Exam 1 Review With Additional Notes

Suppose air over the Arctic begins moving southward, toward the Equator. As the air continues on its journey, we would expect it to be deflected to the _______________ ["south", "north", "east", "down", "up", "west"] on account of the Coriolis Effect.

West

Westerlies

Westerlies are prevailing winds that blow from the west at midlatitudes. They are fed by polar easterlies and winds from the high-pressure horse latitudes, which sandwich them on either side. Westerlies are strongest in the winter, when pressure over the pole is low, and weakest in summer, when the polar high creates stronger polar easterlies. The strongest westerlies blow through the "Roaring Forties," a wind zone between 40 and 50 degrees latitude in the Southern Hemisphere.

How are surface ocean currents related to atmospheric circulation?

Westerlies have an enormous impact on ocean currents, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Driven by westerlies, the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) rushes around the continent (from west to east) at about 4 kilometers per hour (2.5 miles per hour). In fact, another name for the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the West Wind Drift. The ACC is the largest ocean current in the world, and is responsible for transporting enormous volumes of cold, nutrient-rich water to the ocean, creating healthy marine ecosystems and food webs. Winds also help drive ocean surface currents around the world. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current transports cold, nutrient-rich water around Antarctica. The Gulf Stream brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico up the East Coast of North America and across the Atlantic to Northern Europe. Due to the Gulf Stream, Northern Europe enjoys a much warmer, milder climate than other areas at similar latitudes, such as the U.S. state of Alaska.

The general pattern of atmospheric circulation can be described in terms of three cells—Hadley, midlatitude, and polar—in each hemisphere. Where do we find broad zones of high pressure on the Earth's surface as a result of this circulation?

When it reaches about 30° north and south, the air cools and sinks towards the ground forming the subtropical high-pressure zone. poleward of the tropics (above the Tropic of Cancer, below the Tropic of Capricorn) also known as Mid-latitude cells

Adiabatic cooling refers to the process whereby ________________________while adiabatic warming refers to the process whereby

air cools as it descends in the troposphere, air warms as it rises in the troposphere

Hydrosphere

all the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas

Fill in the blanks describing the typical process whereby a tropical cyclone forms in the North Atlantic Ocean. Firstly [ Select ] develop over North Africa. Secondly [ Select ] develop slight cyclonic (counterclockwise) rotation. The system will continue to develop as long as [ Select ] remain high. Although forming close to [ Select ] , tropical cyclones must develop some degrees latitude away from it, due to the cyclonic spin imparted by the Coriolis Effect.

areas of low pressure, commonly known as easterly waves, low pressure disturbances, ocean water temperatures, the Equator

Lines connecting points of equal elevation are called ___.

contour lines

Intense heating followed by orographic lifting can lead to the formation of thunderstorms.

convective

Condensation typically happens when air _____________ ["cools", "deflates", "warms"] adiabatically.

cools

Temperatures tend to ______ through much of the troposphere.

decrease with an increase in elevation

A small-scale map ____.

displays a large amount of the Earth's surface.

Polar Jet Stream can be thought of as...

fast-moving river of air in the upper troposphere, above where the midlatitude and polar cells meet, that flows from west to east. It doesn't flow in a straight line, however; rather, it often meanders in waves.

orographic lifting

occurs when an air mass is forced to rise over a topographic barrier

The highest amount of net radiation is found ___.

over tropical oceans

When rising, cooling air reaches its dew point temperature, condensation can occur. Air may continue to rise, a condition where the air remains unstable, because condensation is a cooling process .

releases latent heat into the surrounding air

In which of the following global regions would you most likely expect to find frequent instances of frontal lifting?

the Midlatitudes

Lithosphere

the solid, outer layer of the earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle Crust Ground of earth

Adiabatic cooling rates are divided into wet and dry rates, where the dry rate is higher than the wet rate. The reason for the lower rate of cooling with altitude for the wet adiabatic rate is due to the fact that condensation releases latent heat.

true

Torrance latitude and Longitude

- 33.8° North (which means 33 4° +48 minutes of a degree north of the equator), 118.3° west (which means 118 4° +18 minutes of a degree west of the prime meridian)

