Causes of Weather and Climate

warm and rising

A low-pressure belt means the air is _____.

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 _____.

climate

Blocking atmospheric or oceanic circulation patterns could drastically change

tilted towards the sun

During summer, the Northern Hemisphere of Earth is _____.

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 _____.

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 _____.

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.

Milankovitch cycles plate tectonics volcanic activity

Scientists think past changes in climate have been caused by _____.

lake effect snow the urban heat island effect

Syracuse, New York, is an urban area with mostly flat terrrain. The city is near Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. If you lived in Syracuse, you may have experienced _____.

subtropical

The _____ zone usually has hot deserts due to dry air and belts of high pressure.

plants, trees, grass

Things that can naturally cool an area include _____.

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.

is moisture in the air or humidity comes from evaporation of water traps heat condenses to make clouds

Water vapor _____.

dry and hot

You live on the east (leeward) side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. What kind of climate should you expect?

Mountains

_____ can alter wind flow and create a rain shadow effect.

Solar

_____ energy powers the water cycle.

lake effect snow

downpour of snow due to an arctic air mass flowing over a warm lake

jet stream

fast moving stream of wind where cold, polar air meets warm air from the equator

humidity

moisture in the air

precession

movement of Earth's imaginary, rotating, polar axis

Milankovitch cycles

predictable variations of Earth's orbit and tilt that can affect climate

convection

process of heat transfer by the circulation or movement of a liquid or a gas

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

urban heat island effect

the tendency of streets and buildings to absorb and retain the Sun's heat

thermohaline circulation

water that moves because of its temperature and salt content

upwellling

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