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205 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What accounts for the location of the Sahara desert?
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-the air in the subtropical/high is sinking
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Which impact makes acid rain a significant political problem?
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-acid rain pollutes areas far from its source
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What is the cloud form classification associated with a thunderstorm?
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-cumuliform
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what causes the development of most clouds and precipitation in the atmosphere?
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-rising air
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Under what conditions would a parcel of air rise relative to other air in the atmosphere?
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-a parcel of air will rise if it has a lower density that the surrounding air
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which factor is most important for determining the density of a parcel of air?
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-temperature
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What will happen if a parcel of air is colder than surrounding air?
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-a colder parcel of air will sink in the atmosphere if forced
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what will happen to a parcel of air as it rises?
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-a rising parcel f air will expand and cool
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which would have a higher temperature, and unsaturated parcel of air at Earth's surface, or a saturated parcel of air 4,000 ft. above Earth's surface?
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-an unsaturated parcel of air at Earth's surface would be warmer because the drop in temp. due to elevation is greater than any temp. difference due to saturation
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Two parcels of air, one dry, and one war, sit at the same temp. at sea level. What will the temp. difference between the two bodies of air be after they rise to an elevation of 2,000 ft.?
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- the dry parcel of air will be 8 degrees colder than the wet parcel of air
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In general, when will clouds begin to form out of a parcel of air?
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-when a raising parcel of air has reached a temp. below its dew point
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which process can add heat to a raising body of air?
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-condensation
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What two conditions are necessary for condensation to occur?
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-The air must be rolled to saturation and condensation nuclei must be available
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If the air temp. is 0 degrees C, the water vapor capacity is 10.6 g/kg and the water vapor in the air is 4.24 g/kg what is the relative humidity?
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-40%
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Why are hair dryers effective?
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-the warm air enables water to break hydrogen bonds to become vapor
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What must break in order for water to change from solid to liquid to gas?
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-hydrogen bonds between water molecules
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How much heat energy is needed to melt 1 gram of ice?
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-80 calories of heat energy
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Why does temp. NOT initially increase as energy is assed after ice begins to melt?
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-the added energy is used to break hydrogen bonds between water molecules
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what physically breaks hydrogen bonds between water molecules as ice melts?
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-movement of water molecules
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what do we call the energy used to melt ice once the ice becomes water?
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-latent heat of water
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How much heat energy is needed to turn 1 gram of water at 100 degrees C into water vapor?
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-540 calories of heat
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How can water vapor become ice?
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-water vapor can become liquid water through the release of heat energy and then become ice through the release of more heat energy. Water vapor can also become ice directly through the release of heat energy
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Which of these events or actions results from the capillarity of water?
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- grass obtains water from within the soil
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How much of the Earth's surface water exists in the oceans?
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-Almost all the Earth's surface water exists in the ocean
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Which ocean is Earth's largest?
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-pacific ocean
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where is most of Earth's fresh water found?
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as ice at Earth's surface
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what does the hydrologic cycle describe?
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-how liquid and gaseous water move between the ocean, atmosphere, and land
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How does water get from the ocean onto land?
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-ocean water evaporates to form gaseous water and moves into the atmosphere , where it condenses into liquid water and falls out of the atmosphere to land as rain
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what would happen to atmospheric water if Earth were mostly covered with land?
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-the atmosphere would contain less water
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what would happen to the oceans if the surface run off and ground water flow were reduced
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- the oceans would become smaller
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What air mass brings cool temps. and humid conditions to costal Washington and Oregon?
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-Mp (maritime polar)
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What is a front?
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-the foundry between two air masses of different temps.
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Where does rain occur in a warm front?
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-rain occurs ALONG and in FRONT of a warm front
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Where does rain occur in a cold front?
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-rain occurs ALONG and BEHIND a cold front
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How are rain patterns different near warm and cold fronts?
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-rain near a warm front occurs over a SMALLER spatial area and is MORE intense than near a cold front
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what determines whether a front is called a cold front or a warm front?
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-the type of front is determined by which air mass is moving
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why does rain occur near a cold front?