Latitude and Longitude

- Determine location on the earth is given through a coordinate system made up of line of latitude and lines of longitude - Helps create a grid system for the sphere

equinox

- Equal night - Represents the point in earth rotation when earth receives the same amount of summer and winter

Latitude

- Parallel lines tuning East to west - Measures how far north/south from the equator something is - horizontal, parallels, lines ranging from 0 degrees along the equator to 90 degrees north (North Pole) and south (South Pole)

The international date line

- Runs mostly along 180° longitude - on either side of the line at about 180° longitude, the time is the same but the day is different because there are 24 time zones on earth one for each hour

How does a sea breeze form? How does a valley breeze form?

- Sea breezes occur during hot, summer days because of the unequal heating rates of land and water. During the day, the land surface heats up faster than the water surface. ... As the warm air over the land is rising, the cooler air over the ocean is flowing over the land surface to replace the rising warm air. - When the valley floor warms during the day, warm air rises up the slopes of surrounding mountains and hills to create a valley breeze. At night, denser cool air slides down the slopes to settle in the valley, producing a mountain breeze.

Mercator Projection

- a projection of a map of the world onto a cylinder in such a way that all the parallels of latitude have the same length as the equator, used especially for marine charts and certain climatological maps. Particularly useful for navigation because it maintains accurate direction. - These projections are famous for their distortion in area that makes landmasses at the poles appear oversized. - They are conformal

Consider two controls of temperature patterns at a particular place: its latitude and its location as either continental or coastal. For a place within just a few degrees latitude of the Equator, what should we expect in terms of temperatures from one month of the year to the next? Is there much in the way of seasonality? Why/why not? Seattle, WA and Fargo, ND are both at around 47o N latitude, but Seattle is coastal while Fargo is continental. How do the seasonal temperature patterns differ between the two cities?

- as temperatures are typically warmer approaching the Equator and cooler approaching the Poles. - (Seattle) The sea affects the climate of a place. Coastal areas are cooler and wetter than inland areas. Clouds form when warm air from inland areas meets cool air from the sea. ... In the summer, temperatures can be very hot and dry as moisture from the sea evaporates before it reaches the Centre of the land mass. - (Fargo) The continental effect is a phenomenon that causes temperatures in inland areas to fluctuate more than temperatures near to large bodies of water. ... By contrast, large areas of land cannot really keep their temperatures stable. Instead, they get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.

mid latitude cyclone formation

- because of air - a cold front (cold air advancing out of warm air) - Mid-latitude cyclones form at the polar front when the temperature difference between two air masses is large. These air masses blow past each other in opposite directions. Coriolis effect deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, causing the winds to strike the polar front at an angle. Warm and cold fronts form next to each other. - stationary stage, wave (initial) stage, (mature) open stage, occluded stage, Dissipation stage

Angle of noon time sun

- it's a variation of how much sun is received - if the sun reaches directly overhead that means there's more sun receive - places that are till the 23.5° north and south are known as the Tropics recurve most sun - the further north you get the sun is never directly overhead

Longitude

- lines running north- south, intersecting at the poles - measures how Far East/west something is from the prime meridian (passes through Greenwich, England) - vertical, intersecting, lines ranging from 0 degree along the Prime Meridian to 180 degree East and west - known as the prime meridian - 0°

continental

- mainland

coastal

- on the coast

Summer solstice

- our summertime - places with in the artic circle (66,5 degrees N to 90 degrees north) receive 24 hours of sunlight - all places within the Arctic Circle (66.5° south to 90° north) receive 24 hours of darkness

History

- sailors use the sexton to determine latitude by finding the noon sun angle - sailors use the marine can amateur to track time and thereby determine longer to

What is the greenhouse effect

- the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. - Without any greenhouse gases, Earth would be an icy wasteland. Greenhouse gases keep our planet livable by holding onto some of Earth's heat energy so that it doesn't all escape into space. This heat trapping is known as the greenhouse effect.

