Weather Systems / Changing Climate / Reading Notes

Question 1

Name of environment + people sphere

Answer 1

Anthrosphere

Question 2

How many meters makes a difference when studying a microclimate?

Answer 2

2 meters altitude

Question 3

How many meters makes a difference when studying Mesoclimate?

Answer 3

few square KM’s

Question 4

6 main “spheres”

Answer 4

bios, anthros, lihtos, hydros, cryos, atmos

Question 5

Isotherms are heat patterns that …

Answer 5

bend towards the poles

Question 6

Wettest place in the world

Answer 6

windward side of mountains

Question 7

Hottest places

Answer 7

deserts of subtropics in Northern Hemisphere

Question 8

more variation of temperature inland or coastal?

Answer 8

inland / large bodies of water / land

Question 9

Southern Hemisphere is cooler than the Northern because

Answer 9

less land in Southern Sphere

Question 10

ITCZ

Answer 10

intertropical convergence zone

Question 11

What stops east-west precipitation

Answer 11

semipermanent subtropical anticyclones

Question 12

High pressure usually moves where

Answer 12

polewards

Question 13

The Bermuda high moves over top of …

Answer 13

Gulf of Mexico (tropical breeze)

Question 14

Orographic Uplift

Answer 14

wind go up mountain

Question 15

Leeward side

Answer 15

dry / downwards / rain shadow

Question 16

Which ancient culture started classifying climate?

Answer 16

Ancient Greeks

Question 17

New system of weather classification as of 1918

Answer 17

Koppen

Question 18

Koppen system is concerned with distribution and …

Answer 18

kind of vegetation in an area

Question 19

Problems with Koppen system

Answer 19

borders too defined and not all climates produce same vegetation

Question 20

Most geo- and climatically diverse part of Canada =

Answer 20

BC

Question 21

British Columbia is complicated and thus requires BEC, which means

Answer 21

Biogeoclimate Ecological Classification system

Question 22

Two types of tropical climate

Answer 22

1) wet 2) wet & dry

Question 23

According to Koppen, dry regions are how much of the world …

Answer 23

26%

Question 24

Koppen recognizes 2 types of dry climate

Answer 24

arid and semiarid

Question 25

Xerophytes =

Answer 25

desert plants

Question 26

Temperate climates have at least one month with mean temps below zero …

Answer 26

No. None.

Question 27

Marine areas w. unique climate systems bookend continents beacuse …

Answer 27

Eastern / Western Guards = mountains on either coast

Question 28

Mediterranean type climates are in North America

Answer 28

Yah in some places, based on similar veggies

Question 29

Prairie Droughts sometimes due to

Answer 29

cold air advection / summer high-pressure conditions

Question 30

Drought dust exasperates droughts?

Answer 30

We don’t know.

Question 31

What year was worse than the 1930’s dust bowl years?

Answer 31

2001

Question 32

Sub-polar means …

Answer 32

Only 3 months with mean temp above 10.

Question 33

Taiga climate =

Answer 33

Boreal w conifers & birch

Question 34

Tundra has much precipitation

Answer 34

no

Question 35

Polar Ice Cap when?

Answer 35

If temp average below zero every months forever

Question 36

Dry Climates

Answer 36

where evap and transpiration exceeds precip

Question 37

West coasts tend to be drier because

Answer 37

sinking air of subtropical highs inhibits cloud formation

Question 38

What’s a “STEPPE”?

Answer 38

between semiarid & subtropic