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-rising warm air cools, resulting in cloud formation and rain
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why does rain occur near a warm front?
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-rising warm air cools, resulting in cloud formation and rain
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what explains the weather if the day starts warm and clear, but, later, a thunderstorm occurs and the temp. drops?
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- a cold front has passed
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what are midlatitude cyclones?
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-migrating low-pressure cells that move in the band of the westerlies
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what happened when air masses of different temps. meet?
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weel-defined boundaries form between the air masses
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which of the following statements about movement in the midlatitude cyclones are accurate?
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-surface winds move counter-clockwise
-the cold front advices faster than the center of the storm, and the warm front advices more slowly than the center -the entire cyclone moves from west to east |
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what is occlusion in midlatitude cyclones?
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-occlusion is the process by which a cold front overtakes a warm front
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when do midlatitude cyclones stop producing storms?
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-when the cold front has completely taken over the warm front
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what is a tropical cyclone?
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-a low-pressure disturbance that develops over warm, tropical waters
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where are tropical cyclones found?
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-at lower and middle latitudes
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which of the following names mean tropical cyclone?
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- Typhoon
-cyclone -hurricane |
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Why is heavy rain associated with hurricane formation?
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-rising moist air cools. As air cools water condenses and eventually falls
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why is warm, moist air considered the "fuel" for a hurricane?
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-air cools as is rises. As air cools, water vapor will condense out as liquid water. Condensation releases heat, providing energy to the hurricane
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how big can the diameter of a hurricane become?
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-500 miles
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What other natural hazards are associated with tornado formation
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-thunderstorms
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why does air spiral parallel to Earth's surface during initial stages of tornado formation?
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-because of friction, surface winds move more slowly than winds higher in the air column
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What can cause the horizontally rotating air spiral to become the vertical spiral of a tornado
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-updraft associated with thunderstorm clouds can tilt the horizontal column spinning air
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how are mesocyclones and tornados related?
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-mesocyclones can turn into funnel clouds. A funnel cloud that touches the ground is call a tornado
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what explains the weather if the day started with high wispy clouds that grew lower and thicker as a steady drizzle fell through the afternoon, followed by early evening clearing and notably warmer temp.
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- a warm front has passed
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what explains the weather if one location has four days of warm temps. and clear skies and another location 100 km north has had slow steady rain and cold temps. ?
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- a stationary front is between the two locations
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what us the name of a tropical disturbance with winds 39-73 mph
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-tropical storm
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which location rarely produce hurricane type storms?
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-the south atlantic off of Brazil
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what causes the greatest number of fatalities from hurricanes?
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-flooding (storm surge)
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what stage of a thunderstorm is characterized by downdrafts, light rain ending and high wind-blown cloud top?
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-dissipating
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Many pollutants from coal-fired power plants are properly managed today. which of the following is currently considered to be the biggest threat to the environment?
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-carbon dioxide
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all fossil fuels, including coal, are considered an indirect form of _____ energy?
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-solar
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where is electricity made at a coal-fired power plant?
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-generator
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during peak usage, what happens to the cost of electricity?
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- it almost always increases
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what color smoke coming from coal-fired power plants would indicate wasted fuel?
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-black
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which climate is distinguished by its warm, dry, clear winters and its summer dominance by itcz precipitation
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-tropical savanna
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what are the two main causes of dry climate?
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-lack of uplift an no moisture
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which climate is distinguished by its mild temps., extensive cloudiness, and frequent precipitation brought by the westerlies?
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-marine west coast
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which climate is distinguished by its remoteness from the oceans, the dominance of the westerlies madlaititude cyclones and long, warm summers?
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-humid continental
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what controls make ice cap climates so cold and dry?
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-low sun angles, low vapor capacities and high pressures
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what does dendrochronology study to learn about past climates?
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-annual growth patterns of trees
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How do ice cores provide evidence of past climates?
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the gases in air bubbles can be analyzed
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why does solar output vary?
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-the sun has magnetic storms call sun spots
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which of the following statements correctly describes changes in greenhouse concentration and temps?