Seasonal configuration of earth & sun

- vernal equinox (March 20th, earth isn't tilted toward or away from the sun, each place on earth gets an equal amount of daytime and nighttime,) - summer solstice (June 20, 21st,) The hemisphere north of the equator get some more daylight hours then they do nighttime hours, and the south is opposite, no daytime occurs in the summer solstice for the South Pole) - autumnal equinox (first day of fall, Sept. 22-23) - winter solstice (Dec. 21-22) - between the vernal equinox and winter solstice that's our winter - between the summer solstice and vernal equinox that's our spring - between the summer solstice and autumnal equinox that's our summer - between the autumnal equinox to winter solstice is our fall - equators (Singapore) always get 12 hours of dark and light

Earth

-8,000 mile around equator -sphere, with Equatorial bulge due to the spinning of the earth around the polar express - earth rotates around sun (elliptic plane) - axis tilts toward the sun (23.5 degrees) in June solstice - axis tilt away from the sun (23.5 degrees) in December solstice - half is at night and half at day - seasons determine the amount of daylight a particular place on earth receives - it takes Earth 365.25 days to rotate around the sun, that's why their is leap years - place north of the equator recurve more darkness than the south - between the vernal equinox and winter solstice that's our winter - between the summer solstice and vernal equinox that's our spring - between the summer solstice and autumnal equinox that's our summer - between the autumnal equinox to winter solstice is our fall - equators (Singapore) always get 12 hours of dark and light - sun always shinning on the North Pole

Tropical Cyclone Formation

-warm ocean water (26.5 degrees Celsius) to depth of 50m -rapid cooling with height in atmosphere: allows release of latent heat as water vapor condenses -high humidity in lower-mid troposphere -low wind shear -pre-existing disturbed weather - When wind speeds within such a storm reach 74 mph, it's classified as a hurricane.

When it is 6 AM in New York City (Longitude to 74° with), what time is it in Dubai (Longitude to 55° east ?

1 round each city's longitude to the nearest multiple of 15 (15, 30, 45, 30, 75...) : New York City equals 75°, Dubai equals 65° east 2 find the difference in longitude between the two cities, subtract if they are on the same side of the prime meridian, add if they're on different sides,: 75° +60° equals 135° 3 Divide your answer in, two, 515 to get the same difference in our: 35° divided by 15° equals nine hours. Because we are going west to east the difference is positive. 4 apply your answer in, three, to get the given in New York to find a time in Dubai: 6 AM + 9 hours equals 3 PM - in 1884 standards time became widely excepted

On any given day of the year, how many hours of daylight do places on the Equator receive?

12

What can you say about daylight hours on that day in another location, for instance the North Pole?

12 hours of sunlight, 12 hours of darkness

one degree is equal to

60 minutes (- is west, + is north)

atmosphere

A thin layer of gases surrounding Earth Where weather happens Moisture, water vapor

Ogallala Aquifer (High Plains Aquifer)

A vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the US. Yields groundwater, drinking water, and is being depleted fast. It is depleting because of irrigation to feed so many plants that take lots of water. Its being used more than it can replenish it's self.

On January 1st, which of the following locations will have the most hours of daylight?

Antarctic Circle

Good graph for seasonal configuration of earth and sun

At 42 minutes and 42 seconds

Why doesn't southern California get many thunderstorms?

California (or parts of it) may have moist air, but not as warm. There are more hills, valleys, and mountains which may interfere with low pressure systems and prevent strong thunderstorms from forming, and the Pacific is typically cooler than the Gulf around Florida, which also limits the number of storms

Coriolis effect

Causes moving air and water to turn left in the southern hemisphere and turn right in the northern hemisphere due to Earth's hemisphere.

Biosphere

Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere. Flora and fauna of the earth

In the northern hemisphere, as air converges into the center of a low-pressure cell at the surface it does so through a ____________ ["lateral", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "horizontal"] rotation. From a high-pressure cell, by contrast, it moves out in a [ Select ] ["clockwise", "counterclockwise", "horizontal", "lateral"] rotation.

Counterclockwise, Clockwise

On January 1st, the Earth is actually closer to the Sun than it is in July. However, it's generally the case that temperatures for us here in southern California (and especially in the northernmost portions of the US) are higher in July than they are in January. While a number of factors influence temperature variations, what's the biggest one that comes to mind to explain these monthly (seasonal) differences?

