Module 9 climate factors Flashcards
What are some examples of weather phenomena?
Examples include rainfall, snowfall, cloudiness, storms, and natural disasters.
These occur over short time frames.
How do climatologists define climate?
Climate is defined by averages of temperature, precipitation, and other weather variables over extended periods for specific locations.
It can be assessed for large areas or specific locations.
Does having the same average annual temperature guarantee the same climate?
No, because climate is influenced by various factors, including seasonal differences between hemispheres.
Example: July is warm in the Northern Hemisphere and cold in the Southern Hemisphere.
What are the two seasons in India?
The wet season and the dry season.
The wet season is characterized by heavy rainfall, particularly during the monsoon.
What are the main factors that control climate?
Factors include latitude, elevation, wind currents, ocean currents, and topography.
Some sources also include distance from oceans, vegetation, and cloud cover.
What is latitude’s role in climate?
Latitude affects the amount of sunlight and rainfall received, influencing temperature and weather patterns.
Near the equator, sunlight is more direct.
What is the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)?
The ITCZ is a 300-km band where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, resulting in high rainfall and thunderstorms along the equator.
It shifts seasonally between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
What happens to rainfall as you move away from the ITCZ?
Rainfall decreases as the rising air diverges and spreads out in the upper troposphere.
This leads to trade winds and westerlies forming.
Define elevation.
Elevation is the height of a geographical feature above sea level.
It affects air pressure and temperature.
How does temperature change with altitude?
Temperature generally drops by 1°C for every 160 meters in height.
This leads to colder conditions in high-altitude regions.
What is the Coriolis effect?
The Coriolis effect is caused by the Earth’s rotation and influences wind patterns across the globe.
It affects trade winds and westerlies.
What role do ocean currents play in climate?
Ocean currents transport heat, influencing coastal temperatures and climate conditions.
Warm currents can raise temperatures, while cold currents can cool them.
What are El Niño and La Niña?
They are climate phenomena related to ocean temperature anomalies that can cause significant climate variations.
They impact global weather patterns.
How does topography affect local climate?
Physical features like mountains can block winds and create rain shadows, affecting temperature and precipitation.
The windward side receives rainfall, while the leeward side may be dry.
What is a rain shadow effect?
The rain shadow effect occurs when mountains block moisture-laden winds, causing dry conditions on the leeward side.
This can lead to desert-like conditions in some areas.
What is the current climate cycle referred to by secular climatologists?
The current climate cycle is called an interglacial period.
It is characterized by the separation of ice ages.
