Term
| What causes mountain and valley breezes |
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Definition
valley breeze = heated air upslope
mounti breeze = cold air downslope |
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Term
| mountain valley day breeze vs. night breeze? |
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Definition
day: heated air upslope
night: cold air downslope |
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Term
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Definition
adiabatic warming
downslope
leeward side
becomes dry and hot |
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Term
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Definition
bitter cold air - very dense
rushes downhill from elevated snowcovered plateau
margin of antarctica and greenland ice sheets
very strong |
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Term
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Definition
10 m
in the ocean: the layer closet to surgace in the ocean structure
heating at this level |
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Term
| local winds: what causes land and sea breezes |
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Definition
thermally direct cell
warm air rises
cold air subsides |
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Term
| how is cold is deep water? |
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Definition
40deg F
Top layer - mixed layer (10 m)
second thermodine (1000 m)
Deep water below 100 m |
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Term
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Definition
any persistent horizontal flow of ocean water
differential heating
major wind systems
anticylconic high pressure cells |
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Term
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Definition
along some coastal areas
water drifts waya from coast
brings up cold, nutrient rich water
affects: sea tem and climate
biological activity |
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Term
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Definition
| dry - winds move from continent to ocean |
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Term
| local winds: day time breeze vs. nightime breezes |
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Definition
day = sea breeze from oceon onto continents
night = land breeze - from continents to ocean |
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Term
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Definition
| wet: blow from ocean to land - distinct precip seasons |
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Term
| what is the thermocline layer |
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Definition
| in the ocean struct this is the middle layer - transition its temps vary 1000 m |
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Term
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Definition
fairly typical pattern of wind systems near east Asia and south Asia
blow 1 direction in one season and opposite in another |
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Term
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Definition
effect of southern clai
winds move from high to low
from continent toward ocean
move a lot of dust and debris
chaparral and fires
mediterain type climate |
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Term
How are they related to
California fires? Santa Ana Winds |
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Definition
| They exists in an area that is highly flammable, chaparral - leeward side of mountain - and make fighting fires hard because the winds allow them to spread easily in a flammable environment |
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Term
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Definition
| El Nino - Southern Oscillation - a coupled ocean and atmospheric event occurs in tropical pacific period of shifting is 2 -7 years el nino - ocean part southern oscillation - atmospheric party |
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Term
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Definition
| Southern Oscillation - thermally direct cold air sinks and warm air rises normal pattern - air circulation in a vertical plane at the equator Normal Pattern - high surface pressure in E Pacific over colder H20 / Low Surface pressure over the W Pacific over warmer H20 seen at the surface as easterly trade winds |
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Term
| Describe the pattern of Pacific water temps in a normal condition |
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Definition
High Surgace pressure in the E Pacific over colder H20
Low Surface Pressure in W Pacific over warmer H20 |
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Term
| Describe the pattern of Pacific water temps during a warm phase ENSO event |
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Definition
warm water move to E Pacific - climate screws up El Nino effect - trade winds weaken
low surface pressure in E Pacific - A seesaw variation in air pressure between the E and W Pacific |
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Term
| ITCZ - Intertropical Convergence Zone |
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Definition
global max net radiation in equatorial region
triggers warming, uplift, surface low pressure
wet weather, unstable atmosphere
center on equator
region of tropical Rainforest (Amazon, Congo)
global scale of dynamic converage - South and North hemispheres |
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Term
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Definition
| air rising from equator moves toward poles and falls around 20deg and creates high press and the STHP - not thermally direct |
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Term
| STHP - Subtropical high pressure |
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Definition
rising air over ITCZ moves poleward aloft then falls to surface
falling air generates high pressure cells in major oceans
stable, clear skies, dry
centered on 20-30deg N and S
Region of major subtropical deserts
high pressure |
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Term
| PFW - polar front westerlies |
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Definition
polar front region of a strong thermal contrast between tropical and polar atmosphere
zone of max heat exhcange and frontal wedging
low pressure
stormy, wet, unstable
surface cyclones migrate along polar front boundary steered by upper level westerly winds
conditions vary from day to day
centered onmid lat - 40-50 deg N and S |
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Term
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Definition
northeasterly - east wind fields in tropical regions - air moves from high to low / air moves from sthup to itcz
Corilois deflection makes the winds go from east to west |
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Term
| PHP - polar high pressure |
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Definition
coldest atmospheric condtions, especaially during dark polar winters
thermally direct
cold dense air
high pressure
stable and dry