Due to the 23.45 degree tilt and rotation of the earth the US (Los Angeles) does not get direct sunlight. Direct sunlight (sunlight right over head) is what makes it feel so hot, although the US never gets direct sunlight. During the winter the US gets even less sunlight.

mature (open) stage

During the third stage of cyclogenesis, the open stage, the cold air mass moves quickly to the southeast and the warm air mass moves gently to the north.

Elliptic plane

Earth rotates around the sun

Air simply becoming saturated with water vapor is sufficient for condensation, and then precipitation, to occur.

False

Along the Equator, frontal lifting is associated with the frequent formation of cumulonimbus clouds and subsequent precipitation?

False

Variable gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor make up the majority of gases in the atmosphere.

False

Why is unstable air important in the formation of tropical cyclones

For tropical cyclones to form, an unstable atmosphere is required. Image: North Carolina Climate Office. Atmospheric stability is a measure of the atmosphere's tendency to discourage or defer vertical motion, which trigger convective activity such as cloud, shower and thunderstorm development to name a few processes.

Continental interiors, very high latitudes, and areas where subtropical high-pressure air descends tend to be places of rather _________ ["daily", "high", "steady", "low"] annual precipitation.

High

mid latitude cyclone vs hurricane

Hurricanes do not have fronts (barotropic system) while mid-latitude cyclones will commonly have cold and warm fronts (baroclinic system). ... Mid-latitude cyclones can develop over and strengthen over either water or land while hurricanes need to develop over water and hurricanes weaken once they move on land.

Dissipation Stage

In the fifth and final stage of cyclogenesis, the dissipation stage, the cold front will overtake all of the warm air in the low-pressure cell and the system begins to fall apart.

Wave (initial Stage)

In the second stage of cyclogenesis, the wave stage, cold and warm fronts become established as the cyclone begins to rotate. In the northern hemisphere, the cold air mass moves southward on the west side of the cyclone and the warm air mass moves northward on the east side of the cyclone (the opposite is true for cyclones in the southern hemisphere).

The South Asian Monsoon is immensely important for farmers in India, who depend on the annual summer rains to feed their crops. What does the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) have to do with the onset of the monsoon rains?

In the summer the ITCZ shifts north, as intense heating over the Eurasian landmass takes place. Moist air from over the Indian Ocean is drawn over the shores of western India.

Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes)

Intense, low-pressure disturbances that develop in the tropics and occasionally move poleward into the midlatitudes. Have a diameter of 100 - 160 miles across. The eye is 16 - 40 km. September usually sees the most hurricanes. Large, low pressure, rotating storm that gets its energy from the evaporation of warm ocean water and the release of heat. Large rotating masses of low pressure Strong winds, torrential rain Classified by maximum sustained wind speed - Once a tropical cyclone reaches maximum sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher, it is then classified as a hurricane, typhoon, or tropical cyclone, depending upon where the storm originates in the world.

On which day of the year will Los Angeles have sunset 12 hours after sunrise?

March 21st

why does a mid-latitude cyclone meanders

Mid-latitude cyclones form below the downstream portion of an upper-air trough because this tends to be an area of divergence.

monsoon

Most of the time during the summer, the land is warmer than the ocean. This causes air to rise over the land and air to blow in from the ocean to fill the void left by the air that rose. ... These monsoon clouds that form are full of moisture from the ocean, so they can produce heavy rainfall for long periods of time. As the humid air rises, the moisture condenses into clouds that generate rain, releasing heat. As the rainfall dumps moisture, the extra heat punches clouds higher and further accelerates winds. The dried-out air levels off and heads back out to sea. It eventually cools and sinks toward the ocean to complete the cycle

Why is it that tropical cyclones cannot form over the Equator?

Note on the map that tropical cyclones don't form near the equator (the Coriolis force is too weak to initiate rotation) and they don't form far away from the equator (water temperatures are too cold). Therefore, tropical cyclones typically form within a band of latitudes.

What would you expect to happen, eventually, to a hurricane that moves from the ocean and over the land

Once they move over cold water or over land and lose touch with the hot water that powers them, these storms weaken and break apart. Recent studies have shown a link between ocean surface temperatures and tropical storm intensity - warmer waters fuel more energetic storms.

