Science 1206 UNIT 4 – WEATHER DYNAMICS

Name: ____________________

BOOK SECTIONS

• Chapter 13

– Getting started, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.6, 13.8, 13.9, 13.10, 13.13

• Chapter 14

– Getting started, 14.2, 14.3,14.5, 14.6

• Rest of Chapter 14, 15, 16

• WHY IS A STUDY OF WEATHER IMPORTANT TO OUR LIVES?

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WHAT FACTORS AFFECT OUR WEATHER PATTERNS?

• GLOBAL Local

– _____________ ______________________

– _____________ ______________________

– _____________ ________________________

– ______________ ________________________

– _______________ _________________________

– ______________

– _____________

– _____________

SOME GENERAL TERMS

• WEATHER DYNAMICS is the study of

_____________________________________________________________

_______________.

• WEATHER

– ___________________________________________________.

– Ex: _______________________________________________

• CLIMATE

– ________________________________________________________

________________

– Ex:

___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

______________________________

Measuring Weather and Climate

When describing weather conditions, there are several things that are

measured and/or taken into account:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

______________________

Temperature

Temperature is defined as

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Temperature is measured with a ___________________________. The

temperature scale most commonly used in Canada (and most of the world) is the

__________________________. The United States still uses the

__________________________________.

Temperature and comfort

There are two additional factors that along with temperature determine our level

of comfort. The first factor is __________________ and the second factor is

_____________________

1)_________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2)_________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Humidity

Humidity is a

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Humidity affects the weather. If the humidity is low it is less likely to rain

than when the humidity is high, given the same conditions of temperature

and atmospheric pressure.

In general, ____________________ can hold much more water vapour than

can _________________________. Since the amount of moisture that air

can hold is related (relative) to the temperature of the air, the term

_____________________________________________is used.

One instrument that may be used to measure relative humidity is known as

a __________________________________

Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Atmospheric pressure is due to the ________________________. Since air

is an example of matter, it has mass and takes up space as do all other

forms of matter. The Earth's gravity

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________.

Measuring Pressure

The most common way to measure atmospheric pressure is to use an

instrument known as the _______________________________.

Some measuring scales are labeled to measure the actual pressure of the

atmosphere in

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Other barometers are labeled according to the likely change in weather

condition that is normally associated with the particular range of

atmospheric pressure.

For example, low atmospheric pressure to high atmospheric

pressure is normally associated with the following range of weather

conditions

respectively______________________________________________

________.

Wind Speed and Direction

The instrument normally used to measure wind speed is known as an

___________________________________ This device spins around at

different rates depending on the speed of the wind. The anemometer is

then calibrated to convert the number of revolutions per minute into

wind speed which is measured in kilometers per hour (km/h)

The _____________________________________ may also be used as a

measure of wind speed. This scale is based on the characteristics of smoke

exiting from the top of a chimney. You may also make use of the smoke coming

from the top of a chimney to determine wind direction.

Precipitation

Precipitation means

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Precipitation may be either in liquid or solid form (rain, snow, etc.).

Precipitation is measured in ___________________________

The instrument used to measure precipitation is the

_________________________________.

Professional Weather maps

Read "Interpreting and Creating Weather Maps" on Pages 683-685. Know

the symbols (they will show up on test and final exam)

Meteorology

The study of weather and forecasting is called __________________________.

The people who study the weather and try to predict future trends are called

_________________________________.

Radiosondes and weather balloons

Man developed weather balloons to explore the atmosphere to an

altitude up to about 30 km. Each balloon caries a small radio transmitter

known as a ___________________________. This device transmits signals

about

_____________________________________________________________

____________________________ back to weather stations.

Aircraft have also been fitted with weather sensing instruments and can

also transmit data. This information can then be transmitted to a central

location and shared by all.

Weather Satellites

Two basic types of satellites:

1) _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2) _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Radar

________________________________ is a modern technology that

developed out of the radar technology that was originally developed

during World War II. Although radar was initially invented to detect

aircraft, its first use in weather detection came in 1942, when radar was

used to follow a thunderstorm and hailstorm.

