Tuesday Flashcards
Ocean Currents
Ocean currents are the continuous, predictable, directional movement of seawater driven by gravity, wind (Coriolis Effect), and water density.
Deep Currents
In contrast to wind-driven surface currents, deep-ocean currents are caused by differences in water density
Maritime Polar
The meaning of polar maritime air is air coming originally from polar regions but having humidity and temperature properties modified by passing over …
La Niña
La Niña is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of El Niño, as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate pattern
Dew Point
The dew point is the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) in order to achieve a relative humidity (RH) of 100%
Atmosphere
the whole mass of air that surrounds the earth.
Polar Easterlies
Cold air subsides at the poles creating high pressure zones, forcing an equatorward outflow of air
Valley Breeze
a breeze that blows up valleys or mountain slopes on clear days
Surface Currents
The water at the ocean surface is moved primarily by winds that blow in certain patterns because of the Earth’s spin and the Coriolis Effect
Salinity
Salinity is the dissolved salt content of a body of water
Continental Polar
Continental polar (cP) or continental arctic (cA) air masses are cold, dry, and stable. These air masses originate over northern Canada and Alaska as a result of radiational cooling
Air mass
a body of air with horizontally uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure.
Humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapour present in the air.
Air Pressure
the force exerted onto a surface by the weight of the air
Jet Stream
strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere.
Land Breeze
a breeze blowing toward the sea from the land, especially at night, owing to the relative warmth of the sea.
Coriolis effect
the pattern of deflection taken by objects not firmly connected to the groun
Upwelling
process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface
Maritime Tropical
The maritime Tropical (mT) is the most important moisture-bearing and rain-producing air mass throughout the year
Thunderstorms
a violent short-lived weather disturbance that is almost always associated with lightning, thunder, dense clouds, heavy rain or hail, and strong gusty winds.
Evaporation
the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor
Greenhouse effect
a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat
Trade Winds
winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator
Sea Breeze
a local wind system characterized by a flow from sea to land during the day
