Climate, Regional Climates Flashcards

1
Q

Climate

A

The charcateristic atmospheric conditions of a region over an extended period of time (years to decades)

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2
Q

What three characteristics comprise climate?

A

Temperature, precipitation, and pressure

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3
Q

What is a climograph?

A

A graph depicting a region’s yearly temperatures and levels of percipitation on two y-axes

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4
Q

What two factors influence regional temperatures, and how?

A

Latitude: Determines incoming solar radiation

Topographical location: Places closer to the ocean/coast have less variation

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5
Q

What are the four temperature regimes?

A
  1. Equatorial
  2. Tropical Continental
  3. Tropical Coastal
  4. Midlatitude Coastal and Subantarctic Continental
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6
Q

What are the charcateristics of the Equatorial temperature regime?

A

Warm throughout the entire year because of minimal insolation variability

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7
Q

What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Continental temperature regime?

A

Greater seasoanlity due to insolation changes and reduced coastal influences

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8
Q

What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Coastal temperature regime?

A

Similar patterns to Tropical Continental but with less seasonality due to its coastal location

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9
Q

What are the charcateristics of the Midlatitude coastal and Subantarctic Continental temperature regime?

A

Declining temperature and increased seasonality nearer to the poles. Has singnificant maritime impacts

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10
Q

What three factors influence regional percepitation?

A
  1. Air temperature
  2. Wind direction/origin
  3. Orography (particularly mountains)
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11
Q

How does air temperature influence regional percipitation?

A

Warmer air holds more moisture than cold air (Equator is more moist than the poles)

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12
Q

How does wind direction/origin influence regional percipitation?

A

If wind is coming from the ocean, it will provide moisture to the environment

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13
Q

How does orography (emphasis on mountains) influene regional percipitation?

A

If wind encounters a high altitude obstacle like a mountain, air is directed upwards which causes precipitation (orographic rainfall)

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14
Q

What are the seven percipitation regimes (Equator → Asia → South America → North America?

A
  1. Wet Equatorial Zone
  2. Asiatic Monsoon
  3. Midlatitude Zone
  4. Tropical Wet-dry
  5. Tropical Desert
  6. Westerlies/Subtropical High
  7. Westerlies
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15
Q

What are the three characteristics of the Wet Equatorial Zone?

A
  1. Equatorial trough
  2. High pressure throughout the year
  3. Low seasonality
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16
Q

What are the two characteristics of the Asiatic Monsoon?

A
  1. Rainfall throughout the year
  2. Summer maximum
17
Q

What are the two characteristics of the Midlatitude Zone?

A
  1. Dry Winter
  2. Less maritime influence
18
Q

What are the three characteristics of the Tropical Wet-Dry?

A
  1. ITCZ in Summer
  2. Wet Summer
  3. Dry Winter
19
Q

What are the two characteristics of the Tropical Desert?

A
  1. Low rainfall throughout the year
  2. Permanent subtropical high
20
Q

What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies/Subtropical High?

A
  1. Dry Summer
  2. Wet Winter
21
Q

What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies?

A
  1. Rainfall through the year
  2. Winter Maximum
22
Q

Tropical cyclone

A

Warm, organized, low-pressure systems that form in the Tropics 5 and 20° either side of the Equator

23
Q

How do tropical cyclones form?

A

Over warm water in regions of high humidity and light winds that are powered by latent heat. Coriolis forces rotates them

24
Q

How do tropical cyclones dissipate?

A

When latent heat is released/reduced over cooler water or lands, espically further away from the Equator

25
Q

Extra-tropical cyclone

A

Storm systems that form in the mid and high latitudes away from the tropics where cyclones typically form

26
Q

What role do extra-tropical cyclones have in the global climate system?

A

Move heat and moisture from the tropics to the poles

27
Q

Monsoon

A

Seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation (reversal of winds) and precipitation caused by asymmetric heating of land and sea, creating intense wet and dry periods

28
Q

What main factor influences the intensity of monsoons?

A

The temperature contrast between land and sea

29
Q

Inter-annual variability

A

Climate variability caused by the intricate interactions of various complex global processes