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-greenhouse gas concentration have been increasing since the industrial rev. and mean temps. increased overall during the 20th century
-concentration of greenhouse gases remained relatively constant over most of this period f record until they increased die to large scale and used changes and industrial rev. in mid 19th century - the concentration of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere were nearly the same by the late 20th century |
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calculate the projected mean annual temp. for each location in the year 2100 and rank the location by temp. from greatest to least
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-dc, spain, australia, canada, denmark
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data from what length of time are represented on a climograph?
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-30 years
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in terre haute, Indiana, which month has the lowest average precipitation?
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-jan ( most in may)
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in terre haute, Indiana, one month has the highest max. and min. temps. and is virtually tied for the highest average monthly perception. which month is this?
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- july
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based on review of the climograph for Terre haute and cape town, south africa, which three of the following statements are probably true?
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-agriculture i and around Terre haute does not generally require irrigation, but agriculture in cape town may need it
-Terre haute lies outside of the tropics -Terre haute is in the N. hemisphere |
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How does the total annual perception for Terre haute in 2008 compare with this city's 30 year average climate?
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- the total annual precipitation in 2008 was about 10 inches higher than its 30 yr climate average
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Based on you comparison of climograph and the single year of weather data for Terre haute, which of the following statements are true?
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- august 2008 precipitation was far below average
-flooding was most likely a problem in jun 2008 -weather in a single year can be very different from that of the 30 yr average shown in a climograph |
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what is the direction of the prevailing winds that push storms along the low-pressure cell storm track north of the tropic of cancer?
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-from west to east
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what is the direction of the prevailing winds along the equator?
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-from east to west
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what is the direction of the prevailing wind flow in high-pressure systems in Northern hemisphere?
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-clockwise
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using the info. in the map, which of the three following statements are true?
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-the inter tropical convergence zone is associated with weather patterns near the equator
-winds in the high-pressued cell generally flow in a circular pattern -the westerlies move storm systems across the midlatitudes |
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What climate type is found in Cheyenne wyoming?
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-H (highland complex mountain climates)
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excluding the state of Hawaii, which city in north american has a tropical climate?
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-miami, FL
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which of the two following statements are true?
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-the driest climates are located in the western parts of the US, but not along the west coast
-the climates of the eastern half of north america are primarily the result of latitudinal range |
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which of these cities shows the greatest seasonality as reflected by its precipitation?
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-Vancouver, BC
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Which of these cities shows the least seasonality as reflected by it temps.?
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-Miam, FL
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Which tide occurs only with new and ill moons?
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-spring tide
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why is the Great garbage patch important?
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-the plastics strangle, trap, starve, and poison many sea organisms
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how many of the great lakes are included in the world's top five lakes by surface area?
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-3 ( Huron, michigan, superior)
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what significant problem routinely reduces the life span of a reservoir
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-sediments accumulate and reduce the water levels
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what is the largest river by length?
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- the nile
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how does the water table change around a pumping water well?
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- elevation decreases
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the cone of depression is ____?
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-the shape that the water table takes on near a pumping well
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when will a cone of depression stop enlarging?
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- when the amount of water flowing toward the well equals the amount of water being pumped out of the well
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-when might a well go dry?
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-when the cone of depression of a second well intersects the deepest part of the first well
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if your new neighbor drilled a well and shortly thereafter your well went dry, what is the least that she might have to do to restore your water supply?
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-she would need to pump more slowly so that her well's cone of depression would shrink
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how would the water table be affected if earth were made up of uniform permeable material?
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the water table would be much, much deeper
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why does ground water discharge to earths surface?
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-earth's surface is irregular and permeability decreases with depth with earth
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which of the following would produce a lower water table?
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-a decrease in the amount of recharge to ground water
-an increase in the amount of discharge to surface water |
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how does the use of water by humans affect the water table?
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use of water by humans increases discharge, resulting in lowered water tables
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what is the water table?
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-the top of the saturated zone beneath earth's surface
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about how long have waste water treatment plants been in existence?
