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final weather Flashcards

1
Q

climate

A

accumulated and averaged weather patterns of a locality or region includes extremes or deviations from norm - collect data every 30 years

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2
Q

weather

A

what is going on in the atmosphere at a specific time

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3
Q

climate classification system

A

method for determining categories of climate types based on climatic and weather data and characteristics. classify climate in order to put on maps.

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4
Q

data used to classify climates:

A

temperature data, precipitation data, long term records, seasonal and annual statistical calculations, extreme events, many generations, variations likely to occur across a climate region

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5
Q

annual potential evatranspiration (PET)

A

here’s how much that will transpire off of plants

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6
Q

the kopenn system

A

used climate classification system; based on regional temperature and precipitation patterns

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7
Q

advantages of koppen system

A

temperature precipitation easy to measure - widely available; linked to vegetation - isotherm line determines where trees grow;

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8
Q

six major climate zones

A

A: humid tropical; C: humid mesothermal (mild winter); D: humid microthermal (severe winter); E: polar; B: arid and semiarid (annual P<PET); H: highland - high elevations

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9
Q

tropical A climates

A

high temperature year round, near equator, no winter season ( avg temp coldest month above 18C), influenced by ITCZ and its movement with sub solar point

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10
Q

A climate types

A

tropical rainforest (Af); dry “winter” tropical savanna (Aw); tropical monsoon (Am)

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11
Q

tropical rainforest (Af)

A

within 5-10 of equator, rainfall occurs year round, close to ITCZ = rain year round; f = wet year round

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12
Q

tropical savanna (Aw)

A

seasonal rainfall with migration of ITCZ, rain in high sun season; dry in low sun season

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13
Q

Arid (B) Climates

A

year round moisture deficiency, precipitation received is less than potential ET; 15 N/S to 30 N/S; subtropical high

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14
Q

Mesothermal (C) climates

A

mild winter; Tmin equal to or greater than 0C; snow is possible in some places, but usually melts off fast

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15
Q

3 types of C climates

A

dry summer (Csa, Csb) along west coast; moist hot summer along east coast (Cfa), moist mild summer along northwest coast (Cfb)

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16
Q

micro thermal (D) climates

A

severe winters with at least 1 month averaging below freezing; Tmin less than 0C

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17
Q

Polar E climates

A

no month has an average temperature exceeding 50F; Tmin less than 10C;

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18
Q

ecosystem

A

community of organisms and their physical environments, consists of biotic elements and abiotic elements

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19
Q

biotic

A

organisms biomass: all of living and non living biological material; genetic resources indicates total variation among populations of species in a community

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20
Q

abiotic

A

air, water, photosynthesis, sunlight, temperature, warmth for metabolic activity, nutrients, photosynthesis in plants, energy in animals, CO2 is a major plant nutrient. all 5 constitute the potentially limiting factors to plant growth in an ecosystem

21
Q

humid tropical climates

A

occur 0 - 24 N and S latitude; Tmin (coolest month) has average temperature higher than 18 C; temps high all year; based on precipiation

22
Q

Af: Tropical Rainforest

A

equatorial locations within 10 N and S; coolest month is over 18C; low latitude, high sun angles, regular day length year round, driest month over 6 cm, precipitation evenly distributed year round, high humidity; regular and high amount of cloud cover; ITCZ, convectional lifting, trade winds/ stable winds; lifting air onto coasts and mountains

23
Q

Typical Af climates

A

abundant moisture and warm air means evaporation can occur, orographic lifting; eastern coastlines with warm ocean currents are more unstable; tropical rainforest trees transpire huge quantities of vapor, contribution to wet climates daily temperature range higher than 15 C; precipitation higher seasonally as ITCZ passes overhead

24
Q

Am

A

coastal locations within tropics, coolest month is over 18, low latitude high sun angles, regular day length year round, seasonal shifting ITCZ shift in wind,

