Weather and climate

    Cards (37)

    • Climate
      The average or long-term weather conditions for a larger region
    • This is the result of years of research and data recording
    • Effects of Climate Change
      • Sea Level Rises
      • Marine Heatwaves
      • Loss of Marine Biodiversity
    • Warming temperatures have caused increasing ice melt in our polar regions
    • Marine heatwaves cause widespread coral bleaching and reef degeneration
    • Rising temperatures increase the risk of irreversible loss of marine and coastal ecosystems
    • Weather
      The atmospheric conditions at any one place, at any one time
    • Atmospheric pressure
      The pressure exerted by the weight of the air on the earth’s surface
    • Atmospheric pressure

      Measured in hectopascals (hPa)
    • Isobars
      Lines on a weather map that connect points of equal atmospheric pressure
    • Isobars
      • Help meteorologists identify areas of high and low pressure
      • Key indicators of weather patterns
    • Synoptic charts
      Provide a snapshot of the weather experienced at a particular place at a certain time
    • Synoptic charts

      • Show air pressure, air masses and fronts, cloud cover, wind speed, wind direction and rainfall
    • This information allows us to make predictions relating to temperature, humidity, ocean conditions and the likely weather for the next few days
    • High pressure systems

      Occurs where atmospheric pressure is greater than 1010hPa
    • High pressure systems
      • Characterized by light winds, clear skies and dry weather
    • High pressure cells

      Occur where atmospheric pressure increases towards the center of the system
    • High pressure cells

      • The air at the center of the cell descends and moves outwards
    • High pressure Weather

      Light winds, clear skies and dry weather<|>Greater diurnal temperature difference<|>Frost likely in winter
    • Low pressure systems

      Occur with pressures of less than 1010hPa
    • Low pressure systems

      • Often associated with stronger winds, cloudy skies and rain
    • Trough
      An extension of low pressure from a low-pressure system
    • Low pressure cells

      Occur where atmospheric pressure decreases towards the center of the system
    • Low pressure cells

      • The air at the center of the cell is pulled inwards and ascends
      • Winds move clockwise in the southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere
    • Weather in Low Pressure Systems

      Strong winds, cloudy skies, rain<|>Lower diurnal temperature range<|>Frost is unlikely
    • Tropical cyclones
      A very intense low-pressure system
    • Tropical cyclones
      • Generate very strong winds, produce rough seas and heavy rains
      • Widespread damage occurs if they make landfall
    • Wind
      The movement of air masses from high pressure areas to low pressure areas
    • The effect of this movement of air is to rebalance the pressure in the atmosphere
    • Wind speed and direction
      Can be observed on a synoptic chart
    • The closer together the isobars, the greater the difference in pressure will be
    • This means that the winds will be stronger
    • Wind indicators
      The shaft indicates the direction from which the wind is coming
    • The black dot is the place that is experiencing the windy conditions
    • Local Winds
      • Seabreeze
      • Land breeze
    • Seabreeze
      Air above the land warms, becomes less dense, causing it to rise
    • Land breeze
      Air above the sea, being warmer than that above the land, begins to rise
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