Doppler radar produces a series of microwave pulses which reflects off

small particles of rain, hail, or snow. The data is then collected, and

passed on to a computer for analysis. There are 3 Doppler radar stations

In Atlantic Canada:

_____________________________________________________________.

GLOBAL WEATHER PATTERNS

• 3 MAIN PARTS OF THE EARTH influence GLOBAL WEATHER:

– 1) _______________________

– 2) _______________________

– 3) _______________________

SOME GLOBAL WEATHER TERMINOLOGY

Geography:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Longitude:__________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Latitude:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Some Special Latitude Lines

1) Arctic circle:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2) Antartic circle:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3) Tropic of Cancer:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4) Tropic of Capricorn:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

GLOBAL REGIONS

• POLAR REGION

– ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

• MIDLATITUDE REGION

– ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

• TROPICAL REGION

– ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

HOW IS ENERGY TRANSFERRED?

• As you already know, all of the earth’s energy initially comes from the

______________, with its steamy average temperature of

__________________________ and its energy output of

________________________________

• Weather and climate patterns are based on the

____________________________ between and within

_______________________________________________________

• 4 METHODS OF ENERGY TRANSFER

• _____________

• _____________

• _____________

• _____________

RADIATION

• The transfer of energy in the form of _________________________.

• This type of energy can travel through _______________________ as

opposed to through a _______________________

• Examples of radiation waves include:

– ____________________________________________________

• ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

CONDUCTION

• The transfer of energy through the __________________________

through __________________.

• Occurs in conductive materials (i.e., _____________________).

• Small role in weather, bigger role in surface heating.

CONVECTION

• The transfer of energy by the ___________________ movement of

particles in _____________________.

• Fluids are considered ______________________ or __________________.

• Important for weather patterns.

•

ADVECTION

• The transfer of energy by the ___________________________ movement

of particles in fluids.

• Important for weather patterns.

• Ex: FOG

These forms of heat transfer do not always act alone!

LATENT HEAT

Latent heat:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Have you ever observed a boiling pot of water. It seems to take forever

for the water to boil away as steam. This is due to a physical phenomenon

known as

______________________________________________________. The

temperature of the water and steam are the same (100 ° C)

A similar phenomenon occurs as ice melts from solid ice at 0 ° C into liquid

water at 0 ° C. You can place crushed ice on a stove and watch it melt.

Even though energy is continuously being added to the ice, all it does is

melt, the temperature does not change. The heat energy required to melt

ice is known as the

______________________________________________. This energy is

used to break apart the crystal structure of the ice to liquid not to change

temperature

THE ALBEDO EFFECT

• Recall that ALBEDO is an ________________________________.

• LIGHT-coloured objects have a ________________ albedo.

DARK-coloured objects have a ________________ albedo

HOW MUCH OF THE SUN’S ENERGY IS REFLECTED?

• Refer to Figure 4 on p. 506 of your text.

• If we count the Sun’s energy as starting with 100 %, then:

– ____ is absorbed by land/oceans

– ____ is absorbed by clouds

– ____ is reflected by surface

– ____ is reflected by clouds

HEAT SINK

• Any object or material that ______________ energy and becomes

______________.

• A ______________________ is one that heats ups

_____________________, absorbing a________________ amount of heat

before it heats up, such as _________________.

• A POOR HEAT SINK increases its temperature _________________ when

exposed to even a _________________ amount of heat, but it

_________________heat just as quickly, such as what happens with

_______________________________________________

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY

• A measure of the amount of heat energy required to raise the

temperature of _________________ of a substance by _______________.

• See Figure 5 on page 506 for a list of some heat capacities.

– _______________ has a high heat capacity, meaning it has to

absorb a lot of heat to increase in temperature.

– ________________ has a low heat capacity, meaning it increases

temperature with a relatively small addition of heat.

THE EARTH’S SEASONS

• The earth rotates on its axis once a day in a ________________________

direction.

• The earth also orbits around the Sun elliptically and is tilted at an angle of

_____________________.

• The earth’s orbit around the Sun takes approximately _______________

days.

• Changes in the intensity of the Sun’s rays, dues to daily and annual

rotations, give us SEASONS.

• SOLSTICE: Points when the poles are tilted at their _______________

toward or away from sun.

• EQUINOX: Sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface directly at ______________;

Day and night of roughly ______________ length everywhere on earth.

• SUMMER SOLSTICE

• Northern hemisphere at MAXIMUM tilt ________________ sun.

• ______________ is longest day of year.

• WINTER SOLSTICE

• Northern hemisphere at MAXIMUM tilt __________________ sun.

• _______________ is shortest day of year.

