Air Masses and Fronts
What type of front does not move?
Occluded
What does the Saffir-Simpson scale rate?
Hurricanes
Where is the temperate zone of the globe?
Between the polar region and the tropics
What do we know about global temperature throughout history?
It has gone through cycles of getting warmer and colder
What happens when a warm air mass is displaced by cold air?
Occluded front
On a weather map, what are areas of equal temperature?
Isotherms
What are higher than normal water levels caused by a hurricane?
Storm surge
Which climate region has a great swing in temperature?
Temperate Continental
What hypothesis says that human activities that increase CO2 in the atmosphere cause global warming?
Greenhouse hypothesis
Up to 10 days
What is a front?
A boundary between two different air masses
What is the difference between a cyclone and a typhoon?
Cyclone - hurricane near the Indian Ocean
Typhoon - hurricanes in the Western Pacific
What is climate?
The average weather for an area over a long period of time
What might a major volcanic eruption due to global temperatures?
It may temporarily lower temps
Which source region brings cool, humid air?
Maritime polar
What are four indications of a cold front?
Temp suddenly drops
Pressure quickly rises
Winds start southeast and then go northwest
Dew point suddenly falls
What two factors are helpful for hurricane formation?
Being over a warm ocean
Being in an area where the Coriolis effect if very pronounced
Which climate has half of the world's plant and animal species?
Tropical rainy
What's the relationship between sunspots and climate change?
The amount of sunspots increase around every 10 years
More sunspots = more energy = warmer earth temps
What is a rain shadow?
A lack of precipitation on the side of the mountain facing away from the wind as the air descends and warms?
What are four indications of a warm front?
Temp rises
Pressure slowly decreases
Winds move towards south westerly areas in the USA
Dew point slowly rise
Developing stage - moist, unstable air rises
Mature stage - rain drops start to fall
Dissipating stage - the storm loses energy
What is the northern border of tropics? Southern border?
Tropic of Cancer is the northern border
Tropic of Capricorn is the southern border
What is the relationship between ENSO and climate change?
El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - a shift in the winds and currents in the southern Pacific Ocean
Occurs around every 5 years
Normally, trade winds bring humid air and precipitation into Indonesia and western Australia
But, high pressure in the Pacific Ocean can reverse the trade winds
Causes the humid air to flow into Mexico, South America, and the Western United States
Causes drought conditions in Indonesia and western Australia
When is does the earth's surface receive the most solar energy?
When the sun is directly overhead, and the rays are directly facing the surface