centered on N and s poles
regions of tundras and major ice caps |
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Term
| what vertical motions are associated with the major global circulation features? |
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Definition
seasonal shifts in global circulation intense surface heating - N of 0deg in summer S of 0deg in winter
all circulation features SHIFT WITH THE SUN
shift N in our summer and S in our winter |
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Term
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Definition
exception to global circulation
Winter is dry - winds from continent
Summer is wet - winds from ocean |
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Term
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Definition
midlatitudes
on leeward sides of major mountain ranges |
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Term
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Definition
more stable on W side of continents and more unstable on E side of continents
e side warm ocean current, instability, steep ELR, lots of latent heat, air moves polweard, convergence and uplift
W side - cold ocean currents, stable, temp inversion, air moves toward equator, divergence and subsidence |
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Term
| what atmospheric conditions are associated with the pressure features |
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Definition
high pressure - stable clear and dry
low pressure - unstable cloudy and wet |
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Term
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Definition
| large body of air with unifrom moisture and temp characteristics |
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Term
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Definition
place where air masses originate - typically with an anticyclone cell
air masses take on the properties of their source region over where they are forming - thru sensible and latent heat |
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Term
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Definition
| maritime - water- more humid |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Tropical - lower latitudes |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
continental Polar - northern Canda and Alaska
over continents in high latitudes
bitter cold air/ more moderate summer temps - low RH
cold and dry |
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Term
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Definition
over oceans in high latitudes - off the coast of alaska and northern pacific nothern atlantic
coll, moist air - humid
dries out as it passes over Rockies
"nor'easters" |
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Term
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Definition
Gulf of Mexico and the W Atlantic and Pacific
warm moist, very humid
especially warm in summer
high vapor content
dominate air mass in GA Summer |
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Term
| dominate air mass in GA Summer |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Texas - Cali
hot, dry, especially in summer, lower latitudes over land, extermely hot (hottest air mass in summer)
tiniest source region in US
big in Eurp[e, Africa, Australia |
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Term
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Definition
polar front westerlies - lots of fronts
clash between mT and cP air |
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Term
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Definition
POINT WHERE GOING triangles - BLUE unstable, heavy rain/thunderstorms, getting colder, big thermal temp and dewpoint temp drop
big boundary - steep frontal boundary, change in winde direction S to N
strong lifting
cumulonimbus clouds |
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Term
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Definition
point where going - red- half circles
shallow frontal boundary, to a point it is unstable and weaker, stratus clouds, light to moderate percip, wind shift E to S, temp rising with passage, temp and dwpoint increase not radical - big difference is that you are going to see clear skies - less thermally contrasting
stratus clouds |
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Term
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Definition
half circles and triangles on both sides - red and blue
intial stage of storm development |
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Term
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Definition
| dying out of front - half circles and triangles on same side - purple |
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Term
| typical movement of cyclonic storms in the mid latitudes |
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Definition
warm air is spinning around and lifting to creat cloud cover - Counter clockwise in Northern Hem - inwards
entire L pressure cell is moving West to East across US - steered by polar front jet stream
more active in high latitudes in the summer - jet stream moves N |
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Term
| frontal changes associated with the passage of cyclonic storm |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
What is the polar front jet stream? |
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Definition
steers storm tracks
lots of low pressure cells
defining storm tracks
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Term
| Where is the Polar jet stream located? |
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Definition
Upper level winds= WESTERLIES
high pressure in the southern tropics
low pressure in the north poles
both deflected to the RIGHT causing the WESTERLY FLOW
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Term
| How does the Polar Front Jet stream affect the surface weather system? |
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Definition
Under the Ridge: Pole ward buldge of warm air
why warm? Because higher pressure
warmer air = higher pressure = expands
Under the Trough: equatorward buldge of cold air |
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Term
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Definition
| Area of open cyclonic circulation and low pressure |
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Term
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Definition
| Area of open anticyclonic circulation and high pressure. |
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Term
| what is the zonal flow aloft? |
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Definition
characterized by "NORMAL TEMPS"
winds from west to east
near normal! |
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Term
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Definition
characterized by UNUSUAL TEMPS
higher temperature depatures
these are the pronounced ridges/troughs
west to east winds |
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Term
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Definition
| Standard expectations of flow |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
Where do L and H cells form by dynamic forcing?
