UK Weather & Climate Flashcards
What is a prevailing wind?
The most frequent wind direction a location experiences
What is the prevailing wind in the Britain?
From the south west , which brings warm, moist air (water vapour) from the Atlantic ocean. This contributes to the frequent rainfall.
How does distance from the sea affect inland temperatures?
The sea is cooler than land in summer, and warmer in winter. A sea breeze keeps the coast cool in summer, but warm in winter!
How does latitude affect temperature?
In areas near the poles, sunlight has a larger area of atmosphere to pass through. More energy is lost and temperatures are cooler. Due to the curvature of the earth, sunlight is spread over a larger area.
How does altitude affect temperature?
For every 100m increase in height, the temperature drops by 1 degree Celsius.
What is the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures in a day called?
Diurnal range
Ocean Air Masses
If a large area remains above a uniform land or sea surface for a sufficiently long time, it will acquire the temperature and moisture of that area.
Air Masses in Britain
Tropical maritime Tropical continental Polar maritime Polar continental Arctic maritime
What is an air front?
When two air masses meet, the boundary is a front and air does not mix immediately.
What are the 3 types of fronts?
Warm front
Cold front
Occluded front
What is a depression?
Depressions from along a front between two air masses. In a depression, the air between the warm and cold fronts is forced to rise, bringing unsettled weather and rain. They usually form over the Atlantic Ocean and are carried across Britain by westerly winds.
How do depressions affect the UK?
Depressions form in the Atlantic at the boundary of colder polar air and warmer tropical air. They move across the UK from the west to east.
What is relief rainfall?
Relief rainfall occurs when warm, moist air from the Atlantic rises up over mountains. The air cools and condenses to form clouds, which brings rain. Once the air has passed over the mountains, it descends and warms.
What is frontal rainfall?
Frontal rainfall occurs when a warm front meets a cold front. When the warm air rises, it cools. The cooler air condenses and forms clouds, which bring heavy rain.
What is convectional rainfall?
Convectional rainfall usually occurs during summer, when the sun heats the land. This creates convection currents. Warm air rises rapidly, then starts to cool and condense to form cumulonimbus clouds and sometimes thunderstorms.