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-120 years (since 1800's)
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which of the following diseases has been all but eliminated from the US because of wastewater treatment plants?
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-cholera
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you accidentally flushed your cell phone, where will it most likely be found in a waste water treatment facility?
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-bat screen
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where does settling of solids occur at a waste water treatment facility?
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-clarifier
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what does the Kanapaha waste water treatment facility use to disinfect and treat water?
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-chlorine
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which of the following products of the waste water treatment facility is often put on farm files as a fertilizer?
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-
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what does he Murphree water treatment plant use to disinfect the water?
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-chlorine
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what federal agency regulated the bottled water industry?
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-food and drug admin.
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which of the following is considered to be the safest drinking water source?
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-ground water
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what is the next frontier in the drinking water industry?
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-desalination
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once a groundwater supply is contaminated with marine water, how long will it remain contaminated?
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-forever
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what are the two types of aquifers?
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-confined and unconfined
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what is the most series concern about the Ogallaia aquifer?
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-depletion
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what are the second and third largest storage areas of earth's moisture by percentage?
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-glaciers
-ground water |
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what do we call the tide that occurs when constructive interference between lunar and solar bulges produces a large tidal range?
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-spring tide
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what are tides?
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-the regular daily dies and falls in sea level caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun on earth
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why are high tides found simultaneously on opposite sides of earth?
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-the tidal bulges occur on both sides of each that are aligned with the tide-generating body.
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why does the moon generate larger tidal forces than the sun?
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-although the sun is bigger, the moon is much closer
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what do we cal the tide that occurs when destructive interference between lunar and solar bulges produces a small tidal range?
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-neap tide
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how many spring and neap tides will a tide-recording station experience in a given month?
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-2 spring
-2 neap |
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Acid rain
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-AKA acid precipitation or aciddepostion
- the deposition of either wet or dry acidic materials from the atmosphere on earth's surface. - my fall to earth as snow, sleet, hail, fog, gases, particle matter, or rain -sulfuric and nitric acids are the main culprits -most of the the pollution is deposited the furthest distance from its source (downwind receives from upwind) -coal burning electricity produces 70%of sulfuric emissions and 20% nitric emissions in US |
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Calorie
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-amount of energy (in calories) required to melt a 1 gram block of ice and covert it to water vapor.
- 1 calorie is the amount of heat required to increase the temp. of 1 gram of liquid water by 1 degree C - In order for ice to melt, energy must be added to water molecules to break the hydrogen bonds. - energy added does not increase the temp. of ice but does increase internal structural energy |
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cirrus clouds
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-"high" family (Ci)
-from cirriform -meaning "lock of hair" -thin, wispy,white, icy and composed of ice crystals - found above 6 km (20,000 ft) because of small amounts of water vapor and low temps. -a sign of an approaching weather system or storms |
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Cumulus clouds
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- latin "mass" or "pile"
-massive rounded, flat-base and limited horizontal extent -billow upwards -cumuliform (Cu) -tall ,narrow, fluffy, vertical clouds -15 km (60,000 ft) |
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Cumulonimbus
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-(Cb) cumuliform
-tall, narrow, puffy, vertical, anvil shape -develop from cumulus clouds -storm clouds -indicator of instability and strong vertical air currents (up and down drafts) -more common in summer -can sometimes have lightning and thunder |
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Nimbostratus clouds
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--(NS)
-precipitation -low clouds -develop from stratus clouds - widespread, somber skies and drizzly rain - "general" overcast |
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status clouds
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-latin "spread out"
-grayish sheets that cover most or all of the sky -rarely broken up into individual clouds -stratiform (St) |
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Condensation
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-evaporation and condensation may take place at the same time
-energy released during condensation is called latent heat -for every gram of liquid water at a temp. of 100C, 540 cal of energy are absorbed as water vaporizes - 540 cal of energy are released when water vapor condenses - warming process -energy is added back into atmosphere -plays a role in stability of the atmosphere and the power of storms |
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what three things are needed for perpetuation?