• VERNAL EQUINOX (SPRING EQUINOX)

• Marks the first day of _______________ in the Northern

Hemisphere (___________________)

• AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

• Marks the first day of _______________ in the Northern

Hemisphere.(___________________)

THE ATMOSPHERE

atmosphere:

• The blanket of air and water vapour that surrounds the Earth.

• It is about 500 km thick, containing 78% ____, 21% _______ , and some

trace elements (ex: _________________________).

LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

- Defined according to___________________, or elevation above sea level.

1) _____________________

– ____________________ altitude, layer _______________ to earth’s

surface

– This layer is the most _____________, meaning it contains the most

particles.

– _______________ occurs in this layer.

– Temperature ranges from _______to _________degrees Celsius.

– The _________________ is on the upper end of this layer

2) ____________________

– ________________ altitude

– Very ___________, temperature average is ___________ degrees

Celsius.

– This layer contains ___________, responsible for absorbing

_______________________________from the Sun.

– ____________________ fly in this layer.

3) ____________________

– ________________ altitude

– Temperature average is ______________ degrees Celsius.

4) ____________________________________________

– ______________________ altitude

– Temperature average is ____________ degrees Celsius.

– Molecules and ions have _______________ because they are

absorbing powerful waves from the ___________.

– On earth, we can see the __________________________ in the

Northern Hemisphere and the ______________________ in the

Southern Hemisphere.

5) _____________________

– Outer layer converging with _________________.

– Thin layer, made up mostly of __________and ______________

particles

AURORAS

• The Sun ejects ionized particles into space that travel to the Earth. Earth’s

magnetic field deflects these particles toward the poles, creating massive

magnetic storms. They vibrate, and when they return to the original state,

light is emitted.

HOW DOES THE ATMOSPHERE SUPPORT LIFE?

1. Molecules such as _________________________ needed to support life

processes.

2. __________________________,needed to absorb harmful UV rays.

3. _________________________ necessary to replenish water in

atmosphere, land, and water bodies.

4. Protection from _______________________.

5. Maintenance of ________________________.

6. Move_____________________around the Earth.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

• Defined as the pressure that _____________________ exert as

________________________pulls them toward the centre of the earth

• Air pressure is __________________ at sea level where air is most

_____________________ (i.e., thick)

• Air pressure ________________ with altitude. Thus, if you climb a

mountain, the weight of the air above you is ___________, and the

___________________ is less

PRESSURE GRADIENT

• Another factor that affects air pressure is whether air is ___________ or

______________.

• A pressure gradient is a measure of these changes in air pressure over

____________________

• Pressure gradients can be _________________ or _________________.

HORIZONTAL PRESSURE GRADIENTS

• Horizontal pressure gradients can be shown on a map by joining points of

equal atmospheric pressure in concentric circles.

• They can be used to predict high and low pressure areas and direction and

strength of winds.

HOW DO WE MEASURE AIR PRESSURE?

• Air pressure is measured with an aneroid _________________, (“aneroid”

meaning “without ______________).

– Figure 5, p. 512.

• Air pressure is measured in kPa, or ___________________. 1 kPa =

________________ Pa.

– If a barometer detects a :

• low pressure system (less than ______________ kPa), this is a

sign of poor weather.

• High pressure system (greater than _____________ kPa, this

is a sign of good weather.

WINDS

• ________________is the movement of ____________in the atmosphere.

– Some winds are ____________while others are ____________.

• _________________ occur in a fairly _____________ region.(thermals,

sea breezes, land breezes)

• _________________ are wind patterns that affect ________________

around the world.

THERMALS

Thermals are caused by the

_________________________________________________. Land does not

have as high a _____________________________________ as does water

so the air above the land becomes heated. As the temperature of the air

rises, it _____________________________________________. Rising

convection air currents (sometimes called an updraft) form above the

land.

SEA BREEZES

Sea breezes are the result of the difference in the specific heat capacity of water

and land. During the day,

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

As a result of the difference in temperature, a thermal begins to form above the

land. The ________________________ therefore tends to move in since the air

pressure over the sea is higher than over the land

LAND BREEZES

During the night, land ___________________________________ than the

large body of water nearby. As a result, the convection cell associated

with the sea breeze is essentially reversed. The cool air over the land

becomes more dense and forms a high pressure region. Since the air

above the water tends to be ________________________________ then

the cooler air over the land, air begins to move from the land toward the

body of water forming a relatively mild land or off-shore breeze. Because

of the higher stability of water temperature, the night time land breezes

are normally much calmer than the day time sea breezes.

