Unit 7 Earth's water and climate
source region example
A continental tropical air mass formed over the Southwest U.S
warm and rising
A low-pressure belt means the air is
low
A mid-latitude cyclone occurs when two different air masses begin to spin around a _____-pressure center.
oceans, land
A temperate climate zone includes maritime climates, near _____, and continental climates, over _____.
wind speed goes above 74 miles per hour
A tropical storm can turn into a hurricane when _
flood
Always flee to higher ground in case of a _____.
polar climate
Antarctica and Greenland provide examples of _____ climates.
differences in temperature
Any winds, like the jet stream, occur because of _____
30%
Approximately how much of the Sun's energy is currently reflected by Earth's atmosphere?
cooler
At higher latitudes, climates become
adiabatic example
Clouds form from _____ temperature change, which occurs when an expanding gas cools. a condensation
rare
Deserts are very hot during the day and very cold at night. The cloud coverage above these areas is most likely
obliquity
Earth's tilt
urban heat island effect, cooler
If you live in the city and head out to a rural town, the _____ suggests the rural area's temperature would be _____.
you may just be in the "eye" of the hurricane
If you think a hurricane has passed over you, stay indoors because _____.
Oregon
If you'd like to live in a place that has more moderate summers and winters, it'd be best to pack your suitcases and head to _
climate example
In Hawaii, you can almost always expect 80°F temperatures and daily showers.
New Mexico
In the U.S., weather in Arizona can move and affect the weather in ___
characteristics must an air mass have?
It must be 1,000 miles or more in size. It flows as one unit. iest has a uniform temperature and humidity.
weather example
It rained yesterday and is supposed to be sunny today. This is an example of
Get cooler
It's 10 o'clock at night and you're out on a boat. If you head back into the coast where a land breeze is blowing, the temperature would
ocean
Like the atmosphere, the _____ transports and distributes heat on Earth, helping to regulate climate.
rain example
Liquid water that falls to the ground is
tracking air masses and fronts inputting weather data into a computer using personal knowledge of the area
Meteorologists forecast weather by
temperate example
Most of the U.S. has a _____ climate.
rain detention
Nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds will most likely bring
seasons
Predictable, yearly cycles of changing weather are known as
Milankovitch cycles plate tectonics volcanic activity
Scientists think past changes in climate have been caused by _____.
water vapor turns to water which then freezes into ice
Snow and sleet are different. Snow forms when water vapor turns directly into ice crystals, while sleet forms when _____.
lake effect snow the urban heat island effect
Syracuse, New York, is an urban area with mostly flat terrain. The city is near Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. If you lived in Syracuse, you may have experienced ___
Get inside the house and close the windows because a storm is coming!
The meteorologist says there's a cold front moving in. How will you prepare?
less extreme
The seasons by the ocean are _____ than inland areas.
plants trees grass
Things that can naturally cool an area include _____.
clouds made up of?
Tiny droplets of water and ice crystals
fix leaky faucets use a broom to sweep your driveway instead of spraying it with a hose
To do your part during a drought, you should _
winds are able to flow without obstruction
Tornadoes are common in areas of flat plains because _____.
the Sun's rays are more concentrated near the equator
Tropical and polar climate zones are very distinct. This is because _
warmer
Very humid areas are usually _____ in temperature.
light precipitation
Warm fronts and stationary fronts can bring
radiosondes
Weather stations send up weather balloons with _____ to transmit temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction measurements.
an occluded front
When a cold front overruns a warm front, trapping it against another cold air mass, it produces ___
water, cold and moist
When describing a maritime polar air mass, you might say it formed over _____ and is _____.
the intertropical convergence zone
Where would you find rain for an average of 200 days each year?
dry and hot
You live on the east (leeward) side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. What kind of climate should you expect?
Fronts, air masses
_____ occur when two _____ meet.
Doppler effect
a change in the frequency of sound or light waves that can be used to determine the direction of movement of a wave source
drought
a long period of unusually dry weather
relative humidity
a percentage of the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at its current temperature
cyclone
a severe storm
radiosonde
a transmitter sent up in a weather balloon to send measurements of air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction
Doppler radar definition
an instrument that can detect an upcoming tornado.
source region
area over which an air mass forms
Mountains
can alter wind flow and create a rain shadow effect.
Milankovitch cycles
changes in Earth's orbit and tilt that occur every 100,000 years; believed to be responsible for past ice ages
subtropical climate
climate zone, near a high-pressure band, encompasses hot, desert climates.
Stratus
clouds indicate possible precipitation.
Plate tectonics Atmospheric or Oceanic circulation patters Volcanic Activity
could drastically change climate?
weather
day-to-day changes in atmospheric conditions, including temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind, cloud coverage, or precipitation
lake effect snow
downpour of snow due to an arctic air mass flowing over a warm lake
polar
dry, cold climate zone above 60 degree latitude
tilted toward the Sun
during summer, the Northern Hemisphere of Earth is
solar
energy powers the water cycle.
jet stream
fast moving stream of wind where cold, polar air meets warm air from the equator
condensation nuclei example
he small particles around which water collects to form droplets
adiabatic
heating or cooling of gas by contraction or expansion
subtropical
hot, often dry, climate zone between 25 and 30 degrees latitude, north or south of the equator
cloudy most of the time
in tropical regions known for warm, daily showers, the cloud coverage is most likely to be __
Water vapor
is moisture in the air or humidity comes from evaporation of water traps heat condenses to make clouds
wind vane picture
it has symbols going north south east west
air mass
large body of air with uniform temperature and humidity
climate
long-term average of weather in an area
barometer
measure air pressure.
thermometers
measure air temperature
hygrometer
measures humidity
psychrometer
measures relative humidity using a pair of dry bulb and wet bulb thermometers
Doppler radar
measures the location and strength of precipitation
wind vane definition
measures wind direction
anemometer
measures wind speed
humidity
moisture in the air
precession
movement of Earth's imaginary, rotating, polar axis
convection
process of heat transfer by the circulation or movement of a liquid or a gas
Take shelter in a building Crouch in a low place, never under a tree Get out of water as soon as possible Do not touch electrical equipment
safety tips should you keep in mind during a thunderstorm?
temperate
seasonably variable climate zone between 40 and 60 degrees latitude, north or south of the equator
Earth's energy budget
the balance between the amount of energy coming in from the Sun and going back out into space
heat
the main source of a hurricane's energy comes from _____.
transpiration
the process of plants releasing moisture from their leaves
eccentricity
the shape of Earth's orbit about the Sun; can change from a more elliptical to a more circular path and back
desertification
the spread of desert environments
urban heat island effect
the tendency of streets and buildings to absorb and retain the Sun's heat
condensation nuclei
tiny particles in the atmosphere upon which water vapor can condense
Hair
tools can be used to determine humidity
Start with computer generated weather models Short-term forecasts are usually accurate Predicting storms is difficult because the atmosphere is so dynamic
true when meteorologists predict the weather?
maritime
type of temperate climate near an ocean or sea
continental
type of temperate climate over land
tropical
warm, moist climate zone near the equator
thermohaline circulation
water that moves because of its temperature and salt content
upwelling
when wind allows cold dense water to rise from the bottom of the ocean to the surface
rain shadow effect
when wind flow over mountains produces moist conditions on the windward side of the mountains and dry conditions on the leeward side
wind shear
when winds change direction and speed up into the atmosphere
front
where two different air masses meet