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-moist air
-air cooled below dew point (condensation occurs) -rising air |
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what is the dew point? Explain how dew point is a temp. concept
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-The temp at which saturation is reached
-the dew point temp. varies with the moisture content of the air -describes the actual water vapor content of a parcel of air |
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what is the lifting condensation level?
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-the height at which the relative humidity of an air parcel will reach 100% when it is rolled by dry adiabatic lifting
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how do clouds form?
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-when invisible water vapor in the air condenses into visible water droplets or ice crystals.
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how do you calculate relative humidity?
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-amount of water vapor in the air compared with the max. amount that could be there if the air were saturated.
-expressed as % - (RH)= actual water vapor in air x 100 capacity |
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what is the relationship between air's capacity to hold water vapor and relative humidity (i.e., if air's capacity to hold water increases, what happens to the relative humidity?)
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-as sir temp increases, so will the capacity of that air to hold more water vapor
-the higher the air temp. the stronger the bond between water and air molecules, and the drier the air seems to be. - warm air will hold more moisture than cold air -the percentage of relative humidity must change with changes in air temp |
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which of the components of the general circulation (itcz, sty, polar front, or polar highs) is associated with low annual precipitation totals (i.e. deserts). Why?
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- STH (subtropical highs)
-absence of wind -anticyclonic rotating clockwise in the northern hemisphere -convergence= sinking air is dry and warm and results in a band high surface pressure -siberian, pacific, bermuda high |
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what makes water unique from other substances in the atmosphere?
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-it is found as a gas, liquid, and a solid at natural earth temps.
-surface tension |
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what is transpiration? what is evapotranspiration?
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-transpiration= the process where plants give up moisture through their leaves
-evapotranspiration= process of water vapor entering the air from land sources |
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What is adiabatic cooling? Why does air cool as it rises and warm as it descends? What is the dry adiabatic rate and what is the saturated adiabatic rate? Why is the saturated rate lower than the dry rate?
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-adiabatic cooling= cooling by expansion such as air rising
-dry adiabatic rate= the rate at which a parcel of unsaturated air cools as it rises (1*C of cooling for every 100 meters) -saturated adiabatic rate= the dimished rate of cooling of rising air above the lifting condensation levels. (0.5*C of cooling for every 100 meters) - the saturated adiabatic rate is lower because as vapor condenses into water, for a saturated parcel, latent heat is released into the parcel, mitigating the adiabatic cooling -warmer air is less dense and is capable of holding more moisture. As a result warm air low in the atmosphere tends to rise, expand, and cool. |
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what does the term "saturated air" mean?
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-when water molecules in the air are exerting the max. possible vapor pressure at a given temp. the air is saturated with water vapor
-100% RH |
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Name the four types of atmospheric lifting as described in the text
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-convective
-frontal -orographic -convergent |
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Describe the global average annual precipitation pattern. Where is it the wettest? Where is it the driest?
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-wettest=tropical latitudes (central america, madagascar)
-driest= western sides of continents in subtropical latitudes (north africa and australia) -based on latitude -the amount of precipitation on any part of earth's surface is determined by the nature of the air mass involved and degree to which the air is uplifted |
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which areas of the earth have the greatest variability in precipitation rates?
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-dry regions
-Northern and southwestern Africa, Arabian Pen. central asia and australia |
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what is a rain shadow and what causes it?
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-leeward slopes and the area beyond as far as the drying influence extends
-dry area on the lee side of a mt. area (away from the wind). Mts. block the passage of rain systems and cast a shadow of dryness behind them -warm moist air rises by orographic lifting to the top of a mt. range |
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describe the difference between rain, snow, sleet, hail, and glaze.
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rain= result of condensation and precipitation in ascending air that has a temp above freezing
snow= solid precipitation in the form of ice crystals. Formed when water vapor is converted directly to ice through sublimation w/o an intermediate liquid stage sleet= small rain drops that freeze during descent. Mix of rain and snow glaze=freezing rain. Turns to ice when collides with a solid object hail=large clumps of ice. Produced in cumulonimbus clouds as a result of instability and strong vertical air currents |
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describe the difference between stable air and unstable air. When will a buoyant parcel of air stop rising?
