Weather Review

Vocab: MAKE FLASHCARDS! On flashcard put more detail than just definition! o Ex: Ultraviolet radiation Front Back Form of energy with wavelengths shorter than visible light Causes sunburn & skin Ultraviolet radiation cancer; short WVL Damages eyes Makes up small amounts of suns energy Energy in the Atmosphere Energy from the sun reaches us as electromagnetic waves suns energy is

(radiation). Some of the

reflected or absorbed in the atmosphere. The rest reaches Earths surface where it is reflected or absorbed. When Earths surface is heated, it radiates some of the energy back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation.
Heat Transfer Heat is transferred in 3 ways:

radiation, convection, conduction

1. radiation: direct transfer of energy from electromagnetic waves Ex: suns energy, fire 2. conduction: direct transfer of heat by TOUCH; works well in metals/solids; NOT liquid/gas Ex: feet/hot sand, heating pad, hand/hot pot 3. convection: transfer of heat by movement of fluid Ex: blow dryer, shoes on furnace ***convection causes MOST of the heating in the troposphere Winds All winds are caused by differences in causes: Cold air air

air pressure. Unequal heating of the atmosphere

warm air

High pressure

moves

low pressure

Air Masses & Fronts An air mass is a huge body of air that has similar

temperature, air pressure, &

humidity.
Air masses are classified by Temperature Warm = Cold =

temperature & humidity.

Humidity Humid = Dry =

tropical polar

maritime continental

4 major types: 1. maritime tropical warm

humid 2. maritime polarcold humid 3. continental tropicalwarm dry 4. continental polarcold dry MP

MP

CP

MT CT MT

Prevailing westerlies are major wind belts across the U.S. pushing air masses from to

west

east.

Cold front:

Warm front:

Fast moving Severe storms Forces warm air up

Abrupt change Cool, clear, dry weather afterwards

Slow moving Mild showers, cloudy Warm air rises over cold air
Last several days Warm, humid weather afterwards

Predicting Weather Know all weather symbols o line with triangles: cold front o line with half circles: warm front o line with both: stationary front

NE wind

1. global wind belts

convection currents, uneven heating, equator w/low pressure & poles w/high pressure, differences in pressure

Know how Coriolis effect causes winds to curve. Wind belts are: o Trade winds o Prevailing westerlies o Polar easterlies Calm areas are: o Horse latitudes o doldrums Horse latitudes doldrums

2. land & sea breezes know pictures!

Land Land sea At night Land cooler Sea land During day
water

Sea

warmer

Water cooler

land warm