Local Weather Flashcards
During the day is it more common to have an on-shore or off-shore breeze? why?
on shore breeze. The land is warming the air above it causing it to rise and the cooler air from the seas flows to replace it
What are the effect of clouds on land?
During the day clouds shield the land from absorbing incoming radiation making it cooler
At night clouds absorb and reflect back the raditation emitted by the land
what is orographic lifting?
geological barriers push warm air up leading to a ‘rain shadow’ on the other side of the ridge because disppelled all moisture as it rose
which is faster the dry adiabiatic rate or the wet adiabatic rate?
dry air is 10C/1000m
wet air is 5C/1000m
Warm Front
Warm air mass over takes a cooler front and rises gradually on a slope leading to moderate precipitation. Semi-circle symbols
Cold Front
Cold air mass overtakes a warmer air mass and is steeper leading to development of cumulus nimbus clouds, gusting winds and heavy precipitation
occulded front
when a warm front and cold front collide. leads to precipitation on both fronts
What direction do mid-latitude cyclones rotate in Northern Hemisphere?
counter-clockwise
How to mid latitude cyclones form?
a stationary warm and cold front has low pressure center. A disturbance causes the the 2 fronts to merge to form an occluded front
How to hurricanes form?
Warm rising ocean air causes a low pressure system and the coriolis effect on winds deflect them. Low pressure leads to strong winds and continued rising air which condenses releasing latent heat causing more air to rise
which way to hurricanes rotate in the north? In the south?
North: counter-clockwise
south: clockwise
which way to surface winds rotate in southern hemisphere?
Low Pressure: counter-clockwise
High Pressure: clockwise