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unstable= lifting it may make it more buoyant and will continue to rise. Continue sinking if displaced down slightly
stable= falls back if pushed up and bobs up if pushed down. -It will stop rising when it reaches a part of the atmosphere that has the same temp. |
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what is supercooled water?
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-water that persists in liquid format temps. below freezing
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what is global dimming and what causes it? How is global dimming affected global warming?
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--aerosols block sunlight, absorbed solar energy high in the atmosphere, and creates more reflective clouds. This cools the surface and lowers the troposphere
-it is masking some of the affects of global warming and will cause a greater increase in temps. |
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Condensation Nuclei
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-serve as collection centers for water molecules during condensation
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Dew point
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-the critical air temp at which water vapor saturation is reached
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evaporation
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-cooling process
-dry air has more evaporation and more cooling than moist air |
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fog
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-a cloud whose base is at or very near ground level
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specific humidity
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-a direct measure of water vapor content expressed as the mass of water vapor in a given mass of air
-grams of vapor/kg of air |
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latent heat
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-energy stored or released when a substance changes state
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LCL (lifting condensation level)
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-the altitude at which rising air cools to reach 100% RH at the dew point temp, and condensation begins
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vapor pressure
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-the pressure exerted by water vapor in the atmosphere
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water vapor
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-water in the form of a gas
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what are the three characteristics of an air mass?
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- large (1,000 miles)
-uniform properties in horizontal dimension -travel as a unit. will not be torn apart by different air flows |
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describe the characteristics of each air mass. How are they different (with regards to temp and moisture) from each other?`
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-A= arctic/antarctic ocean and green land. (very cold, dry and stable
-mP= maritime polar. Oceans 50-60 degrees N and S latitude (cold, moist, unstable) cP= continental polar. High latitude. Eurasian and north america. (cold, dry, stable) mT= maritime tropical and subtropical oceans (warm, moist, variable stability) cT= continental tropical. Low latitude deserts (hot, very dry, unstable E= equatorial. Oceans near the equator (warm, very moist, unstable) |
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what regions of the earth are more likely to produce air masses? Why?
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-oceans surfaces
-flat land areas that have uniform covering of snow, forest, or desert. -because it matches the characteristics of an air mass |
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describe the air masses that affect north america. How do these air masses affect our weather?
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- warm masses can from in any season over the waters of N atlantic, gulf, and N pacific
-summers they form over the deserts of sw Us and and Nw mex. -cold and wet on NW and NE -cold dry North central -warm and wet south west -hot and dry mid south |
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explain the difference between a warm front and a cold front. explain the difference between stationary front and an occluded front
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-occluded= formed when a cold front over-takes a warm front, lifting all of the warm air mass off the ground
-stationary= boundary between 2 air masses in a situation in which neither air mass displace the other -cold= leading edge of a cool air mass actively displacing warm air -warm= advancing warm air mass |
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what type of front tends to move the fastest and thus cause air to rise the fastest?
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-cold front
-dense, cold air mass easily displaces the lighter warm air |
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what type of weather is typically associated with a mislatitude anticyclone?
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-dry weather
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are tornadoes characterized by high or low pressure?
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-low pressure
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why do most tornadoes occur in the US? on average how many confirmed tornadoes are there in the US each year?
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-because of the flat terrain
-800-1200 |
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describe the lifecycle of typical thunderstorm
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-development- uplift warm moist air release enough latent heat of condensation to sustain rise of air
-mature- heavy rain, lightning, winds. Last 10-20 mins -dissipating- decrease rainfall, bursts of wind, lightning remains a danger |
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describe the difference in the precipitation patterns ahead of a warm front vs. a cold front
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-cold front advances faster
-advancing dense, cold air easily displaces the lighter, warm air ahead of the front |
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in which region of the world have tropical cyclones caused the greatest loss of life?
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-the flat deltas in Bangladesh
-Indian Ocean |
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which US hurricane was the deadliest
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-great Galveston hurricane
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Katrina was the costliest US hurricane. The damage from Katrina was mostly caused by what?
