Transcript Unit 6: Weather & Climate

Intro to Weather Clip
Weather by Brainpop
1) What cycle is the basis of our weather?
2) What causes precipitation to occur?
3) Where do storms usually occur?
Weather
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Temporary behavior of atmosphere (what’s going on at
any certain time)
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Small geographic area
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Can change rapidly
Weather
--The study of weather is meteorology
--Someone who studies weather is called a
meteorologist
Climate
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Long-term behavior of atmosphere (100+ years)
Large geographic area
Very slow to change
POLAR
90o -60o latitude
Cool summers, cold year-round
Dry
TEMPERATE
60o-30o latitude
True Seasons
Variety of climate patterns
Moderate precipitation (rain/snow)
TROPICAL
30o - equator
No winter, warm year-round
High temp, rainfall, humidity
Climate Types by Brainpop
1.What is climate?
2.Where are tropical climates most likely
to be?
3.What does “arid” mean?
What Factors Affect Weather & Climate?
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Sun
The Water Cycle
The Atmosphere
The Ocean
How Does the Sun Affect Weather?
It warms the atmosphere & oceans
It creates climate zones
It keeps the water cycle going
It affects weather patterns
The Water Cycle
All the water on the planet is recycled in this manner!
Parts of the Cycle
Evaporation—Water going from a liquid to a gas
(gains energy from the sun)
Parts of the Cycle
*Transpiration—evaporation of water from/out of plants.
Locate this on the diagram!
transpiration
Parts of the Cycle
Condensation—Water going from a gas to a liquid (cools or loses
energy)
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When this happens in the atmosphere, CLOUDS form.
Clouds by Brainpop
Parts of the Cycle
Precipitation—when water falls out the atmosphere. Forms
when the water droplets in clouds become too heavy to stay
up.
Precipitation
Liquid water = rain
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Rain Clip
Frozen water = snow or sleet or hail
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The Water Cycle
Water Cycle by Brainpop
Water Cycle Advanced by Brainpop
The Water Cycle by Brainpop
1) What process must happen for clouds to
form?
2) What is “collection”?
3) Name one way to conserve water.
How does the atmosphere affect weather?
The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds
the Earth
Has five different layers; each has different properties
We’ll label them in just a minute…
Air Temperature and Pressure change with altitude
Weather occurs in the layer closest to Earth
(troposphere)
Write in the labels!
Exosphere
Thermosphere
Ionosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Ozone layer
Earth’s Atmsophere by Brainpop
1. What is ozone?
2. What layer of the atmosphere does weather
occur in?
3. What 2 gases compose the most of Earth’s
Atmosphere?
Air Masses
= body of air with a certain temperature
and moisture level
Can be warm or cold
Can contain a lot of moisture or not a
lot of moisture
Fronts
= places where air
masses meet
4 Types: Warm, Cold,
Occluded, Stationary
Each kind can bring
different kinds of
weather
Occluded Front:
Stationary Front:
Science Saurus 221/222
& Reading a Weather
Map Worksheet
How does Air Pressure affect weather?
How much the earth’s atmosphere is pressing down on us
Measured with a BAROMETER
If it CHANGES, then new weather is on the way:
Falling Air Pressure = stormy weather coming
Rising Air Pressure = fair weather coming
Steady Air Pressure = no change is coming
Pressure Systems
Winds = created from differences in air pressure
Moves from areas of HIGH to LOW pressure
Greater the difference in pressure, the FASTER the wind
blows
Measured with wind vanes and anemometers or you can
estimate with the Beaufort Wind Scale
ScienceSaurus 224/225
Beaufort Wind Scale
Global Winds
Thousands of kilometers long; can cause weather to
move in different directions
Jet stream, prevailing westerlies, doldrums, horse
latitudes, trade winds
Big Winds Blowin’ Worksheet &
Science Saurus Section 217
Global Winds
Caused by the temperature difference in different
regions
Hot Tropical Regions—causes air to rise
 Cold polar Regions—causes air to sink
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Global Winds
Also affected by Earth’s Spin

Coriolis Effect = causes winds to curve to the right in
the N. Hemisphere; to the left in the S. Hemisphere
Big Winds Blowin’ Worksheet
Winds by Brainpop
1. What does warm air do?
2. What do you call winds that blow all
the time in the same part of the world?
3. What are jet streams?
Relative Humidity
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Measure of the amount of moisture in the air
compared to what the air could hold
How “full” of water the air is
Expressed as %
100% relative humidity = saturated air
Relative Humidity Test Applet
http://itg1.meteor.wisc.edu/wxwise/relhum/rhac.html
Relative Humidity
Controlled by temperature
1. Warm air holds more moisture than cool air (more space
for water vapor between air molecules)
2. As air warms, relative humidity decreases
3. As air cools, relative humidity increases
Dew Point
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=Temperature at which the air is saturated (100% relative
humidity)
Several events can occur when the dew point temp. is reached:
1. If dew point temp. is above freezing:
a. water vapor condenses as liquid
b. dew will form on surfaces
Dew Point
c. cloud droplets will form in air
2. If dew point temp. is below freezing:
a. water vapor condenses as a solid
b. frost on surfaces
c. snow (or hail) in the air
Humidity by Brainpop
1. What single factor controls humidity?
2. What temperature air can hold the most
water molecules?
