Weather and Climate Flashcards
What s the difference between Weather and Climate?
Weather is the day to day variation in temperature, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover, humidity and air pressure, whereas climate is the general pattern of weather in a certain area, usually over a period of 30 years. For example, the fact that summer is warm and winter is cold is because of climate. But, if it is going to rain today, that is the weather.
What is temperature measured in, what does it mean and what is its instrument of measurement
Temperature is measured in degrees celsius, fahrenheit or kelvin, it means how hot or cold it is and its instrument of measurement is a thermometer.
What are the three types of rainfall?
Frontal rainfall, relief rainfall and convectional rainfall.
How does convectional rainfall form?
Convectional rainfall forms due to heating of the ground by the Sun. As the air near the ground gets heated by the Sun, it gets lighter and rises. When the air rises it becomes cool and condenses. As the water vapour condenses back into water droplets, clouds are formed. When clouds grow too big and heavy it starts to rain.
How does relief rainfall form?
Relief rainfall forms when warm, moist air is forced to rise above mountains or hills. As the air rises it cools and condenses. When the water vapour condenses back into water droplets they form clouds. When the cloud become too big and heavy it begins to rain.
How does frontal rainfall form?
Frontal rainfall occurs when warm air meets cold air. Because the warm air is lighter, it rises. When the air rises it begins to cool and condense back into water vapour, which forms clouds. When these clouds become too big and heavy it begins to rain.
What is air pressure’s instrument of measurement, what does air pressure mean and what is it measured in?
Air pressure’s instrument of measurement is a barometer, air pressure means how ‘heavy’ the air is and it is measured in millibars (mb).
What is cloud cover, what is it measured in and what is it measured using?
Cloud cover is how much of the sky is hidden by clouds, it is measured in oktas and it is measured using your eyes or a satellite image.
What is wind speed, what is it measured in and what is it measured by?
Wind speed is how fast the wind is blowing, it is measured in miles per hour (mph), or kilometres per hour (kph) and it is measured using a anemometer.
What is wind direction, what is it measured in and what is it measured using?
Wind direction is where the wind is blowing from, it is measured using compass points (N,E,S,W) and it is measured using a wind vane.
What is precipitation, what is it measured in and what is it measured using.?
Precipitation is water falling from the sky in any form (rain, hail, sleet and snow), it is measured in any measurement of depth (mm, cm, inches, feet, metres etc.) and it is measured using a rain gauge.
What are anticyclones?
Anticyclones are areas of high atmospheric pressure, which in winter tend to bring clear, cold weather with frost, and in summer bring warm, clear weather.
What are depressions?
Depressions are areas of low atmospheric pressure which tend to bring cloudy, cold weather.