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-26 ft. storm surge
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describe how hurricanes form
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-only over warm oceans
-in tropics and N and S of the equator -always develop out of preexisting disturbances -can evolve only when there is no wind shear with height |
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what is the energy source for hurricanes?
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-large latent heat of water
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how fast must winds be in order for a storm to be classified as a hurricane?
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-74 mph
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why do hurricanes form within 8-10 degrees of the equator?
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-water must be a least 80 degrees
-depth of water must be a least 160 ft. -the Coriolis effect is min. near the equator |
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do hurricanes have any beneficial effects? Why?
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-brings moisture and rain to dry parts
-transports heat and moisture away from the equator |
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what is a mesocyclone? how does nexrad detect mesocyclones in severe thunderstorms? If a mesocyclone is detected, what would nexrad do?
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-cyclonic circulation of air within a severe thunderstorm
-transmits pulses through the atmosphere -issue a warning |
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typhoon
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-same as hurricane
- called this in the western north pacific |
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As physical geographers, why are we interested in climatic classification?
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-helps us understand global climate patterns
-to simplify, organize, and generalize a lot of data |
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Explain the basic concept of the modified Köppen system
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-5 major climate groups (A,B,C,D,E) which are subdivided into 14 climate types along with category of Highland (H) climate
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What are the two weather variables used in the modified Köppen system?
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- temp and precipitation
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What are the six main climate zones in the modified Köppen System?
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-tropical humid, dry, mild, severe, polar, and highland
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Which one these zones only occurs in the Northern Hemisphere and why?
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-severe midlatitude
-because the southern hemisphere has limited land masses at the appropriate latitudes |
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Which climate zone covers the most land area?
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-dry climate (30%)
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What is shown on a climograph?
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-average monthly precipitation and temps.
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Explain the differences between the three types of tropical humid climates.
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-tropical wet= lots of rain every month of the year
-tropical savanna= low sun dry season, high sun wet season -tropical monsoon= dry season and a very rainy high sun season |
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Distinguish between desert and steppe climates.
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- deserts are extremely arid
-steppes are semiarid |
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What is the association between the subtropical deserts and the STH”s (Subtropical Highs)?
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-subtropical deserts extent inland where subsidence from STH is stronger and where cool ocean currents provide added stability
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What are the distinctive characteristics of mediterranean climates? Where are mediterranean climates usually located (i.e., on which side of continents are they located)?
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-summers hot, winters are mild
-30-40 degrees N and S latitude on west side of continents |
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In what climatic types is winter the season of precipitation maximum and summers are dry & sunny? Why does this happen?
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-Mediterranean
-subtropical high pressure systems |
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The one-year record rainfall took place in what climate type?
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-tropical monsoon
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Why is summer not the hottest season in a Tropical Monsoon climate?
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-Because of rain
-Heavy cloud cover of the wet monsoon shields the sun resulting in lower temps in summer |
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What causes the relatively mild temperatures of marine west coast climates?
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-they are in midlatitudes where winds are westerly.
-lots of rain and cloudiness -winds carry water vapor evaporated from the ocean |
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Why is precipitation so sparse in polar climates?
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-extremely high latitudes
-cold air has no water vapor capacity (no uplift) |
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Which climate type has the greatest variability (both day-to-day and seasonal
contrasts)? |
-humid
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Which climate type has the smallest annual temperature range by far?
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-tundra/polar
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The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world. Where is it located? The
presence of what two things creates the “double rain shadow” in which the this desert is located? |
-western side of south america
-moist winds from the east are kept out by the Andes -pacific air is chilled and stabilized |
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What distinguishes a tundra climate from an icecap climate?
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-tundra has one month above 0 degrees
-ice cap has no months above 0 degrees |
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Boreal
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-needle leaf forest in the subarctic regions in north america and Eurasia
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Dendrochronology
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-study of past events and past climates through the analysis of tree rings
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Kyoto Protocol
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-cut back on carbon emissions
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