Air masses & the UK climate Aim: To know that the UK’s climate is controlled by air-masses To know that the air-masses we receive change depending on the season.

So what is climate? Climate is the average w...... Starter: Copy and complete the Sentence below! Climate is the average w...... over a period of time. For example over a m… or a season such as w….. or s…..

So what controls our climate? The answer has a lot to do with air masses… Air masses are huge blocks of air. They can be damp or dry, warm or cold, depending on where they came from and over what type of surface they have travelled. For example, an air mass that has travelled over the sea will increase its moisture content and be more likely to produce rainy weather. In essence, an air mass that travels over the sea will increase its moisture content, particularly in its lower layers. An air mass with a long land track will remain dry. A cold air mass flowing away from its source region over a warmer surface will be warmed from below making the air more unstable in the lowest layers. A warm air mass moving over a cooler surface is cooled from below and becomes stable in the lowest layers.

So what controls our climate?

So what influences our climate? You will need to listen carefully!! Look at the pictures and listen to the sounds

Arctic

Polar Maritime

Tropical Maritime

Tropical Continental

Task: Some words to help you: east summer wet south windy Fill in the gaps on your air-masses map. Some words to help you: east summer wet south windy hot cold winter ocean snow Southern west Atlantic dry Extension: Describe the weather today and say which air-mass you think is responsible.

that is h………….. in the summer and very c……….. in the winter Arctic Air masses travelling from the A………...... bring very strong, cold w……… and s……….. Polar Maritime Air masses travelling from the North A………… o……… bring cool, w……….. and w……………….weather. Continental Air masses travelling from the e…………… and continental Europe bring d………….. weather that is h………….. in the summer and very c……….. in the winter Scotland England Wales Tropical Maritime Air masses travelling over the Atlantic Ocean from the S………………. W…………… usually bring wet and windy weather Tropical Continental Air masses travelling from Africa and S……………. Europe bring very h……… and ………….. weather in the s…………………….

that is ………….. in the summer and very ……….. in the winter Arctic Air masses travelling from the ………...... bring very strong, cold ……… and ……….. Polar Maritime Air masses travelling from the North ………… ……… bring cool, ……….. and ……………….weather. Continental Air masses travelling from the …………… and continental Europe bring ………….. weather that is ………….. in the summer and very ……….. in the winter Scotland England Wales Tropical Maritime Air masses travelling over the Atlantic Ocean from the ………………. …………… usually bring wet and windy weather Tropical Continental Air masses travelling from Africa and ……………. Europe bring very ……… and ………….. weather in the ….……….

Lets check our answers!

that is hot in the summer and very cold in the winter Arctic Air masses travelling from the Arctic bring very strong, cold winds and snow Polar Maritime Air masses travelling from the North Atlantic bring cool, wet and windy weather Continental Air masses travelling from the east and continental Europe bring dry weather that is hot in the summer and very cold in the winter Scotland England Wales Tropical Maritime Air masses travelling over the Atlantic Ocean from the South West usually bring wet and windy weather Tropical Continental Air masses travelling from Africa and Southern Europe bring very hot and dry weather in the summer

Plenary – climatic regions Match the heads and tails! The north and Scotland are likely to get lots of rain and wind from the Atlantic The South East of England is likely to get cold winds and snow from the Arctic The West of England is likely to get hot and dry weather from the continent