Climate, Regional Climates Flashcards
Climate
The charcateristic atmospheric conditions of a region over an extended period of time (years to decades)
What three characteristics comprise climate?
Temperature, precipitation, and pressure
What is a climograph?
A graph depicting a region’s yearly temperatures and levels of percipitation on two y-axes
What two factors influence regional temperatures, and how?
Latitude: Determines incoming solar radiation
Topographical location: Places closer to the ocean/coast have less variation
What are the four temperature regimes?
- Equatorial
- Tropical Continental
- Tropical Coastal
- Midlatitude Coastal and Subantarctic Continental
What are the charcateristics of the Equatorial temperature regime?
Warm throughout the entire year because of minimal insolation variability
What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Continental temperature regime?
Greater seasoanlity due to insolation changes and reduced coastal influences
What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Coastal temperature regime?
Similar patterns to Tropical Continental but with less seasonality due to its coastal location
What are the charcateristics of the Midlatitude coastal and Subantarctic Continental temperature regime?
Declining temperature and increased seasonality nearer to the poles. Has singnificant maritime impacts
What three factors influence regional percepitation?
- Air temperature
- Wind direction/origin
- Orography (particularly mountains)
How does air temperature influence regional percipitation?
Warmer air holds more moisture than cold air (Equator is more moist than the poles)
How does wind direction/origin influence regional percipitation?
If wind is coming from the ocean, it will provide moisture to the environment
How does orography (emphasis on mountains) influene regional percipitation?
If wind encounters a high altitude obstacle like a mountain, air is directed upwards which causes precipitation (orographic rainfall)
What are the seven percipitation regimes (Equator → Asia → South America → North America?
- Wet Equatorial Zone
- Asiatic Monsoon
- Midlatitude Zone
- Tropical Wet-dry
- Tropical Desert
- Westerlies/Subtropical High
- Westerlies
What are the three characteristics of the Wet Equatorial Zone?
- Equatorial trough
- High pressure throughout the year
- Low seasonality
What are the two characteristics of the Asiatic Monsoon?
- Rainfall throughout the year
- Summer maximum
What are the two characteristics of the Midlatitude Zone?
- Dry Winter
- Less maritime influence
What are the three characteristics of the Tropical Wet-Dry?
- ITCZ in Summer
- Wet Summer
- Dry Winter
What are the two characteristics of the Tropical Desert?
- Low rainfall throughout the year
- Permanent subtropical high
What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies/Subtropical High?
- Dry Summer
- Wet Winter
What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies?
- Rainfall through the year
- Winter Maximum
Tropical cyclone
Warm, organized, low-pressure systems that form in the Tropics 5 and 20° either side of the Equator
How do tropical cyclones form?
Over warm water in regions of high humidity and light winds that are powered by latent heat. Coriolis forces rotates them
How do tropical cyclones dissipate?
When latent heat is released/reduced over cooler water or lands, espically further away from the Equator
Extra-tropical cyclone
Storm systems that form in the mid and high latitudes away from the tropics where cyclones typically form
What role do extra-tropical cyclones have in the global climate system?
Move heat and moisture from the tropics to the poles
Monsoon
Seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation (reversal of winds) and precipitation caused by asymmetric heating of land and sea, creating intense wet and dry periods
What main factor influences the intensity of monsoons?
The temperature contrast between land and sea
Inter-annual variability
Climate variability caused by the intricate interactions of various complex global processes
