Review for Atmosphere, climate and weather Dr. Makin 8th Grade Clarence Middle School

Global warming Causes: Burning Fossil fuels increases Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere Deforestation reduces the amount of CO2 absorbed by the plants

Factors that influence climate Large bodies of water like the oceans Large cities Ocean currents Trade winds

Temperature Zones Polar zones (cold) Temperate zones(moderate) Tropical zones (hot and wet) Dessert zones (hot and dry)

Factors that Cool the Earth Pollution Volcanic eruptions Reflection of ice and snow

Angles of the Sun on the Earth The lower the angle of the sun hitting a particular area on the Earth the colder that place will be.

El Nino an irregularly occurring and complex series of climatic changes affecting the equatorial Pacific region and beyond every few years, characterized by the appearance of unusually warm, nutrient-poor water off northern Peru and Ecuador(tropical Pacific Ocean), typically in late December.

Classification of Climate Temperature The amount and type of precipitation The vegetation that grow there Climate changes less frequently unlike weather Climate is weather measured over a long period of time

Latitude and Longitude

Cloud Formation The sun warms the water on the earth and it rises to the proper altitude where it cools and condenses to form a cloud

Weather Is measured by Temperature Cloud cover Wind speed Humidity Air pressure Wind direction and speed which can change with changes in temperature and pressure

Precipitation Happens when water becomes to heavy to be suspended in the clouds.

Hurricanes Are weather storms that can last several weeks and has winds of over 120 mph

Windward and Leeward sides of a Mountain

Factors that Affect Weather There are six main things that affect weather. These are: Latitude Altitude Prevailing winds Distance from the sea Ocean currents Great mountain barriers.

Fronts A warm front is a transition zone between a mass of warm air and the colder air it is replacing. A cold front is defined as the transition zone where a cold air mass is replacing a warmer air mass.  An occluded front is a composite front where a cold front overtakes a warm front and pushes it upward.   A stationary front is a front between warm and cold air masses that is moving very slowly or not at all.