3. What causes water to evaporate into the
atmosphere?
Rainbows
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Caused by sunshine on raindrops
White light (all colors) is refracted (bent) into colors as it
enters and exits the drop
To see a rainbow you must have the sun behind you and
raindrops in the air
Diagram:
Rainbow by Brainpop
How does the Ocean affect weather?
Ocean currents affect the temperature of the land they pass by
Cold ocean currents = cooling effect
Warm ocean currents = warming effect
Temperature changes affect pressure – which then creates
WINDS
Winds blow this cooling or warming effect over the land
http://earth.rice.edu/MTPE/hydro/hydrosphere/topics/Ocean_Atm_Circ_ElNino.mov
http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/
Science Saurus Sections 203-204-205-206
Advanced Weather by Brainpop
Violent Weather
Thunderstorms
Requires a mature cumulonimbus cloud
Signs
a.
b.
c.
Sudden reversal of wind direction
Noticeable increase in wind speed
Sudden drop in temperature
Thunderstorms
Possible weather:
a. heavy rains (flash floods)
b. lightning (forest fires)
c. thunder (frightens animals)
d. hail (crop damage)
e. tornadoes
f. strong, gusty winds
Thunderstorm by Brainpop
Safety Rules
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Stay indoors
Prepare for lightning, strong winds
Listen on radio/TV for tornado watch/warning
Thunderstorms don’t last long
Lightning Storm
Cumulonimbus cloud becomes electrically charged and ground
below has opposite charge
Lightning stroke: flow of current thru air (a poor conductor)
from the – to the +
Lightning can flow from cloud to ground, cloud to cloud,
and from ground to cloud
Bright light is caused by glowing air molecules heated by the
current
Lightning follows the path of least resistance (easiest way to
positive)
Lightning rod offers lightning an easy, safe path to the
ground (+)
Thunder is the shock wave caused by the explosive expansion of
heated air
Sound travels @ about 1100 ft/sec in air
5,280 ft in one mile
Distance from you to lightning = number of seconds
between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder divided by
5.
(5,280 ft / 1100 ft/sec = 5 seconds)
Types of Lightning
Streak or bolt
a.
b.
Single or branched lines of light
Common in Puget Sound area
Sheet
a. shapeless flash over wide area
b. is cloud-to-cloud bolt hidden by the clouds
c. common in Puget Sound area
Other types of lightning
a. heat, ribbon, beaded (types of bolt)
b. ball (only other shape lightning can have)
Safety rules for lightning storms
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Stay indoors
Stay away from anything that conducts electricity (stove, sink,
telephone, TV)
Get out of the water and off of small boats
Stay away from open doors, windows, fireplaces
Stay in your car (very safe place to be)
Don’t stand under lone trees or in open places
Avoid hilltops
If your hair stands on end, or your skin tingles, drop to the ground
but try to keep as little contact with the ground as possible
Lightning Strikes
(17 minutes)
Stories of people hit by lightning
Tornado (a.k.a twister, cyclone)
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Counterclockwise column of rotating air extending from
cumulonimbus cloud
Per square foot, is the most destructive atmospheric event
Rated by wind speed (F1 to F5)
“Tornado season” = April, May, June
Tornadoes that form over water are called “waterspouts”
Behavior of a tornado is unpredictable
Typical tornado will:
1. Occur between 3-7 pm
2. Travel 4 miles
3. Be 300-400 m wide
4. Travel 25-40 mi/hour
5. Have wind speeds up to 300 mi/hr
6. Produce extremely low pressure
7. Be dark due to debris picked up
Tornado by Brainpop
Safety Rules
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Rule #1: Take immediate action!
Move away from tornado’s path
Tornado’s path
Move away at a right angle
Lie flat in nearest ditch, etc.
At home
a. open windows, doors
b. seek shelter in basement or under heavy table in middle of
house
On the trail of a tornado
Tropical Cyclone
Nicknames
1. Atlantic: hurricane
2. SE Asia, Japan: typhoon
3. Australia: willy-willy
4. Indian Ocean: cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Rated by wind speed (category 1 to 5)
Starts and grows over warm ocean water
Composed of bands of thunderstorms spiraling
counterclockwise around a low pressure center
Characteristics
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Several hundred miles wide
Last many days (even weeks)
Winds from 74-200 mi/hr
Contains an “eye”
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a.
b.
c.
d.
Hurricances by Brainpop
Small region of low pressure
Surrounded by highest winds
Calm, peaceful, sunny weather
Last for about 1 hour as hurricane passes by
Safety Rules
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Prepare for high winds
Prepare for flooding (greatest source of damage)
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a.
b.
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Up to 20 in. of rain
Flooding by coastal water
3. Prepare for thunderstorms
4. Have on hand stored food, water, blankets, candles,
matches, radio, etc.
5. Seek shelter
Hurricanes Clip