25
Am climate
temp varies more than Af, with highest values before monsoon rains; total annual precipitation largely similar to Af tropical rainforest climate, length of dry season varies place to place
26
Tropical savanna climates Aw
tropical locations bordering Af, Am 5-20 N/S; coolest month over 18C; annual temperature range highest of tropical climates 3-6 C; higher tropical latitudes, seasonally high sun angles; dry season: subtropical high influenced by trade winds shifts with pressure gradient
27
Bw control factors
diverging circulation of subtropics highs, continentality often linked with rain shadow location
28
causes of a dry (arid) climate
STH (15 30 latitudes) warm deserts and steppes; distance from moisture source: continental interiors; coast with cold ocean current; rainshadow
29
low latitude deserts (B climates)
subtropical high pressure; greatest stability along west coasts - upwelling, cold, ocean current
30
desert climates
low precipitation, high insolation received and low humidity, relatively high annual and divrnat temp range, high variability of precip
31
Cwa/Cwb
climates have a cool, dry winter and a hot or mild summer found mostly in Asia and in Africa; asia: monsoon system being wet in summer dry in winter;
32
Csa and Csb
associated with subtropical west coasts; warm dry summers because of Sth and cool ocean surface; moist winters caused by polar front cyclones; fog along coast (advection fog) inland (Csa) has hot summers; coastal (Csb) has mild summer
33
dry summers in C climates are caused by
Subtropical high; weak polar front jet/ no mid latitude cyclones strong STH pressure
34
wet winters = polar front cyclone in C climates
strong polar front jet front/ lots of midlatitude cyclones, weak STH influence,
35
Cfa
wet year round; summer- convection; winter- cyclonic storms on polar front; annual temp ranges are moderate (low midlatitude location); humid, unstable maritime tropical air during the summer; fuels convective thunderstorms during summer months abundant rainfall: convection in summer, fronts in winter high temps long growing season, soils have limited fertility
36
C climate: marine west coast ocean influence
abundant source of moisture ( in the westerlies on west coast); maritime (small diurnal and annual temp range) frost and snow occur regularly in winter due to high latitude, winter is mild;
37
C climate: if there is a dry season it will be
summer; weak polar front jet and cyclones, strong subtropical high pressure, high latitudes experience less drynesss in summer, winter wet : weak STH influence, strong polar front jet/ lots of midlatitude cyclones
38
D climates
warmest month above 10 C; coldest below freezing; large Temperature range, have warm or hot summers and cold snowy winters located between 35 and 75 N; do not exist in Southern Hemisphere only in continental locations
39
Dfa/Dwa (humid continental, hot summer
hot summers and cold snowy winters; precipitation all year except in Asia (dry winter Dw) convection in summer, midlatitude cyclones in winter
40
Dfb/Dwb (humid continental, mild summer)
more continental with severe winters, poleward of humid continental hot summers, distinct seasonality, variable weather, precipitation is caused by the midlatitude cyclones all year, and a fair amount of convectional thunderstorms in summer
41
Dfa
most productive of the micro thermal climates; agriculture potential, mid atlantic and midwest, length of growing season is the limiting factor on productivity, trees are deciduous because of dry, cold winter,
42
ice cap (Ef) climate
Tmax < 0 C, no months average above freezing, extremely low precipitation due to cold air and dominating high pressure; so cold because low insolation = low sun angles, high albedo, high elevation
43
tropical cyclones
`cyclonic rotation, rising air, clouds and precipitation, high wind speeds, no air mass boundaries or fronts, thermal low pressure due to abundance of latent heat at the surface, heat movement is mostly vertical, form and develop in tropical oceans, steered by pressure and wind systems around a STH, no fronts, thermal low pressure
44
midlatitude cyclones
cyclonic rotation, rising air, cloud sand precipitation, moderate wind speeds, air mass boundaries (fronts), dynamic low pressure due to divergence aloft, heat movement is mostly latitudinal
45
requirements for tropical cyclones
warm ocean surface of about 80 F or higher; deep layer of moist air - provides instability and energy for convection; trough of low pressure - easterly wave; lack of vertical wind shear; sufficient distance from equator for coriolis 75 latitude (no cyclonic rotation possible if closer to equator than 5)
46
easterly waves
trough of low pressure in the trade wind zone; movement is from east to west
47
tropical cyclone hierarchy
1. tropical depression; 2. tropical storm - name assigned and ABC of female and male names; 3. hurricane;4. other names - cyclones south asia and typhoons in east asia
48
storm surge
high water is driven by low pressure and wind; wind effect is magnified by the forward motion of the storm on right front quarter; water weighs 1700 lbs cubic yard

Weather (2 decks)

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