Weather Dynamics

Let’s begin with what ‘essential’ questions that you will need to be able to answer at the end of the unit.

#1. Explain the make up and organization of the hydrosphere. In other words…. Where is the earths water located? Is it salt water or fresh water? Amounts / percentages of each?

#2. Describe the structure and organization of the atmosphere. In other words…. What are the layers of the atmosphere? What order are they layered? Which layers are significant with respect to our Earth’s weather?

#3. Explain the factors that control incoming and outgoing radiation in Earth’s atmosphere. In other words…. What happens to the Sun’s energy when it reaches the Earth’s atmosphere? How do clouds affect the solar radiation that reaches Earth? How does where we live affect how much radiation reaches Earth? What is albedo?

#4. Explain the effects of heat transfer within the atmosphere and hydrosphere on the development of wind and ocean currents. In other words…. What are ways that heat can be transferred? How does the transfer of heat result in different weather conditions? What is the coriolis effect?

#5. Explain the formation of selected severe weather phenomena. In other words…. How are thunderstorms (tornadoes, blizzards, hurricanes, cyclones,etc) formed? What do the symbols on a weather map mean?

#6. Analyze weather data related to a severe weather event. In other words…. Describe some of the technology used by meteorologists? Explain the severe weather watch/warning system?

#7. What are the social, economic, and environmental impacts of a recent severe weather event? In other words…. What are some of the costs involved when a giant blizzard hits Winnipeg? What costs were / are associated with the storm in Buffalo? What costs are / will be associated with the typhoon that hit the Philippines?

#8. Investigate that climate change can occur naturally and could be influenced by human activities. In other words…. How do human activities influence climate change?

#9. Describe the potential consequences of climate change. In other words…. How will changes in climate affect our daily lives?

Weather Climate Radiation Convection Conduction Meteorology Air mass Front Prevailing winds Weather system Coriolis effect Albedo 12 Vocabulary terms (to be put in your 3 point approach vocabulary booklet)

Our first question was…. #1. Explain the make up and organization of the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere is made up of salt water, fresh water, and polar ice caps and glaciers. Most of the water on Earth is salt water. Our oceans hold almost 98% of the worlds water. Canada’s lakes, rivers and glaciers hold almost 10% of the world’s freshwater supply.

Our second question was… #2. Describe the structure and organization of the atmosphere

There are several layers of the atmosphere above the Earth’s surface. The troposphere and the stratosphere are responsible for our weather systems. The layer that lies closest to the Earth is called the troposphere. This is the layer where our weather occurs. Weather can be defined as the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. (sunny/cloudy/raining/snowing/cold/windy /etc )

The gases present in the air near the Earth’s surface are nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and other gases such as water vapour, argon, and carbon dioxide (1%) The stratosphere lies above the troposphere and contains the ozone layer. Ozone is a compound made up of 3 oxygen atoms which shields us against the Sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Heat Transfer Website for assignment

Earth's Radiation Budget - NASA 4:30min

Albedo is a measure of the amount of light an object reflects The greater the reflection, the higher the albedo

LONGITUDE: imaginary lines that run across the Earth from North to South measured in degrees East or West of the Prime Meridian imaginary line that passes through Greenwich, England Review!

LATITUDE imaginary lines that run across the Earth from East to West measure distance (in degrees) north or south of the equator imaginary line around the middle of the Earth Review!

EFFECTS OF A SPHERICAL EARTH the spherical shape of the Earth influences the climate of different regions The surface of the Earth absorbs the most energy from the Suns rays when they strike the Earth at right angles (head-on) As the Suns rays strike other regions of the Earth, the rays get ‘spread out’ the same amount of energy is spread across a much larger area

THE FOUR SEASONS the seasons change because the Earth is tilted 23.5  from vertical

as the Earth revolves around the Sun, different regions of the planet lie at right angles to the Suns rays different regions of the world receive more ‘concentrated’ energy from the Sun

During our summer: the Suns rays strike directly (at right angles) at 23.5  North of the Equator we receive more direct energy from the Sun During our winter: the Suns rays strike directly (at right angles) at 23.5  South of the Equator we receive less direct energy from the Sun

CIRCLES & ZONES zones between 23.5  and 66.5  are called temperate zones the Suns rays are never perpendicular to these zones

Which way do you usually look in Winnipeg to see if there’s any “weather coming”?

WORLDWIDE WIND CURRENTS 3 fundamental processes affect the wind currents on Earth: 1.Convection 2.Coriolis effect 3.Jet Streams

CONVECTION Air tends to heat up near the equator this warm air rises and is replaced with colder air from the polar regions if the Earth was a small planet these kinds of wind currents would dominate

HOWEVER: the warm air that rose near the equator tends to cool off before it reaches the North or South pole 3 mini-convection patterns result because of this

Coriolis Effect the rotation of the earth causing a change of direction of the prevailing winds (and major ocean currents) Prevailing winds are the major winds affecting large geographical areas caused by a combination of convection currents in air and the earth’s rotation (coriolis effect) between 30 and 60 degrees latitude winds tend to blow from west to east (called the prevailing westerlies)

Coriolis Effect Demonstration - playground equipment

Coriolis Effect - IDTIMWYTIM

JET STREAMS jet streams are ribbons of extremely fast moving air (between km/hr) they are thousands of km long, a few hundred km wide and 2 or 3 km thick they are caused by contact between cold and warm air found at the boundaries between polar and temperate zones run across northern Canada where the polar easterlies meet the prevailing westerlies The jet streams constantly meander north or south.

During our winter: Polar jet stream dips south to the 40th parallel During our summer: Polar jet stream lies north of the 60 th parallel

Tsunami Part 1 (11 minutes)

Tsunami Part 2 (11 min)

Tornado - Elie, Manitoba (8 minutes)