Weather past paper questions Flashcards
Explain the factors which cause differences in average UK temperatures. (4)
Q5.SQANAT52015
South-East England is usually warmer because it is closer to the Equator (1).
This is due to intense heating from the sun (1) because sun rays are more
concentrated (1). Places in Northern Scotland eg Wick, are colder because
they are closer to the North Pole(1). This is due to a lack of insolation from
the sun as the rays are less concentrated (1) and reflection of heat by the
snow and ice (1). Places located on flat low-lying land are warmer eg
Central Scotland, because temperatures increase as altitude decreases and
places higher up ie mountainous regions are colder (1) because
temperature decreases by 1o
C for every one hundred metres in height (1).
Places which are south facing are warmer because they get more sun (1)
and places which are north facing are colder because they experience cold
northerly winds (1). Western coastal areas are warmer because of a warm
ocean current (1) (The North Atlantic Drift) and due to the prevailing
South-Westerly winds that are warmed as they pass across this warm ocean
current (1). In summer, places closer to the sea are cooler and in winter
they are warmer because the sea heats up slowly in summer and cools
slowly in winter (2).
(a) Look at Diagram Q4A.
Describe how a prolonged spell with a tropical continental air mass in summer
would affect the people of the British Isles. (3)
Q4ASQANAT52014
A tropical continental air mass will bring hot dry weather in summer which
could result in droughts (1); there might need to be hosepipe bans (1);
grass might wither and die causing problems for livestock farmers (1); ice
cream sales might rise (1) as people make the most of the sunny weather
and head for the beach (1); it could be very hot and difficult to do physical
work outside (1); heavy rain from thunderstorms might cause flash floods
(1)
(b) Study the Synoptic Chart and the synoptic symbols in Diagram Q4B.
Give reasons for the differences in the weather conditions between Ballycastle
and Lerwick.(5)
Q4BSQANAT52014
It is much windier at Ballycastle than Lerwick because the isobars are
much closer together in Ireland (1); it is raining heavily at Ballycastle
because it is next to the cold front whereas Lerwick is not close to any
fronts (1); the wind direction is north west at Ballycastle and south east at
Lerwick because the wind goes anticlockwise around the low pressure and
the isobars show the approximate direction (1); the cloud cover is 8 oktas
at Ballycastle because it is so close to the cold front where there is likely
to be cumulonimbus cloud whereas Lerwick is not near any fronts so is less
likely to have cloud (1); the temperature is warmer at Ballycastle as it is
still in the warm sector whereas Lerwick is not (1); the weather is mostly
worse in Ballycastle than Lerwick as it is closer to a depression (1). It is
warmer in Ballycastle because the clouds trap the heat whereas it is colder
in Lerwick because there are no clouds (1)
