Atmospheric Temperature Patterns

Vertical Temperature Patterns

average environmental lapse rate= 6.5 degrees c/km in Troposphere temperature inversions; act as lid to keep air from rising

Maritime Effect

effect on temperature nearby a large body of water

Continental Effect

temperatures are affected by being in the middle of land

Tropopause

top of troposphere

Spatial Patterns

vertical temperature patterns

Gulf Stream

water current bringing warm water to high latitudes

Stratosphere

acts like an inversion ozone, ultra violet radiation interacts with ozone and ozone absorbs it

Cloudiness

in general: cloudy places are cooler than sunny places why? clouds reflect sun back to space

Land-Water Heating Differences

in general: places near large water bodies are cooler in the summer and warmer in winter than places that are landlocked why? water is transparent, water can mix, water can evaporate, water has a higher specific heat specific heat; amount of energy needed to raise the temperature 1 degree C

Elevation

in general: surface temperature decreases with increasing elevation why? further away from the surface, less energy greenhouse gases are the primary thing absorbing at higher elevations, there are less greenhouse gases

Latitude

in general: surface temperatures decrease from low to mid to high latitude annual temperature increases with latitude why? sun angle is lower, less intense solar radiation

Peru Current

keeps west side of South America cool El Nino; weakening of Peru Current has affected the global temperature

Surface Air Temperature Patterns

latitude elevation cloudiness land-water heating differences