I. human activities and
II. surface reflectivity
Also known as ALBEDO
Surface reflectivity
What is surface reflectivity?
It is the reflecting power of a surface.
It is also the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it.
How does albedo affect the climate?
The higher (lower) the albedo of the surface, the lesser (higher) amount outgoing radiation is observed.
Thus there will be lesser (higher) impact in temperature caused by back-radiation.
The amount of plants/trees over a certain area and has low albedo due to absorption of incoming radiation and rough surfaces.
VEGETATION
It affects the albedo of the area by cutting trees and pollution and causes more severe thunderstorms, increased cloud cover, & higher temperatures.
URBANIZATION
What is topography?
It is the arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area.
It modifies an area’s weather and climate thru the direction of the wind which dictates the amount of precipitation. Windward and leeward refer to the prevailing winds on opposite sides of an island.
OROGRAPHIC EFFECT
Also known as upwind. The upslope areas where you will experience rain.
WINDWARD
This side is the drier side or side where the trade winds after they hit the other side of the mountain
The downslope areas will expect rain shadows.
LEEWARD
Created due to difference of specific heat capacity of ______.
LAND & SEA BREEZE
Difference in Temperature results to Pressure gradients which leads to?
WIND PATTERNS
What is Thunderstorm?
Type of weather condition derived from a matured vertical cloud known as cumulonimbus.
