Climate

Aim: What are prevailing winds? 2/10/11 Aim: What are prevailing winds? Do Now: 1. Create a station model for Wednesday, 9 a.m. Temperature Air Pressure (mb) Dewpoint Wind Direction (knots) 9 a.m. Monday 24oC (75oF) 996.4 20oC (68oF) NW 10 9 a.m. Tuesday 20oC (68oF) 962.4 19oC (66oF) SSE 25 9 a.m. Wednesday 17oC (63oF) 1013.8 12oC (54oF) W 15 9 a.m. Thursday 7oC (45oF) 1020.2 -2oC (28oF) N 10 Motivation: Grasping a difficult concept.

What is Climate? Definition of Climate: The average weather of a region over an extended period of time (ex. 10 years). 2 Factors affecting an areas climate are temperature and rainfall.

Factors that Affect Climate: Temperature and Rainfall patterns of a location on Earth depend on 6 Factors: Prevailing Winds Distance from Large Bodies of Water Ocean Currents Latitude Topography Altitude

1. Prevailing Winds (Coriolis Effect) and Climate Definition of Coriolis Effect: The tendency of matter moving across Earth’s surface to be deflected from a straight-line path. Earth rotates West to East

Non Rotating Earth Where is it hottest? Where is it coldest?

When warm, moist air rises, what type of pressure do you have? Air moves away from the Earth. When cool, dry air sinking, what type of pressure do you have? Air moves toward the Earth. Rotating Earth

30˚ North and South The worlds largest deserts are located at these latitudes. High pressure, dry air. Sinking air is compressed and heated.

Coriolis Force Winds are deflected due to the Coriolis force. H L H

Coriolis Effect Coriolis Effect Northern hemisphere, the winds go to the right. Southern hemisphere, the winds go to the left.

Coriolis Effect The Coriolis Effect is responsible for the circular patterns of ocean currents, the global wind patterns, and the motion of the Foucault Pendulum (provides evidence of Earth’s rotation).

See Page 14 of ESRT’s Note the Coriolis deflection of the wind belts

Deflect the Arrows…

Aim: What affects the climate of a region? Do Now: 1. Take out HW. 2/11/11 Aim: What affects the climate of a region? Do Now: 1. Take out HW. 2. If the temperature for today is 35oF and the low is 25oF, determine the daily temperature range. 3. If the high temperature of a location for the year is 97oF and the low temperature is 3oF, determine the annual temperature range. Motivation: Working in groups to complete lab.

India and The ITCZ ITCZ = Intertropical Convergence Zone Sun is at a higher latitude (direct insolation). Hottest region of Earth during this time. Summer Winter Sun is at a lower latitude (direct insolation). Hottest region of Earth during this time. ITCZ = Intertropical Convergence Zone

Monsoons in India Monsoons are large-scale seasonal changes in winds due to differences in heating and cooling of land and water similar to the smaller-scale local daily land and sea breezes. Wind is coming off the land – dry conditions. ITCZ L H ITCZ L H Wind is coming off the water – wet conditions. Due to Earth’s tilt & what part of the Earth is the hottest. ITCZ = Intertropical Convergence Zone

Jet Streams Thin bands of air in the upper atmosphere. Bomber pilots flying over Japan and the Mediterranean Sea discovered jet streams during WWII. There are 2 in the United States (Subtropical & Polar). They change day to day (rise and sink). Travel West to East. Jet streams are at altitudes between 9.7km-13.7 (high in the atmosphere) Wind speeds here may be as high as 345 mph or 550 km/hr. There are 2 polar jet streams. One in each hemisphere. They occur between 30˚-70˚ Latitude. There are also 2 subtropical jet streams. These occur between 20˚ and 50˚ latitude.

Jet Streams: see ESRT page 14.

2. Distance from Large Bodies of Water and Climate The closer you are to a big body of water, the milder the climate is. Closer to the water you are the COOLER the SUMMER and WARMER the WINTERS you will have. Water stores heat, so you will have milder winters than places that are inland. The closer to water you are, the more precipitation will occur (Ex. Lake Effect Snow). Specific Heat – Water has the highest specific heat.

Closeness to Large Bodies of Water

Where is there more precipitation?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Where is there more precipitation? Where is there a greater range of temperature? Inland, warmer in the summer & colder in the winter than in the water. Inland, less precipitation year round than in the water.

3. Homework – Complete pages 4-5, questions 1-10. 2/15/11 Aim: How do latitude, altitude, topography, and ocean currents affect the climate of a region? Do Now: 1. Take out ESRT. 2. Take out note packet from yesterday. Turn to page 7 of note packet and answer questions 1-4. 3. Homework – Complete pages 4-5, questions 1-10. Motivation: OceanCurrents_You Tube.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7DLLxrrBV8

Where was this photo taken?

3. Ocean Currents (pg.4 of ESRT) Warm Currents heats air above it, bringing warm air to cold locations.

Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream is the current that passes off the coast of Long Island. It also brings warm water to England warming their climate.

Thermal Image of Water Temperatures The Gulf Stream

Ocean Currents Can palm trees grow in latitudes higher than ours on Long Island? Latitude of Ireland is ~53oN Latitude of Long Island is ~41oN Dublin, Ireland is ~12 degrees latitude North of New York, but its climate is mild enough to grow palm trees.

4. Latitude and Climate

4. Latitude and Climate Indirect Relationship. As you travel from 90oN to 0o, decrease in latitude, temperature increases. As you travel from 90oS to 0o, decrease in latitude, temperature increases.

5. Topography and Climate Air rising due to a mountain (orographic lifting). The air cools as it rises, and condenses on the windward side of the mountain. On the leeward side, air sinks, compresses, and becomes warmer.

Clouds form due to adiabatic cooling

The leeward sides of the Adirondacks & Catskills receive much less precipitation The windward sides of the Adirondacks & Catskills receive a great deal more precipitation

6. Altitude and Climate Altitude- Height above sea level. As you increase your altitude your yearly temperature decreases - INDIRECT RELATIONSHIP.

SEA / LAND BREEZES Convection Current: loop of moving air caused by rising warm air and sinking cool air. Earth’s atmosphere is heated by Earth’s warm surface, not directly by the Sun. Much of the energy is transferred by convection, which is the transfer of heat by circulation in a gas or liquid.

SEA BREEZES Sea Breeze: Land cools and heats faster than water. Over land during the day, warm air rises and cooler air from the ocean replaces it, forming a sea breeze.

LAND BREEZES Land Breeze: Over the ocean at night, warm air rises and cooler air from the land replaces it, forming a land breeze.