MET 12 - Climatology

Question 1

What are the main warm currents (4)?

Answer 1

1. Gulf Stream (North Atlantic)
2. Kurashio (Japan)
3. Equatorial counter current or Southern California Current
4. Brazil Current

Question 2

What are the six main cold currents?

Answer 2

1. Labrador Current
2. Benguela Current
3. Northern California Current
4. Oyashio or Kamchatka
5. Canaries Current
6. Peru Current or Humboldt

Question 3

El Niño is cause by?

Answer 3

Cold Peru Current sinking below the surface every 3-7 years allowing warm Far East current to flow in making the Far East colder than normal and the Pacific warmer than normal

Question 4

Trade winds are ?

Answer 4

Wind that blows from the North and South East to the equator from the high pressure areas, then flow west down the eqautor.

Question 5

What is the weather associated with trade winds?

Answer 5

• Small Cu
• Cloud tops limited to 8000ft
• 15Kt winds
• Fine weather with occasional Cbs and Showers
• Air is moist in the lower part (500hpa/18 000ft)
• Air is relatively dry in the upper part.

Question 6

What is the doldrums and the weather associated with it?

Answer 6

Doldrums is the wind at convergence on the geographic equator as the winds try to make the ICTZ. The weather at the doldrums is, unstable, convective with thunderstorms and Rain

Question 7

As the ITCZ passes over head it will cause?

Answer 7

Precipitionation and poor visibility at the surface

Question 8

The ITCZ is between ______ and _______nm

Answer 8

30nm to 300nm

Question 9

The Equatorial Doble rain events happen in ___1___ and ____2____ dropping around ____3____ of its annual rainfall.

Answer 9

1. April
2. October
3. 75%

Question 10

Winds must be atleast _____ knots to be classified as a Tropical Revolving Storm.

Answer 10

64Kt

Question 11

If satalite photography is unavailable what are the symptoms of a TRS?

Answer 11

• High Cirrus Cloud
• High Sea Swell
• Continuously falling pressure

Question 12

What are the five stages of development for a tropical revolving storm?

Answer 12

1. Tropical Disturbance
2. Tropical Depression
3. Tropical Storm
4. Sever Tropical Storm
5. Mature Tropical Revolving Storm

Question 13

What is associated with the Tropical Disturbance Phase of a TRS?

Answer 13

• An area of low pressure forms
• Rising air at the centre
• Water Vapour condeses to form cloud and releases latent heat
• Considerable build up of TCu
• Light Surface Winds

Question 14

What is associated with the Tropical Depression Phase of a TRS?

Answer 14

• Air converging near the surface
• Depression strenghtens causing cyclonic circulation
• Rising air is deflected outwards by the tropopause
• Surface pressure will continue to fall
• Cb build up near the centre of the system
• Surface winds speed of up to 33Knots

Question 15

What is associated with the Tropical Storm Phase of a TRS?

Answer 15

• The centre of the system is surrounded by large CBs
• Rising air within the Cbs which diverge just below the tropopause
• Air moves towards the centre and sinks warming adiabatically and causinhg the eye of the storm
• Winds of between 33-63knots

Question 16

When the TRS is developing the strom tracks inwhat direction once developed how does the storm move?

Answer 16

While developing it moves from East to west but once mature will mvoe away from the equator.

Question 17

What weather is associated with Easterly Waves?

Answer 17

Easterly waves form Cbs and Thunderstoms ligned North to south

Question 18

• The Winter Polar jet can reach speeds of up to?
• The Sub Tropical Jet can reach speeds between ___1___ and ___2__ in winter?

Answer 18

• Below 200Kts

1. 90
2. 130

Question 19

The Easterlies in July are between which latitudes?

Answer 19

• 05 Deg S
• 20 deg N

Question 20

The name of the equatorial low pressure region is?

Answer 20

The Doldrums