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13 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Climate
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the average conditions at a place over time;
long-term behavior of weather; it does include variability |
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Climatology
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the study of climate over space and time
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Climatic regions
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areas of similar weather statistics
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no two places are exactly alike
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Climate Classification (6)
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1. Tropical (equatorial and tropical latitudes)
2. Mesothermal (midlatitudes, mild winter) 3. Microthermal (mid and high latitudes, cold winter) 4. Polar (high latitudes and polar regions) 5. Highland (high-elevation locations) 6. Desert (permanent moisture deficits) |
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Tropical Climates
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-From T. of Capricorn to T. of Cancer
-Coolest month = 18/65+ -consistently warm with NO WINTER -annual water supply > annual water demand Northern South America Mid Africa Asian/Pacific Islands |
Tropical Rainforest: rainy all year
Tropical Monsoon: 6-12 months rainy Tropical Savannah: <6 months rainy |
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Mesothermal Climates
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-Distribution: middle latitudes, mostly coastal areas
-warmest month > 10/50 - 0/32 < coldest month < 18/65 -variable summers, cool winter -seasonal climates -large weather variability Southern US SE South America SE Asia Europe East Austrailia |
Humid Subtropical 1: hot summer, rainy all year
Humid Subtropical 2: hot summer, dry winter Marine West Coast: winter wet/cool, summer dry/warm Mediterranean: mild winter, dry summer |
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Microthermal Climates
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-Distribution: coastal to coninental
-higher latitude than mesothermal climates -warmest month > 10/50 -coldest month < 0/32 -wide variety of enviornments; snow climates -large temperature ranges Northern North America (Canada) Northern Asia (Russia) Soutern tip of South America |
-Humid Continental: hot summer, cold winter
-Humide continental: mild summer, cold winter -Subarctic: cool summer, cold winter -Extreme subarctic: cool summer, very cold winter |
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Polar Climates
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-Distribution: poleward of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, Alpine environments
-warmest month < 10/50 -always cold with no true summer -ice climates, tundra and ice caps -daylength and sun latitude play a large part in the coldness Northern tips of NA and Asia Antarctic |
Polar (marine): cool summer, cold winter
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Desert Climates
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-based on precipitation
-distribution: between 15 and 30N/S latitudes -permanent water deficits -subdivisions based on precipitation timing and amount and mean annual temperature North Africa Middle East Mid/West Australia |
Tropical/Subtropical Desert: hot and dry
Midlatitude Desert: cold and dry Low-latitude Steppe: hot Midlatitude steppe: cold |
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El Nino Southern Oscillation
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-Low Pressure off SA reduces or reverses normally easterly flowing winds
-this increases the temperature of surface water and cuts off cold water which usually upwells to the surface |
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La Nina
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when the same water cools below normal temperatures by at least .4C
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El Nino/La Nina
Impacts |
El Nino:
-creates more precipitation -Pacific Northwest is drier -California is wetter |
La Nina:
-Pacific Northwest is wetter -California is drier -Atlantic hurricane season is stronger |
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Paleoclimatology
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the scientific and spatial study of past climates
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Today:
1. the earth is warming 2. glaciers are melting 3. sea-level is rising 4. climate zones are shifting along with the ecosystems that exist within them |
