Ocean Currents
What type of currents flow near the surface, and are mainly caused by global wind patterns and earths rotation?
Surface currents
This side of the mountain range experiences the highest amount of precipitation
windward side
What is the name of the cooler version of El Nino?
La Nina
La Nina is the opposite of what climate event?
El Nino
When a rain shadow forms on the side of a mountain and the air is dry, what side of the mountain is it?
Leeward side
What is the name of the climate pattern that includes the warming of the Pacific Ocean waters?
El Niño
As air rises and cools over a mountain range, moisture condenses and falls as precipitation
the process of forming clouds?
During El Nino, the ocean water becomes?
Warmer
During La Nina, what are the ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean like?
Cooler
During El Niño what part of the Pacific Ocean usually leads to having warmer ocean temperatures?
Eastern Pacific
What is the name of the effect caused by earths rotation that helps steer ocean currents in a curved path?
Coriolis effect
What is the name of the dry or arid region that forms on the opposite side of a mountain range
rain shadow
El Nino can cause more of what to fall from the sky?
Rain
La Nina causes what kind of weather in the southwestern part of the world?
Drier weather
Ocean currents affect climate by moving warm water from the equator towards what regions?
Poles
What essential climate ingredient does ocean currents play a key role in moving, which then affects storms and rainfall?
Moisture/ Water vapor
What term describes the process by which moist air is forced to rise over a mountain range, cool, and release precipitation on the windward side
orographic lifting
El Nino can make some places have less what?
Snow
What type of weather occurs during La Nina in the western Pacific?
Wetter weather
What causes moist air to rise and cool as it moves up the windward side of a mountain?
Expansion and cooling due to decreased air pressure
What is it called when nutrient-rich water rises to the surface?
Upwelling
What happens to the relative humidity of air as it descends the leeward side of a mountain, contributing to the rain shadow
humidity decreases
El Nino can cause more clouds and rain, because warm water creates more what?
Evaporation
What type of air pressure system is stronger during La Nina, affecting wind patterns?
High pressure systems
What global climate pattern can cause droughts in some areas and floods in others by changing ocean temperatures and wind patterns in the Pacific Ocean?
El Niño