Exam 1 Flashcards
Climate trends are
Averaged over a 30 year period
What is weather?
The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, described in terms of the current value of such quantitative variables as temperature, humid, cloudiness, precipitation, and wind speed and direction.
High air pressure
Anticyclones
Descending air and are usually accompanied by fair weather.
Northwestern Canada =cold,dry,winter … Cool/dry summer
Further south= mild,dry / winter … Hot/dry summer
Humidity - calm conditions or light winds
Blow clockwise and spirit outward
Low air pressure
Cyclones - stormy weather systems
Ascending air
Typically produce cloudy, rainy, and snowy weather
Cancellation of heating from the ground pushes the low ridding of stormy weather.
Blow counterclockwise and spirit inward
What direction does wx moves across the mid latitudes
Generally west to eAst
How many days does it take wx to move across the U.S.?
3-5 days
Pressure
The weight of a column of air over a unit area of Earth’s surface.
Temperature
A measure of average kinetic energy of the individual atoms or molecules composing a substance
Humidity
A general term referring to any one of describing the amount or concentration of water vapor in the air.
What is a front?
A narrow zone of transition between air masses of contrasting air density, that is different temperature, humidity or both. Fronts are classified as stationary, warm or occluded
What kind of weather is associated with a cold front?
Front that moves in a way that relatively cold (more dense) air advances and replaces warm (less dense) air.
Cold.
What kind of weather is associated with a warm front?
Front that moves in a way that relatively cold (more dense) air retreats allowing warm (less dense) air to advance. May be associates with a broad band of cloudiness and precipitation
Warm
National service watch vs. warning
Watch- potential exists
Warning- it is occurring other is going to happen soon based on the radar
Visible vs. infrared imagery
Visible satellite image- image processed from radiometers onboard a satellite that sense visible solar radiation reflected or back scattered from surfaces in the earth atmosphere system
The day with sun
Infrared image- picture or Image processed fro, radiometers onboard a satellite that sense thermal radiation signals emitted by earth and cloud surfaces of the earth atmosphere infrared radiation signals are routine are routinely calibrated to give the surface temperature of objects in the sensors field of view
No natural light
When do the days minimum temps occur?
Sunrise
Radar
Emits microwave energy
Doppler detect motion
Radio detection and ranging. A remote sensing tool broadcasts and receives microwave signals back from targets for the purpose of deter,omg the location, height, movement, and intensity of precipitation.
What was the principle gas in the early stages of earth
Hydrogen
What is the atmosphere and its basic composition
A relatively thin layer of gases and tiny suspended particles that envelopes the globe. Hydrosphere- oceans, glaciers, rivers, lakes, groundwater.) Geosphere- (rocks, minerals, soil) Biosphere -(plants, animals)?
What are the basic clouds?
Stratiform cloud- clouds that form in horizontal layers
Cumuliform cloud- clouds that appear puffy
Cirrus clouds- look fibrous because they are composed of mostly tiny ice crystals
Cumulus clouds- small white clouds that look like puffs of cotton
usually vaporize rapid
Cumulonimbus clouds- cumulus clouds that build vertically and merge laterally and turn into thunder clouds
What are the layers of the atmosphere in order?
Lowest to highest Troposphere Tropopause Stratosphere Stratopause Mesosphere Mesopause Thermosphere
What layer is the ozone shield located in?
Stratosphere
What layer is considered the weather layer?
Troposphere
What are the temperature trends in their separate layers?
Troposphere- falls with increasing altitude. 6.5 degrees Celsius every 1000m increase.
Stratosphere- does not change with increasing altitude- isothermal. Lower than sea level.
Mesosphere- temp is -95 degree Celsius -139 Fahrenheit
Thermosphere- at first they are isothermal and then they rise rapidly with increasing altitudes
What are the seasons and earth’s position related to the sun?
Solar altitude- the angle of the sun above the horizon.
Northern hemisphere- earth is closest to the sun in winter and farthest from the sun in summer.
Perihelion- earth is closet
Aphelion- farthest from the sun
