Transcript Large Scale Patterns of Climatic Variations

Large Scale Patterns of Climatic
Variations
Amanda Rosenberger
Photo : http://www.funtoosh.com/wall/space/earth_a_3.jpg
Temperature
• 23 ½° tilt
• Seasons in Northern Hemisphere
– Summer – Earth is tilted toward the sun
– Winter – Earth is tilted away from the sun
– Spring and Fall – sun is directly overhead the
equator
• Higher Latitudes – less light from sun= colder
climate
Photo: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/climate/images/seasons_lg_gif_image.html&edu=elem
Atmospheric Circulation
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Warm air with moisture rises
Air cools down and moisture is released
Air moves north and south
Air cools more, becomes denser
Cool air sinks back towards surface
Air moves north and south
Air warms up and collects moisture
Atmospheric Circulation
• 3 air circulation cells on each side of equator
Photo: http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/middle_school/teachers/earth/sp_atmosphere/p_atmo_circulation_vert1.html
Coriolis Effect
• Objects appear to move to the right (Northern
Hemisphere) and left (Southern Hemisphere)
• Winds are named for the direction they begin at
Photo: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/prednino/images/winds.gif
Climate Diagrams
• Developed by Heinrich Walter in 1985
• Shows patterns of average variation in
temperature, precipitation, wet and dry
seasons and portions of the year
temperatures are above 0°C
Climate Diagrams
Photo: Ecology, Concepts and Applications, 5th Edition, Manuel C. Molles Jr., P. 16