AIR MASSES

Air masses are

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

As a result, air masses pick up the humidity and temperature

characteristics from the land or water over which they form. In North

America, there are ____________ air masses that tend to affect North

American weather system.

Polar Air Masses

Three of these air masses originate in the

______________________________________________________.

As a result, they tend to be relatively __________ air masses. The

polar air masses tend to move southward into Canada and may

move as far south as the U.S. or even Mexico. The

______________________________ mass originates over the

central north so it tends to be ___________________. The other

two polar air masses are called ______________________________

because they originate over the ocean. Because they originate over

water, they tend to be ________________________.

Tropical Air Masses

There are also three ________________________________ which

originate in the tropics to the south of the U.S. The

_______________________________ air mass tends to be relatively

smaller in area and originates over Mexico. It tends to push

northward carrying ________________________ into the

continental United States. The other two are

_______________________________ which originate over the

oceans (one in the tropical Atlantic, southeast of the U.S., and the

other in the tropical Pacific, southwest of the U.S.) Both of the

tropical air masses tend to be _______________________.

Movement of Air Masses

The weather systems over North America are a result of the interaction

between these polar and tropical air masses. The

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

as can often be seen in satellite sequences

Weather Systems

A ________________________ is the total of all the conditions of

temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction

for a relatively large geographical region that moves over the surface of

the region for a period of several days.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Characteristics of Low-Pressure (Cyclonic) Systems

Low pressure systems (often called a _______________________ or

simply __________________ when elongated) are generally associated

with cloudy conditions. This is the result of the inward spiraling of air

causing the upward movement of air at the low pressure center. As air

rises it expands and cools causing the condensation of water vapour to

form the clouds. Low pressure systems are marked using the symbol L on

the weather map. When viewed from satellite, low pressure systems tend

to form an inward moving spiral. As a result of ________________ and

frictional effects, the spiral tends, in the northern hemisphere, to rotate

in a counter-clockwise (cyclonic) direction. This rotation is known as a

__________________________.

Horizontal changes in pressure tend to be greater than with high pressure

regions. As a result, winds associated with a low-pressure system

generally have higher speeds than the winds associated with a high

pressure system

Characteristics of High-Pressure (Anticyclonic) Systems

High pressure systems (often called a ___________________

or simply ________________ when elongated) generally bring clear

weather. When viewed from satellite, the air mass surrounding a high

pressure center (marked H on a weather map) tends to move outward

from the high pressure center toward the low pressure center and due to

the Coriolis effect tend to spiral outward in a clockwise direction. Since

this pattern of rotation is opposite the low pressure pattern (known as a

cyclone), the high pressure pattern is said to be _______________.

Air tends to sink in the anticyclone (high pressure center) to

replace the air that is spiralling outward at the Earth's surface to form a

relatively large area of similar atmospheric pressure. Since the pressure

does not vary much over distance the winds tend to be relatively calm

Frontal Systems

The term front refers to

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________.

In general, when cold air masses meet warm air masses, the physical

differences in temperature, air pressure or density, and humidity cause

them not to mix very well. Because cold air is generally more dense than

warm air, the

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________.

As the warm air mass increases in altitude the air expands leading to

cooling and formation of clouds.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Types of Fronts

1) Cold Front

a. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________.

2) Warm Front:

a. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

3) Occluded Front:

a. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

4) Stationary Front:

a. ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________.

PREVAILING WINDS

• In the early 1800s, SAILORS discovered that, in certain areas, the winds

blow in the same direction all of the time.

THE CORIOLIS EFFECT

• The change of ___________________________ of a moving object in a

constantly rotating system.

• The rotation of the _____________________ deflects moving air AND

water to the___________________________ of its initial direction in the

Northern Hemisphere (opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).

– Note:

• This direction of deflection is from the viewpoint of the

starting position of WHAT IS BEING DEFLECTED (ex: plane,

wind, etc.).

– FIGURE 2 - pg. 517

– FIGURE 1 - pg. 525

Prevailing Winds in the Northern Hemisphere

• ___________________________ help distribute ___________________

and ____________________ around the globe.

• TYPES IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

– _________________________

• Cold easterly winds blow from the poles to 60 degrees.

– _________________________

• Warm, moist winds blow from the west

• _______________________ is affected by these.

– _________________________

• Winds that blow toward the equator

JET STREAMS

• Fast moving ______________ of air that race across the high altitude sky,

sometimes at speeds as high as __________________.

