The UK

Question 1

Does continentality affect the UK?

Answer 1

Yes - UK is an island so all areas are quite near coast - so lower seasonal range in temperatures

Question 2

Does altitude affect the UK?

Answer 2

Yes - the UK has several mountain ranges where temperatures will be lower

Question 3

What is an air mass?

Answer 3

A volume of air defined by it’s temperature & water vapour content. They adapt to the characteristics of the surface below them.

Question 4

What are three factors that air masses can depend on?

Answer 4

1. Jet stream
2. Gulf stream
3. Mvmt of the thermal equator

Question 5

What air mass comes from the North?

Answer 5

Arctic maritime
- cold air, snow, little seasonal variation

Question 6

What air mass comes from the North-West?

Answer 6

Polar maritime
- wet & cold, no seasonal variation

Question 7

What air mass comes from the South-West?

Answer 7

Tropical maritime
- mild and wet

Question 8

What air mass comes from the South-East?

Answer 8

Tropical continental
- hot and dry

Question 9

What air mass comes from the North-East?

Answer 9

Polar continental
- cold and dry

Question 10

Why does the UK get high precipitation? (four reasons)

Answer 10

1. Winds blow west across the Atlantic and pick up moisture and dump it on UK
2. Susceptible to weather systems from both the east and the west
3. Lots of hills - orographic rainfall
4. Located at the meeting point of warm and cold air masses - frontal rainfall