Climatology - Weather Maps (W8)

Front 1

What is the starting point of rainfall?

Back 1

It is a cool atmosphere to allow condensation to occur

Front 2

What causes precipitation?

Back 2

When clouds become over saturated, they are too heavy

Front 3

Why are there three types of rainfall?

Back 3

There are three types since the mechanism of rising air to cool the atmosphere differs

Front 4

How is orographic / relief rain formed and give an example?

Back 4

When the location of a mountain forces air to rise and cool. Example: Drakensberg

Front 5

Define windward / leeward slope

Back 5

It is when the air is forced the rise, condense and rain. The rain will only fall on the windward slope

Front 6

What is 'the rain shadow'?

Back 6

The rain shadow is when the precipitation of windward slopes fall on the interior side; causing it to warm and evaporate.

Front 7

What holds more moisture and less rain?

Back 7

The rain shadow

Front 8

Define convection rainfall

Back 8

Occurs often during summer when convection currents cause air to cool and strong drought up currents that produce thunder and lightning

Front 9

Define cyclonic / frontal rainfall

Back 9

Forms when incoming cold heavy air wedges beneath warmer air and forces it to rise and cool adiabatically SOFT, PROLONGED SHOWER IN WINTER

Front 10

Give three ways of measuring rainfall

Back 10

1. Tipping bucket (gives intensity of rain)

2. Rain Gauge (cylinder that captures rain)

3. Wetness Sensor (measures changes in electrical characteristics)

4. Present Weather System (detects rate of falling particles and temperature)

Front 11

Define isoheyts

Back 11

Lines that connect equal rainfall. Can also show the least and most rainfall that occurred over time (interpolation- colour is used to show this)

Front 12

Define isobars and isotherms

Back 12

Isobars: Lines that connect equal air pressure

Isotherms: Lines that connect equal temperature

Front 13

What do closer isobars represent?

Back 13

The closer the isobars, the stronger the wind speed

Front 14

In what direction will circulation be in each hemisphere?

Back 14

Southern: Anti - clockwise around high pressure and clockwise around low pressure.

REVERSED FOR NORTHERN

Front 15

What does L and H indicate on weather maps?

Back 15

'L' indicates the lowest pressure in the cell and 'H' indicates the highest pressure in the cell

Front 16

In which direction does wind travel? (regarding pressure)

Back 16

Wind ALWAYS travels from a high to low pressure area

Front 17

Another name for a low pressure area

Back 17

Tropical cyclone

Front 18

Provide three ways to measure air pressure

Back 18

1. Barometer- mecury in bowl with tube that moves according to pressure of gases

2. Aneroid barometer - metallic box in which sides expand with pressure differences

3. Barograph - measures pressure for a week by ink line with moving drum

Front 19

Give properties of:

1. Low pressure areas

2. High pressure areas

Back 19

1. Low pressure: clouds and rainfall

2. High pressure: clear skies

Front 20

How are weather satellites situated?

Back 20

They are geostatic (in fixed position) but rotates with the earth - 36000 km above

Front 21

Give 4 other ways (apart from satellite) that gathers weather data

Back 21

1. weather balloons with transmitters

2. floating buoys

3. weather stations

4. ships and aeroplanes

Front 22

How is weather data summarized?

Back 22

By a synoptic weather map that uses symbols to represent weather conditions

Front 23

Define cold front

Back 23

A boundary between approaching cold and warm air in front of it. The direction of the cold air is indicated by the direction of triangles

Front 24

Define warm front

Back 24

A boundary between approaching cold and warm air ahead of it. Direction of the warm air is indicated by the directions of the semicircles

Front 25

How is wind direction indicated?

Back 25

From where the wind comes from!

Front 26

What are station models?

Back 26

They are models that summarize the weather conditions for the day for a particular region

Front 27

At what time are weather recordings made?

Back 27

At Greenwich meridian 12:00

Front 28

Define isobaric interval

Back 28

The difference in pressure between two consecutive isobars

Front 29

How is a pressure cell recognized?

Back 29

By the isobars that form a closed circular shape

Front 30

Give one way a high pressure cell is recognised

Back 30

It can be recognized by increasing hectoprascal readings toward middle of cell

Front 31

Name four items of data satellites gather from the surface of the earth

Back 31

1. Rainfall

2. Wind Speed

3. Land surface temps

4. Frequency of frost, dew or snow