weather Flashcards
tropical climate
found near the equator
have warm tempreture throughout the year
high humidty
have rainforests
lots of rainfall
temperate climate
have distinct seasons
warm summers, coll winters
middle latidtudes and moderate rainfall
polar climate
near earth’s poles
are very cold and experience long, harsh winter
little daylight
have low precipitation
covered in lees and snow
dry/desert climate
hot and dry regions
very little rainfall
extreme temerate ranges
scorching hot days
cool nights
where is weather recorded
in a weather station
where are instruments kept in
stevenson screen
structure of a stevenson screen
sheltered box
protect from daylight, radiation, other environmnetal factors
painted white to reflect sunlight
at least 1.5m above the ground
doors face away from direct sunlight
located in open air
measuring rainfall
using a rain gauge
located away from trees and buildings so that water drops don’t distrub the data
recorded in simple table, then in a graph
—-> histogram
measuring tempreture
using a maximum-minimum theremometer
record highest- lowest temp. in 24 meters
logged daily, at the same time
kept in shack
alcohol used becasue has low freezing point
measuring sunshine
sunshine recorder or campell-stokes
glass ball, mounted on a frame
when sun shines, burns a line along the paper as it moves in the sky
total length of brunt line shows the sun has been shining that day
measuring relative humidity
relative humidty is shown as percentage
unsing hygrometer:wet and dry bulb theremometer
has 2 theremometers
place in open air, away from direct sunlight
record temp. on dry bulb (actual temp.) and wet bulb (cooled by evaporation)
subtract wet from dry bulb=wet buld depression
relative humity equation
100 - (5 x wet bulb depression)
what does measuring relative humidity tell us
tells us how much water vapour is in the air compared to the maximun amount the air can contain
how does air contain water vapour
evaporation and transpiration
it depends on the temp.
100% relative humidity
saturated
50% relative humdity
dry
measuring atmospheric pressure
unit miilibars (mb)
lines of pressure is isobars
using a barometer
–> mercury
—> aneroid
—> barography
mercury is forced up the tube when both atmosspheric pressure is equalized, mercury stops moving
measuring wind direction
using wind vane
direction is the compass from where the wind is blowing
unit of measurement for wind direction is compass direction
N,E,S,W on wind vane indicate ddirection
3m above building
once every hour
measuring wind speed
using an anemometer
measured in m/s
consists of 3 or 4 cups that are metal, rotation on 10m shaft
stronger wind- faster rotating
what are clouds
visible mass of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere
3 types
cirrus
stratus
cumulus
how are cloud coverage measured
measured in oktas
each oktas represents 1/8 of the sky covered by cloud
0=clear, 8=total coverage
cirrus cloud
high above 6km
fine, thin with made of ice crystals (wisps)
cumulus cloud
0-2km (low)
white w/ darker flat base, made of water droplets
stratus cloud
0-2 km (low)
thin, uniform, grey sheet of small water droplets
average temp for the day
maximum - minimum
2
diurnal temp. range
maximum - minimum
