Meteorology Today, Ahrens Chap 3 Flashcards
Describe temperatures on windless days
Temperatures on windless days usually have a large gradient from the ground to the air directly above, as air is a bad conducter of heat without convection and leads to very hot ground temperatures and lower air temperatures
Why do deserts have the highest temperatures
no water in the ground to redirect heat from the sun.
In the Northern Hemisphere, which side of the slope has lower temperatures and which has higher
North has Lower, South has Higher
In the Southern Hemisphere, which side of the slope has lower temperatures and which has higher
North has Higher, South has Lower, Opposite of Northern Hemisphere
What are radiation inversions in night
When radiative cooling of the ground causes the ground to be colder than the air directly above. Does not occur in cloudy, windy, or humid conditions.
Why do radiation inversions not occur during cloudy, windy, or humid conditions
Clouds reflect longwave infrared radiation, wind causes convection between the ground and the air above, and water vapor condensing causes latent heat to be released.
What does snow act as
Insulating blanket, as it is good emitter of infrared radiation and keeps the ground from releasing heat
What condition produce large daily temperature changes
No clouds
What is the Urban Heat Island
Nighttime Warmth in Cities due to energy being absorbed by structures and concrete, which release it later in the day.
4 main controls of Daily temperature
Latitude, Land and Water distribution, ocean currents, and elevation
Temperature gradient in US during winter
Steep Temperature gradient due to temperatures decreasing between low and high latitudes
Temperature gradient in US during summer
Gentle temperature gradients due to humidity decreasing the variability of temperatures
What is wind chill index
How cold the wind makes us feel
effect of large bodies of water near land
Smaller temperature variability, cooler summers, milder winters
