Physical GeographyPhysical Geography

FACTORS THAT FACTORS THAT AFFECT AFFECT CLIMATECLIMATE

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LACEMOPSLACEMOPS

Weather –Weather – The The daily condition of the daily condition of the atmosphere atmosphere which includes temperature & precipitation

Precipitation - Precipitation - Moisture that falls from the Moisture that falls from the skysky4 forms: rain, snow, sleet, & hail

Climate - Average weather-over an extended period of time (usually 30 years)

http://www.mnh.si.edu/archives/garden/images/4seasons.gif

L - LATITUDE - The most important factor! The farther from the Equator - the colder & drierfarther from the Equator - the colder & drier it becomes. Direct rays of the sun are always between the Tropics. Areas not in the tropics receive indirect sun rays.

A - AIR MASSES A - AIR MASSES

Northern HemisphereNorthern Hemisphere, cold air from the Polar cold air from the Polar Regions comes from the Regions comes from the northnorth

Hot air from the tropics Hot air from the tropics comes from the southcomes from the south

Mountains to the north of a city could block the cold air from reaching the city

(Opposite in the Southern

Hemisphere)

C - CONTINENTALITY C - CONTINENTALITY

Water moderates climate. Water takes longer to heat and cool than land. Areas inland from the coast will be hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than areas with the same latitude on the coast

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageSrc/United%2520States-NED500.jpg&imgrefurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageDetail.php%3Fpage%3D18%26img%3DUnited%2BStates-NED%26id%3D2071%26col%3DStates%2B-%2BNED%2BShaded%2BRelief&h=353&w=500&sz=121&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=tsJBVC5mQRiZ6M:&tbnh=92&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLG%26sa%3DG

E - ELEVATION E - ELEVATION It gets colder as you go up a mountaincolder as you go up a mountain. The formula for vertical climate is: Temperature decreases Temperature decreases 3.5º F for every 1,000 feet increase in elevation 3.5º F for every 1,000 feet increase in elevation (the opposite is also true). You can work out the temperature at the top of a tall mountain.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.savetibet.org/images/images/MountEverest.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php%3Fid%3D1050&h=300&w=400&sz=22&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=ODjU-A29uyNbXM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmt%2Beverest%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2005-42,GGLG:en

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/images/0314-01.jpg

3.5° (from formula)3.5° (from formula) X 15X 15 (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) 52.5°52.5° (how much colder at the top than the bottom) (how much colder at the top than the bottom)

It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain. What is the temperature It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain. What is the temperature on top of the mountain?on top of the mountain?

First, count the First, count the thousands…thousands…((1515,000) ,000)

75° (temperature at bottom)75° (temperature at bottom) - 52.5- 52.5° (how much colder at the top)° (how much colder at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top) Answer Answer

Second, Second, multiply that multiply that number by number by 3.5…3.5…

Third, Third, Subtract that Subtract that number from the number from the temperature at temperature at the base to get the base to get the answer…the answer…

M - MOUNTAIN BARRIERS M - MOUNTAIN BARRIERS

Orographic effect: Wind containing moisture hits the windward side of a mountain side of a mountain (facing the wind)(facing the wind)

Moisture-full clouds are too heavy to get over the mountain so precipitation occurs, after they’re empty, they are able to rise over the mountain.

The side facing away from the wind-side facing away from the wind-leeward leeward sideside.

The windward side -lush vegetationwindward side -lush vegetation

The leeward sideleeward side-usually a desertusually a desert

O - OCEAN CURRENTS O - OCEAN CURRENTS

Cold currents bring dry, cool air Cold currents bring dry, cool air to the coastal areas.to the coastal areas.

Warm currents bring warm, wet air Warm currents bring warm, wet air to coastal areas. to coastal areas.

http://go.owu.edu/~jbkrygie/krygier_html/geog_111/geog_111_lo/geog_111_lo05_gr/3-16.jpg

P - PRESSURE AND PREVAILING WINDS: P - PRESSURE AND PREVAILING WINDS:

Notice that these lines are located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 ½, 66 ½, and 90)

Pressure

High pressure is heavy, cold air.

Low pressure is warm, light air.

Heat rises. There are some fairly constant air pressure systems.

http://www.worldstats.org/general_world/maps/prevailing_winds_big.gif

Prevailing Winds Prevailing Winds

The Equator is surrounded by an area of calm called the Doldrums (ITCZ).

The Trade Winds (Tropical Easterlies) blow from east to west (warm & moist).

Westerlies (Prevailing Westerlies) blow from west to east.

The PolarPolar EasterliesEasterlies blow blow from 90º from 90º in an eastward direction toward the Westerlies.

There are There are serious serious thunderstorms around 60º thunderstorms around 60º latitude where the 2 wind latitude where the 2 wind patterns collidepatterns collide

Notice that these lines are Notice that these lines are located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 ½, 66 ½, and 90)½, 66 ½, and 90)

S - STORMS S - STORMS Where the Polar Easterlies meet the Westerlies there are thunderstorms.

When hot air masses and cold air masses collide - there are storms.

Cyclonic storms (hurricanes, typhoons, etc.) in the Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise

In the Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise.