15. Ireland's Climate

• ireland is located between 51* and 55* north latitude
• air masses - large scale movement of air masses, caused by the movement of air masses over large areas of water
• polar air masses - bring cold weather conditions
• arctic air masses - bring cold weather conditions
• maritine air masses - pass over oceans and bring wet weather
• continental air masses - dry cold weather
• tropical air masses - warm weather
• the gulf stream - warm water from the atlantic flows northwards towards ireland and heats the water
• irelands prevailing wind bring warm moist air from the atlantic, it hits the mountains in the west and creates relief rain