1. Global Convection Currents
6.E.2B.3

2. Global convection currents are set up in the atmosphere because of the unequal heating of Earth’s surfaces.

3. Atmospheric Convection Regions
There are 3 atmospheric convection areas influence the climate regions on Earth and make up the major climate zones:
1. Tropical Region
2. Temperate Region
3. Polar Region

4. Tropical Regions
Begin at the equator and extend to about 30* latitude.

5. Temperate Region
Extends from the tropical regions to about 60* latitude

6. Polar Regions
Extends from the temperate regions to the poles (90* latitude).

7. Label your map Polar Tropical Convection Regions: Global Winds 1
____________ 1
____________
Temperate 2 3
Tropical 3 2 1

8. Global Winds
6.E.2B.3

9. Global Winds
Global winds provide a predictable pattern for the movement of air in each climate region and effect the direction of weather systems on Earth.

10. Types of Global Winds
Global winds are named after the direction they come from:
Polar Easterlies
Westerlies
Trade Winds
Jet Streams

11. Polar Easterlies
Blow northeast to west in the polar region moving cold polar air from the poles toward the west.
Extended knowledge

12. Westerlies
Blow from west to east in the temperate regions carrying moist air.
Extended knowledge

13. Trade Winds
Blow from east to west in the tropical region moving warm tropical air.
Extended knowledge

14. * Trade winds and westerlies affect the direction of tropical weather systems (hurricanes)

15. Label your map Polar Easterlies Polar Tropical Global Winds
Convection Regions:
Polar
Easterlies
Polar
____________ 1
____________
Temperate 2
Westerlies 3
Tropical
Trade Winds 3 2 1

16. Jet Streams
Fast moving ribbons of air that move from west to east in the Northern Hemisphere.
The polar jet stream brings down cold polar conditions from the north.

17. Random fun fact
Airplanes ride on jet streams to increase their speed and decrease the amount of fuel they use.

18. Global wind belts occur between climate regions because of the characteristics of the convection currents in those regions

19. Convection currents are created in the atmosphere because warm air rises, cools, then falls.
draw

20. Coriolis effect
When global winds appear to curve due to convection cells and the rotation of the Earth on it’s axis, this phenomena is called the Coriolis Effect.

21. Ocean Surface Currents
6.E.2B.3

22. Ocean Surface Currents
Circulate heat energy
Circulate warm and cold ocean waters in convection patterns

23. Air masses that originate over regions of the ocean are moved with currents
Influence the weather and climates of the landmasses nearby

24. Currents and Climates
The Gulf Stream influences the eastern Atlantic shoreline of the United States by bringing warm, moist air.

25. The cold California current influences its western Pacific shoreline by bringing cold, moist air.
“climate types” brain pop

26. Heating the Earth

27. Heating the Earth
The driving energy source for the heating of the Earth is solar energy.
The rotation of Earth on its axis along with differences in the heating of Earth impact weather patterns and climate conditions.

28. Heat Energy Land absorbs heat energy and releases heat energy quickly.
Water absorbs heat energy and releases heat energy slowly.
The differences in these heating patterns causes convection currents to occur.

29. Bringing it back to Berkeley!

30. Hot summers and cold winters.
Latitude
Moncks Corner is located at 33.2° N latitude and is in the temperate region.
What does this mean about our climate?
Hot summers and cold winters.

31. Elevation Moncks Corner has an elevation of approximately 52 ft.
Because of it’s low elevations our weather is mainly…
WARM!

32. Distance from Water HIGH!!
Moncks Corner is part of a coastal area because it is close to water.
This causes results in our relative humidity to be…
HIGH!!

33. West to East Global Wind Belts
Berkeley County is located in the Prevailing Westerly Wind belt, so our weather moves from…
West to East

34. Ocean Currents Warm water Tropical Storms towards us
Berkeley County is affected by Gulf Stream because it brings…
Warm water
Tropical Storms towards us