Every 15° on the Prime Meridian equals

One hour

polar easterlies

Polar easterlies are dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the east. They emanate from the polar highs, areas of high pressure around the North and South Poles. Polar easterlies flow to low-pressure areas in sub-polar regions. - global circulation patterns start here

Evaporation describes the process whereby liquid water is transformed into water vapor, a gas, which enters the atmosphere. In general, we expect that rate of evaporation will increase when the ambient ___________["saturation", "water vapor content of the air", "temperature", "Coriolis Effect"] increases and the ____________ ["water vapor content of the air", "Coriolis Effect", "temperature", "saturation"] decreases.

Temperature, water vapor content of the air

Aral Sea

The Aral Sea was once the 4th largest freshwater lakes. It provided water for cotton and fish for fishers. The sea even controlled weather now the winter are growing colder. (Summer, winter, fall) In 1990 irrigation projects started which dammed the sea 90%. Now the lake is salty, the nearest fish are 90 miles away, and the sand has created dust storms (black blizzards). These storms are mixed with dust, salt, toxic chemicals and river and ground water have sewage n chemicals which causes throat and lung cancer.

In India, which experiences an annual monsoon that brings rains during the northern hemisphere's summer, how does the mountain range along the country's west coast (the Western Ghats) shape the ways that precipitation is distributed along the coast vs. further inland, on the leeward side of the mountain range?

The Ghats run perpendicular to the moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds gusting in from the Arabian Sea, forcing the winds to climb the mountain range to get over to the other side a major source of moisture for masons As the humid air rises, the moisture condenses into clouds that generate rain, releasing heat. As the rainfall dumps moisture, the extra heat punches clouds higher and further accelerates winds. The dried-out air levels off and heads back out to sea. It eventually cools and sinks toward the ocean to complete the cycle

Many of the world's deserts lie just poleward of the tropics (above the Tropic of Cancer, below the Tropic of Capricorn)—this is especially the case in the northern hemisphere. Deserts, of course, are characterized by low annual precipitation. Considering global atmospheric circulation patterns, what gives rise to such arid conditions in these places (~ 25o - 30o latitudes)?

The air becomes colder and denser, and falls, creating high pressure and dry conditions at around 30° north and south of the equator. The first cell is called the Hadley cell. At the equator, the ground is intensely heated by the sun. This causes the air to rise which creates a low-pressure zone on the Earth's surface. As the air rises, it cools and forms thick cumulonimbus (storm) clouds. The air continues to rise up to the upper atmosphere, and the following then happens: The air separates and starts to move both north and south towards the poles. When it reaches about 30° north and south, the air cools and sinks towards the ground forming the subtropical high-pressure zone. As the air sinks, it becomes warmer and drier. This creates an area of little cloud and low rainfall, where deserts are found. The Hadley cell is then complete. The air completes the cycle and flows back towards the equator as the trade winds. In the northern hemisphere, the winds flow to the right and are called northeast trade winds. In the southern hemisphere the winds flow to the left and are called the southeast trade winds. This is down to the Coriolis force and friction.

How do thunderstorms form?

The air cools as it rises. Water vapor condenses and forms cumulus clouds. When condensation occurs, heat (latent heat/energy ) is released and helps the thunderstorm grow. At some point, condensation high in the cloud (now in the form of water droplets and ice) falls to the ground as rain.

The general pattern of atmospheric circulation can be described in terms of three cells—Hadley, midlatitude, and polar—in each hemisphere. Where do we find broad zones of low pressure on the Earth's surface as a result of this circulation?

