Transcript Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Climate & Vegetation Seasons Earth is titled at a 23.5 degree angle in relation to the sun. Earth’s tilt and revolution cause the sun to stay on certain parts of the earth for more hours at certain times of the year. Tropic of Cancer- Line of latitude that marks the farthest point north that the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at noon. Tropic of Capricorn- Line of latitude that marks the farthest point south that the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at noon. Solstice- either of two times of year when the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at noon at the furthest points north or south, marking the beginning of summer and winter. (SummerJune 21st or 22nd & Winter- December 22nd or 23rd) Equinox- each of the two days in a year on which day and night are equal in length, marking the beginning of spring and autumn. (Spring- March 21st & Autumn- September 23rd) Weather & Climate Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time. Climate is the term for weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time. Precipitation Depends on the amount of water vapor in the air and the movement of that air. Types- Rain, sleet, snow & hail. Weather Extremes Hurricanes- also known as typhoons in Asia, are storms that form over warm, tropical ocean waters. Other names throughout the world- tropical cyclones, willy-willies (Australia) baguios (Philippines), and chubascos (Mexico). Category/Wind Speed 1 74-95 mph 2 96-110 mph 3 111-130 mph 4 131-155 mph 5 156+ mph Tornadoes Tornado- powerful funnel-shaped column of spiraling air. (Twisters) Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes can form quickly. Tornado Scale Category Wind Speeds(MPH) Damage F-0 40-72 Chimney damage, tree branches broken F-1 73-112 Mobile homes overturned F-2 113-157 F-3 158-206 Mobile home demolished Cars thrown F-4 207-260 Well-constructed walls leveled F-5 261-318 Homes lifted off of foundations/ cars thrown 100 yards Blizzard Heavy snowstorm with winds of more than 35 miles per hour making it very difficult to see. 1921 Silver Lake, Colorado- 76 inches of snow fell in 24 hours. 1959 Mt. Shasta, California- 6 day snow storm dumped nearly 16 feet of snow. Drought Drought- Long period of time without any rain or very little precipitation. Droughts can cause extreme crop failure and reduced levels in water storage facilities. Floods Flood- a time when water spreads over land not normally covered with water. 1993- A flood in Mississippi and Missouri caused $15 million dollars in damage and claimed the lives of 50 people. Over 150 rivers and tributaries were involved. Convection is the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air. El Nino- a weather pattern created by the warming of the waters off the west coast of South America, which pushes warm water and heavy rains toward the Americas and produces drought conditions in Australia and Asia. La Nina is the complete opposite. Ecosystem An independent community of plants and animals. The ecosystem of a region is referred to as a biome. (Examples- forest, grassland, desert & tundra). Chapter 3 Section 3 Climate Regions Tropical Wet Tropical Wet & Dry Desert Semiarid Mediterranean Humid Subtropical Marine West Coast Humid Continental Subartic Tundra Ice Cap Highlands