Atmosphere and Weather Topic 2, Section 1: Diurnal Energy Budgets
Explain what is an energy budget. Scalings? Opening Question Explain what is an energy budget. Scalings?
Daytime Energy Budget Outline and explain the daytime energy budget?
Nighttime Energy Budget Outline and explain the nighttime energy budget?
Case Study: Svalbard, Norway Discuss the surface energy budget of this arctic site.
Final Points There are different types of micro-climates. If you are discussing an urban area, refer to it as a very small- scale micro-climate. However, if you mentioning a mountainous or coastal region, refer to it as a regional micro-climate. Lastly, the exam may ask you to draw a simple labelled diagram to show the daytime and nighttime energy budgets.
Atmosphere and Weather Topic 2, Section 2: The Global Energy Budget
Global Energy Budget Explain the global energy budget. Outline annual temperature patterns.
Surface Pressure Belts Discuss how surface pressure affects temperature. Describe the global pressure belts.
Surface Wind Belts Explain the ITCZ. Outline the wind patterns and the types of weather they produce? Discuss how latitude, specific heat capacity, and ocean currents explain temperature variations.
Ocean Conveyor Belt Describe and explain the ocean conveyor belt model.
Air Movement Briefly explain how pressure and wind affect air movement. Define and describe pressure gradient.
Final Points Remember to make sure when you talk about summer or winter you discuss months since if it is summer in one hemisphere, then it is winter in the other. You can abbreviate a term (like SH for southern hemisphere), however, make sure you write it out first and add the abbreviation in parenthesis so that the reader will know what you mean when reading forward. Lastly, it is not current to state that all coastal areas have mild temperatures. It depends on the ocean current’s temperature.
Atmosphere and Weather Topic 2, Section 3: Weather Processes and Phenomena
Opening Questions What are the three stages of atmospheric moisture? Define and explain evaporation. Define and explain condensation. Outline and describe the types of precipitation.
Precipitation Causes Outline and explain the types of rainfall. Suggest precipitation types.
Clouds Discuss how clouds are formed. What are hail and snow?
Briefly discuss dew formation.
Fog Outline and explain the types of fog formation.
Final Points Remember: saturated air is air with a 100% relative humidity. As air temperature rises, if there is no increase in water vapor in the air, its relative humidity decreases. As the air is warmed, the amount of moisture it can hold increases. Lastly, past students have thought that fog is common all year round. It is more commonplace in temperate areas during spring and autumn seasons. In the summer, the sea is cooler than the land so air is not cooled when it blows onto the land. While in the winter there are more low pressure systems that cause higher winds and air mixing.
Atmosphere and Weather Topic 2, Section 4: The Human Impact
Greenhouse Gas Effect Define and describe greenhouse gases. Outline and explain the greenhouse gas effect.
Human Activities Discuss how human activities have increased greenhouse gas levels. What are the global warming arguments? Complexities? Suggest possible global warming “effects.”
Urban Climates Explain how urban climates differ from rural climates. Discuss the urban heat island effect. What is the canyon effect?
London Case Study Discuss London’s temperature gradient. How does the topography influence rainfall?
Seoul Case Study Describe and explain the major changes to this urban microclimate.
Melbourne & L.A. Case Studies Suggest reasons for Melbourne’s current microclimate. Outline and describe Los Angeles’ microclimate. What is the significance for both areas?