The first cell is called the Hadley cell. At the equator, the ground is intensely heated by the sun. This causes the air to rise which creates a low-pressure zone on the Earth's surface. The Ferrel cell occurs at higher latitudes (between 30 degrees and 60 degrees N and 30 degrees and 60 degrees S): Air on the surface is pulled towards the poles, forming the warm south-westerly winds in the northern hemisphere and north-westerly winds in the southern hemisphere. These winds pick up moisture as they travel over the oceans. At around 60 degrees N and 60 degrees S (westriles), they meet cold air, which has drifted from the poles. The warmer air from the tropics is lighter than the dense, cold polar air and so it rises as the two air masses meet. This uplift of air causes low pressure at the surface and the unstable weather conditions that are associated with the mid-latitude depressions. Much of our wet and windy weather in the UK is determined by this. The Polar cell At the poles, air is cooled and sinks towards the ground forming high pressure, this known as the Polar high. It then flows towards the lower latitudes. At about 60 degrees N and S (poles), the cold polar air mixes with warmer tropical air and rises upwards, creating a zone of low pressure called the subpolar low. The boundary between the warm and cold air is called the polar front. It accounts for a great deal of the unstable weather experienced in these latitudes.

Stationary stage of mid-latitude cyclone

The first stage of cyclogenesis, the stationary stage, is named so due to the presence of a stationary front. The surface winds of the air mass converge, creating the low pressure system.

Occluded Stage

The fourth stage of cyclogenesis, the occluded stage, the cold air mass overtakes the warm air mass and the occluded front begins to form (specifically a cold occlusion). The triple point of a mid-latitude cyclone is present at this stage and is located where the occluded front, warm front, and cold front intersect.

Describe the three factors at work moving surface air from areas of high pressure toward those of low pressure.

The pressure-gradient force is the force that results when there is a difference in pressure across a surface. ... In Earth's atmosphere, for example, air pressure decreases at altitudes above Earth's surface, thus providing a pressure-gradient force which counteracts the force of gravity on the atmosphere.

In the United States, acid rain was a big problem until national regulations were set in place to limit the amount of sulfur dioxide coming out of the smokestacks of factories and coal-fired power plants. The problem was especially severe in the eastern portion of the country. Which of the global atmospheric circulation patterns helps to explain this outcome? Group of answer choices

The westerlies

the major surface wind systems associated with the global circulation pattern in northern hemisphere

There are three prevailing wind belts associated with these cells: the trade winds, the prevailing westerlies, and the polar easterlies (Fig. 3.10). Fig. 3.10 only shows the circulation cells and winds in the Northern Hemisphere.

Trade winds

Trade winds are the powerful prevailing winds that blow from the east across the tropics. Trade winds are generally very predictable. They have been instrumental in the history of exploration, communication, and trade. Ships relied on trade winds to establish quick, reliable routes across the vast Atlantic and, later, Pacific Oceans. Even today, shipping depends on trade winds and the ocean currents they drive. Trade winds that form over land (called continental trade winds) are warmer and drier than those that form over the ocean (maritime trade winds). The relationship between continental and maritime trade winds can be violent. Most tropical storms, including hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons, develop as trade winds. Differences in air pressure over the ocean cause these storms to develop. As the dense, moist winds of the storm encounter the drier winds of the coast, the storm can increase in intensity. Strong trade winds are associated with a lack of precipitation, while weak trade winds carry rainfall far inland. The most famous rain pattern in the world, the Southeast Asian monsoon, is a seasonal, moisture-laden trade wind. Dust storms in the tropics can be devastating for the local community. Valuable topsoil is blown away and visibility can drop to almost zero. Across the ocean, dust makes the sky hazy. These dust storms are often associated with dry, low-pressure areas and a lack of tropical storms.

how do high ocean temperatures contribute to tropical cyclones instability?

Tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel. That is why they form only over warm ocean waters near the equator. The warm, moist air over the ocean rises upward from near the surface. ... As the warmed, moist air rises and cools off, the water in the air forms clouds. The high humidity, in conjunction with warm temperatures, creates massive amounts of warm, moist air rising into the atmosphere, where it can easily form a thunderstorm.

Seasonal heating and cooling is more intense over continental interiors than is the case over oceans or places on located on coasts.

True

The principal surface ocean currents that we observe in the world are mainly driven through atmospheric circulation patterns.

True

midlatitude cyclones

Usually move across North America from west to east.. - An area of low pressure that is characterized by rotating wind that moves toward the rising air of the central low-pressure region. - An extratropical cyclone (low pressure system) that is the principal weather maker at midlatitudes.