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Definition
H cells form at the convergence
L cells form at the surface |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| two islands on the east coast of Australia |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are their requirements for development of a tornado |
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Definition
| all kinds of H20 vapor, ligting mechanism(jet stream), instability(uplift), wind shear(spinning), low-level jet(moisture) |
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Term
| Why are tornados so common in the US? |
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Definition
| The US has the largest flat surface - E of the Rockies - from N Canada to FL |
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Term
| During which season are tornadoes most common? |
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Definition
follows Northward migration of the jet stream - later in the seans the farther North you go (because of the PFW migrating N)
In GA - late April, May, earlier June |
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Term
| How does tornado frequency shift geographically |
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Definition
| follows the PFW and migrates northward with the migration of jetstream |
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Term
| Where are tornadoes most common in the US? |
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Definition
| OK, Texas, Nebraska and Indiana |
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Term
| Distinguish between an air mass thunderstorm and a severe thunderstorm |
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Definition
Air Mass thunderstorm(single cell)- commonly form in warm mT airmasses, during the summer - short lived less than 30 min and relatively weak, rarely produce severe weather
Severe thunderstorm(supercell thunderstorm)- large rotating thunderstorm, may persist for many hours, may produce damaging winds, large hail and tornados, rotates CCW
to be classified as a severe thunderstorm it has to produce 3/4 inch hail and/or surface winds gusting of greater than or equal to 50 knots |
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Term
| what are the requirements for thunderstorm formation |
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Definition
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Term
| what are the three stages of thunderstorm development |
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Definition
1st stage- cumulus stage: uplift rapid growing
2nd stage- mature stage: percip starts down drafts most intense rain wind and lightning
3rd stage- dissipating stage; weak downdrafts dominate, storm dies out |
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Term
| vertical motions associated with each thunderstorm type |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| what regions of the US experience a high frequency of thundershowers |
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Definition
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Term
| how do these relate to lifting mechanisms |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| when negative electrons from clouds react with positive protons from the ground build up and exchange electrical currents |
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Term
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Definition
| exchanged electrical currents goes up on stepped leader |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| caused by lightning, air expands explosively - initiating a shock wave |
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Term
| 0-10 degrees latitude in the summer and winter? |
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Definition
ITCZ all year!
wet all year!
tropical rainforests
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Term
| 10-20 degrees latitude in the summer? |
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Definition
ITCZ
wet
tropical savannah
tropical monsoon asia |
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Term
| 10-20 degrees latitude in the winter? |
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Definition
STHP
dry
tropical savannah
tropical monsoon asia |
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Term
| 20-30 degrees latitude in the winter and summer? |
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Definition
STHP
Dry all year round
subtropical dessert/steepe |
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Term
| 30-40 degrees latitude in the winter? |
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Definition
PFW
wet
humid subtropical
UNSTABLE |
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Term
| 30-40 degrees latitude in the summer? |
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Definition
STHP
dry
Mediterrean
STABLE |
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Term
| 40-50 degrees latitude in the summer and winter? |
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Definition
PFW all year round
wet
Marine west coast(winward coast)
humid continental(leeward coast)
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Term
| 50-60 degrees latitude in the winter? |
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Definition
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Term
| 50-65 degrees latitude in the summer? |
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Definition
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Term
| 65-90 degrees latitude in the summer and winter? |
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Definition
PHP all year!
dry all year
ice cap/tundra |
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Term
What global circulation feature is characterized by Low pressure and consistent instability due to consistent surface heating?
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Definition
ITCZ
intertropical convergence zone
located at 0 degrees latitude |
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Term
| What global circulation model is characterized by high pressure and subsidence especially over the oceans? |
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Definition
STHP
subtropical high presure
located at 20-30 latitude |
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Term
| What global circulation model is characterized by low pressure, frontal wedging below boundary btw warm and cold air (migrating L to H)? |
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Definition
PFW
polar front westerlies
located 40-50 degrees latitude |
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Term
| What global circulation model is characterized by high pressure due to cold dense polar air? |
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Definition
PHP
polar high pressure
located at 70-90 degrees latitude |
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Term
| what happends in the EL NINO or ENSO event? |
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Definition
cool water gets covered up
tradewinds no longer push as hard as they do in the Walker Circulation
the circulation is broken down and weakend |
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Term
| What is Southern Ocilation? |
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Definition
subtraction of L and H air pressure
the value drops down |
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Term
|
Definition
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Term
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Definition
not thermally direct in the upper atmosphere
jet stream
Dry/Cold air converges at (H)
The air is trapped at surface and it diverges aloft |
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Term
| What causes a thunderstorm to turn into tornadoes? |
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Definition
Wind shear
Jet stream
some sort of uplift! |
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