Reference Table
As altitude increases in the troposphere, temperature _________
What is decreases?
measures how well surfaces reflect sunlight
What is albedo?
When the land is very cold/cool, the air above it feels ...
What is very cold/cool?
This region of the Earth is experiencing temperature increase at almost 4 times the rate of the rest of the planet
What is the Arctic?
This spot on a station model tells us a location's temperature
What is the upper left?
Winds GENERALLY move counterclockwise in this hemisphere
What is the Southern Hemisphere?
the quality of the ocean that decreases (is diluted) when glaciers melt
What is salinity/saltiness?
Precipitation requires air that has these two characteristics
What is moist & warm air?
The three main greenhouse gases we discussed in class
What are CO2, Water Vapor, & Methane (CH4)?
A 1/4 filled-in circle at the center of a station model indicates this type of sky cover
What is 25% cloudy skies / partly cloudy skies?
The three types of cells that drive planetary wind belts in the troposphere are Polar Cells, Ferrel Cells, and these
What are Hadley Cells?
Winds influence currents through the ___________ effect
What is the Coriolis effect?
This type of front forms when two masses of air push against each other, but neither is strong enough to move the other
What is a stationary front?
Key indicators for climate change include global avg temp increase, more frequent extreme weather events, and ...
What is sea level rise / melting glaciers and sea ice?
Two commas next to each other indicates this type of precipitation (be specific)
What is a steady, light drizzle?
This type of wind generally flows at 60 N and 60 S
What are Polar easterlies?
Ocean currents are driven by __________ differences
What is density?
An air mass that forms over the ocean near the equator would be called this
What is mT (maritime tropical)?
The three ways Earth's movement affects climate in the long-term (AKA Milankovitch Cycles)
What are eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession (direction of Earth's tilt)?
If a station model includes a "tail" with one long line and one short line, the wind speed is ... (remember units)
What is 15 knots?
This warm current passes by the southern east coast of the USA and influences weather in Europe
What is the Gulf Stream?
a cycle in which the outcome amplifies the initial effect
(ex: warming -> ice melts -> more radiation absorbed by ocean)
What is a positive feedback loop?
This is the reason we experience wind
What is "uneven heating of the Earth's surface"?
- air moves from high to low pressure due to pressure differences
Changes in this ocean current system (known for its acronym) can affect climate
What is AMOC (the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation)?
If the top right corner of a station model reads "156", the air pressure at that location is ... (remember units)
What is 1015.6 mb?