• Jet streams occur about ________________ up in the upper regions of the

troposphere.

• They consist mostly of _______________winds, and are caused by strong

differences in ________________ and _________________.

• Air at the equator is _______________ and moves from ____________ to

____________ pressure areas (i.e., N or S of the equator).

• Jet streams can be ______________________ miles long,

____________________________ miles wide, but only

______________________ deep.

JET STREAMS

• Pilots can reduce flight time by ________________ a ride on a jet stream.

• Long lines of ____________________ often indicate the presence of a jet

stream

THE HYDROSPHERE

• Water covers _______________ of the Earth’s surface, or 320 million

cubic miles.

• The hydrosphere is _________________ that exists on the planet. It

includes water in:

– _______________________

– ______________________

– ______________________

– ______________________

– ______________________

– ______________________

WATER DISTRIBUTION

• _________________ is salt water, ______________ is fresh water.

• Most of our fresh water supply is trapped in polar ice caps ___________

• Canada is rich in fresh water resources, having __________ of the total

world supply.

THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

• Water is cycled through __________, ____________, and _____________

bodies.

• Important processes that occur in the water cycle include:

– EVAPORATION: ____________________

– CONDENSATION: _____________________

– TRANSPIRATION: _____________________

– SUBLIMATION: _____________________

– DEPOSITION: _____________________

– INFILTRATION: _____________________

– PRECIPITATION: _____________________

•

MAJOR OCEAN CURRENTS

• Oceans have a HUGE effect on weather patterns. Here are just a few of

the ways water is significant in this regard:

– Oceans are _____________________ since most of the sun’s direct

rays hit water.

– If water is _______________, air above it is ______________,

meaning lots of _______________. If water is _____________, air

above it is ________________.

– Warm water is constantly moving from the _______________ to the

___________________.

– Cold water is constantly moving from the _______________ to the

____________________.

MAJOR OCEAN CURRENTS

• Which ones influence NEWFOUNDLAND weather?

_____________________________________________________________

WHAT CAUSES OCEAN CURRENTS?

1) _______________________________

2) ______________________________

3) ______________________________

4) ______________________________

5) ______________________________

6) ______________________________

CLOUDS

• Clouds are a collection of water droplets that has become

_______________ enough to be __________________. Water evaporates

and cools as it rises, and _____________________ into clouds.

• They are important _____________________ of weather patterns.

• Clouds can be grouped according to how they _____________, how they

are _________________, whether or not they will lead to

________________________, and how _______________they are

3 TYPES OF CLOUD FORMATION

• 1. ______________________

• 2. ______________________

• 3. _______________________

CONVECTION CLOUDS

• Convection clouds form when warm air near ________________________

such as the ______________________ gain energy from these sources.

• As this warm air _________________ in heat, it _________________ and

carries water vapour into the atmosphere.

• The water vapour _____________ in the upper atmosphere, forming a

convection cloud.

• These clouds are often _____________________

•

OROGRAPHIC CLOUDS

• Orographic clouds result from warm, moist air _________________ up a

______________________, forming clouds on the ________________

slope as the __________________ decreases

• Thus, the near side of the mountain has ____________________, and the

far side of the mountain is often ___________________

•

FRONTAL CLOUDS

• Frontal clouds form when two ___________________ of different

temperatures meet.

• Warm air masses generally are less _________________ and contain more

________________________ than cold air masses, thus rising over, or

being pushed upward and over, cold air.

• The rising air cools and condenses forming a frontal cloud.

• Where the two air masses meet, this leading edge is called a

_________________.

•

GROUPS OF CLOUDS

• ______________________________

– ________________________clouds, from a term meaning “pile” or

“heap”, referring to a TALL CLOUD

– ________________________clouds, from “stratum,” or layer,

referring to low-level layered clouds.

• _____________________________

– ____________________ clouds, from a term meaning “rain”,

referring to rain-bearing clouds

• ____________________________

– LOW LEVEL: ________________________

– MEDIUM LEVEL: ____________________

– HIGH LEVEL: _____________________

–

FOG

• Fog is a cloud that forms near the _____________________

• Although there are many different types of fog, it basically forms such that

water vapour, as it ___________________, attaches itself to little particles

such as _______________________.

• Some _____________________________________ that cause fog include

heat rising from the Earth’s surface and cooling rapidly, warm air passing

over snow, and warm ocean air meeting cold ocean air.

•