physical environment Flashcards
coastal land uses
what are synoptic symbols?
Synoptic symbols break the weather down more than the symbols you are familiar with on TV. One symbol shows the weather, temperature, wind speed, wind direction and cloud
cover.
what are isobars?
Isobars are lines that join places of equal air pressure. The closer together the isobars are, the winds are stronger.
what are air masses?
Air masses are large bodies of air that can be the size of a continent. Thousands of them move around our planet every day. Air masses give us our weather.
Where one air mass meets another this is called a front.
The type of weather that an air mass brings is dependant in the air pressure – High (Anticyclone) or Low pressure (Depression).
what is an anticyclone?
Anticyclones are high pressure an area meaning the air descends towards the earth’s surface. Winds blow in a clockwise spiral away from a high area with isobars widely spaced, so wind tends to be very light or calm. They cover large areas, sometime affecting the whole country and give long periods of fine and settled weather (In certain conditions, lasting for several weeks.) Fog, mist and poor visibility are often associated with
anticyclonic weather.
‘Freezing fog’ can form in winter creating dangerous driving conditions.
what can anticyclones bring in winter?
– Clear skies
– Sunny days
– Cold days
– Very cold nights
– Frost
– Light winds
– No rain or snow
what can anticyclones bring in summer?
– Clear skies
– Sunny days
– Hot days
– Cool nights
– Light winds
– No rain
what is a depression?
When THREE air masses meet over Britain we get a depression. They are made up of warm and cold air masses. A depression is a low pressure area. They bring unsettled, changeable weather and take between one and three days to cross the country. Wind blows anticlockwise around a depression. It is usually strong and may even be gale force. The air masses do not mix immediately. Where they meet is called a front. There are two types of front a warm front and a cold front.
what is stage one of a depression?
Before warm
front
Dry and fine
Settled
Clouds coming
from west
FINE
what is stage two of a depression?
At Warm
front
Temperature
rises
Clouds thicken
Steady rain
Pressure falls
Wind get
stronger
RAIN
what is stage three of a depression?
In warm sector
Temperature rises
Drizzle and some sunny
intervals
Air pressures falls
Light winds
Feels ‘muggy’
HUMID
what is stage four of a depression?
Cold front
Temperature
falls
Clouds thicken
Air pressure
rises
Winds increase
RAIN
what is stage five of a depression?
Tail end of
cold front
Temperature
falls
Showers
Air pressure
rises
FINE WITH
SOME
SHOWERS.
