weather and climate Flashcards
What is the weather?
it is the state of the atmosphere around us it can change from hour to hour
What causes the weather?
The sun and water vapor
Where does the weather happen?
the troposphere is where weather most occurs
What are the main elements of weather?
Air pressure, Temperature, Cloud cover, Precipitation, Wind direction, Wind speed, Sunshine
Weather instruments
an instrument used to measure and record the weather
How do clouds and rain form?
Warm air containing water vapor rises –> As the warm air rises, it cools –> Water vapor condenses into tiny dust particles
in the air, forming a cloud droplet –> Billions of cloud droplets together form a cloud –> Cloud droplets join up to make larger, heavier droplets, which fall as rain!
What are the three types of rainfall?
Frontal, convectional, relief
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions, whereas climate is the weather of a place over a long period of time (30 years)
What affects the climate?
Latitude, altitude, albedo, distance from the sea, ocean currents
Air pressure
the force or weight of the air above us. It is measured in millibars
Altitude
How high land is above sea level. usually measured in meters or km above sea level
Anemometer
A weather instrument used to measure the wind speed
Arid climate zone
an area with a hot and dry climate
Atmosphere
A layer of gases surrounding a planet
Barometer
a weather instrument used to measure air pressure
Campbell Stokes Sunshine recorder
A weather instrument used to measure the number of hours of sunshine
Climate
climate is the weather of a place over a long period of time (30 years)
Climate graph
A graph which shows the typical monthly rainfall and temperatures for a place
Climate zone
An area that has its own climate. Climate zones also have their own type of vegetation and wildlife
Clouds
A large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals which float in the air
Cloud cover
The amount of cloud covering the sky. Cloud cover is measured in oktas (eighths)
Condensation
the process when water vapor turns into a liquid
Convectional rainfall
rain that is formed when the ground heats up during warm, sunny weather
Drought
A prolonged period of little or no rainfall, leading to a shortage of water
Evaporation
The process when water turns from a liquid into a gas (water vapor)
Front
the boundary between two air masses
Frontal rainfall
rainfall formed when two air masses meet
Latitude
how far north or south a place is from the equator
Mediterranean climate zone
an area with mild winters and very warm, dry summers
meteorology
study of weather
Mountain climate
an area with a cool and often wet climate found at higher altitudes
North Atlantic Drift
a warm ocean current that affects the UK
Ocean currents
movements of warm or cold water around the world’s oceans
Polar climate zone
an area with a cold and dry climate
Precipitation
any type of moisture reaching the Earth’s surface
Rain gauge
a weather instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation that has fallen in 24 hours. usually measured in millimetres
Relief rainfall
rain formed when air is forced to rise over a hill or a mountain
stratus clouds
a featureless cloud like a layer of fog. they bring rain, drizzle, and damp weather
temperature
how warm or cold the air is. temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (ºC) or Fahrenheit (ºF)
thermometer
a weather instrument used to measure the temperature
tropical climate
an area with a hot and wet climate all year
water vapor
water held in the air as a gas
weather
the daily changes in the condition of the atmosphere
weather forecast
a prediction of what the weather will be like in the next few hours, days, weeks, or even months
weather station
a place where information is collected about local weather conditions
wind direction
the direction that the wind is blowing from. wind direction is measured using compass bearings
wind speed
how fast the wind is blowing. wind speed is measured in miles or km per hour
wind vane
a weather instrument used to measure the wind direction
