Meteorology Quiz 2

• The change in the density of a liquid undergoing a temperature change, e.g. alcohol or mercury, allows for the making of a liquid glass tube thermometer.
• Other thermometers are based on the changing of electrical properties (resistance, current, and voltage) with temperature, sensing infrared radiation, and bending bimetallic strips.
• The maximum temperature typically occurs around 4PM local time.
• The minimum temperature typically occurs around sunrise.
• At the maximum and minimum temperature times of the day, incoming solar and IR radiation and outgoing IR radiation at surface are nearly the same.
• The outgoing IR surface radiation will reveal when the max and min temperatures are reached during a day. Maximum outgoing surface IR corresponds to the maximum surface temperature and the minimum outgoing surface IR corresponds to the minimum surface temperature
• Surface air responds to changes in surface temperature through IR absorption, conduction (direct contact of air), convection (mixing of air), and latent heat (change of state of water vapor).
• Conditions most favorable for nighttime cooling of surface air are dry air, clear skies, and calm winds
• Radiational cooling of the ground with moist surface air can lead to condensational heating at the ground (dew forms) which lessens the cooling of the ground and surface air
• Conditions most favorable for daytime warming of surface air are clear skies and a dry ground.
• Material factors at the earth’s surface affecting surface temperature include heat capacity, water content (evaporation and heat capacity), transparency, and conduction from below (insulation)
• A fresh snow covered surface (insulates the ground) is quite favorable for nighttime cooling of surface air.
• Dry sand with air between the grains acts as an insulator from the ground underneath and will warm quickly with solar radiation.
• The surface of the ground responds quickly in temperature when absorbing solar radiation while water responds slowly in temperature when absorbing solar radiation.
• Radiation is absorbed by water within a thick layer and water has a high heat capacity
• Radiation is absorbed by the ground in a very thin layer right at its surface
• The daily temperature range is smaller over a water body than over land
• The meteorological daily mean temperature is the average of the maximum and minimum temperature.
• The daily temperature range is the difference between the maximum and minimum temperature
• The mean monthly temperature is the average of the mean daily temperatures over a month
• The annual temperature range is the difference between the mean month maximum and minimum temperatures over a year
• The largest annual temperature ranges are typically found at high latitudes over continents
• The least annual temperature ranges are typically found over oceans at low latitudes (tropics)
• The wind chill temperature is a relative temperature to how one feels in the wind.
• The largest daily temperature ranges during the summer are typically found over deserts.