Weather and Climate Basics OUTline of material from chapters 11 and 13

Energy, Heat and Temperature Kinetic Energy of movement Heat is just one form of energy, as is light, mechanical, electric, etc. Temperature is ultimately a measure of average kinetic energy of molecules. Three different scales Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin

Solar Energy Insolation Electromagnetic Spectrum Contraction of “INcoming SOLar radiATION” Electromagnetic Spectrum Visible light in the middle, Radio waves on the low end Speed of light and all electromagnetic is the same Fastest in the universe

What happens with insolation? Energy is Radiated and is either . . . Reflected Absorbed Scattered (refracted and redirected by air molecules) Absorbed Energy is transferred by Conduction (direct heat transfer of all matter) Convection (heat mixed by flowing gas and liquids) Latent Heat (heat removed through evaporation)

Reflection Albedo A measure of reflective quality of earths surfaces Snow = high albedo, blacktop = low albedo

Why we have cold polar regions, warm tropics and season Curved surface of earth produces unequal distribution of suns heat Length of day also contributes (Not only is sun angle low in winter, but also days are shorter, vice versa in summer)

Land and Water Contrasts Water is transparent (heat penetrates entire volume of water body), poor conductor of heat, and doesn’t mix. Land is opaque (only surface gets heated), better conductor of heat, and mixes). Also remember: latent heat Evaporation of water takes that heat away.

Ocean Currents Just like air and wind, Ocean water is deflected by coriolis effect. Currents move clockwise in northern hemisphere Counter clockwise in southern hemisphere

Other topics Vertical Lapse Rates (just know the basics) Inversions Why LA has a smog problem Basic understanding of greenhouse effect

Atmospheric Pressure and Winds Air has weight, therefore exerts pressure One experiences pressure difference with altitude Air is heated, then becomes less dense and rises Cold air sinks (Remember this does NOT mean that all warm air is low pressure!, because cold air sinks in subtropical latitude) Milibars Basics unit used to measure air pressure

The Basics of Wind Wind is created from a pressure gradient. Wind is air moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure Coriolis effect Why winds get deflected and don’t blow straights Surface winds Why upper atmospheric winds blow in the direction they do Related to wind speed

General Atmospheric Circulation Cyclones Areas of winds converging into low pressure centers Anticyclones Areas of winds diverging away from high pressure centers Hadley Cells Circulating air from winds diverging from subtropical highs to ITCZ (low pressure cells) Trade Winds move from Subtropical highs to ITCZ (lows)

Please review these videos!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXuGYSM2D8k And the other videos posted under “links” Two high pressure cell latitudes Subtropical highs and polar highs Two low pressure zone latitudes ITCZ and polar front (often associated with jet stream) Wind Belts Trade winds, Westerlies, and Polar easterlies

Other more local winds Monsoon Winds Land and Sea breeze What are they? Land and Sea breeze Santa Ana Winds Chinook Winds EL NINO What is it and why is it important for California??