- How does the Ocean Affect the Weather?

- Water, gases, and energy are exchanged between the ocean and atmosphere

Sunshine The sun will shine on water located in various areas making it warmer. This causes the water to eventually turn into vapor. This vapor becomes a cloud.

Evaporation

Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from its liquid form to its vapor form This is the primary pathway that water moves from the liquid state back into the water cycle.

Condensation Condensation is the change of water from its gaseous form (water vapor) into liquid water. This is crucial because it is responsible for the formation of clouds.

Precipitation

When cloud particles become too heavy to remain suspended in the air, they fall to the earth as precipitation.

Transpiration Transpiration is the evaporation of water from plants.

Oceans Oceans cover about ¾ of the surface of the Earth. When the fresh water gets to the ocean it mixes and becomes salty. The sun shines on the oceans and warms the water. The water becomes vapor and forms a cloud.

Evaporation The vapor rises Condensation The Clouds form Precipitation The rain falls Transpiration The movement through plants

- Moderates the surface temperatures of the ocean - Shapes the Earth’s weather and climate - Generates most of the ocean’s waves This Exchange:

-WEATHER is the state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time - CLIMATE is the long-term (30 year) average of weather in an area - Both weather and climate are affected by the ocean - Lets see some examples of how the ocean influences our weather

Ever Notice??? Our weather here is different than the weather inland? Ocean’s effect on local weather

Why is there almost always a breeze at the beach? - The land and water heat at different rates - Land heats and cools faster than the water

Cooler Ocean Warmer Land Warmer temperatures cause air to rise Onshore Breeze Cool air sinks to fill in the space Afternoon Breezes are onshore Clouds Form Afternoon Showers

Warmer Ocean Cooler Land Warmer temperatures cause air to rise Offshore Breeze Cool air sinks to fill in the space Evening Breezes are offshore

The Coriolis effect –Is a result of Earth’s rotation –Causes moving objects to follow curved paths: In Northern Hemisphere, curvature is to right In Southern Hemisphere, curvature is to left –Changes with latitude: No Coriolis effect at Equator Maximum Coriolis effect at poles

Ocean Storms El Nino Cyclone Water Spouts Hurricane Typhoon

Tropical Cyclones - Great masses of warm, humid, rotating air - Occur in tropical oceans -Called “Hurricanes” in the North Atlantic “Typhoons” in the Western Pacific “Cyclones” in the Indian Ocean “Wili-Wilis” near Australia

Typhoons A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean between 180° and 100°E. This region is referred to as the northwest Pacific basin

Water Spouts Waterspouts are similar to tornadoes over water. Waterspouts are generally broken into two categories: fair weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts.

La Niña and El Niño La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. El Niño is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.

In the continental US, during El Niño years, temperatures in the winter are warmer than normal in the North Central States, and cooler than normal in the Southeast and the Southwest. During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than normal in the Northwest. La Niña and El Niño Cont.

- Hurricanes start out as Tropical Depressions (Low Pressure Zones) off the coast of Africa or in the Caribbean - Next, when their wind speeds reach 40 mph they become Tropical Storms (and they get a name) - They become Hurricanes once they reach a wind speed of 74mph Hurricanes

Typical Hurricane Path is around the Atlantic’s high pressure cell Category One -- Winds miles per hour Category Two -- Winds miles per hour Category Three -- Winds miles per hour Category Four -- Winds miles per hour Category Five -- Winds greater than 155 miles per hour Saffir-Simpson Scale

Most hurricanes make landfall in the Southeast U.S. of Gulf States

Names for Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones 2002 Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Isidore Josephine Kyle Lili Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred 2003 Ana Bill Claudette Danny Erika Fabian Grace Henri Isabel Juan Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa Victor Wanda 2004 Alex Bonnie Charley Danielle Earl Frances Gaston Hermine Ivan Jeanne Karl Lisa Matthew Nicole Otto Paula Richard Shary Tomas Virginie Walter 2005 Arlene Bret Cindy Dennis Emily Franklin Gert Harvey Irene Jose Katrina Lee Maria Nate Ophelia Philippe Rita Stan Tammy Vince Wilma 2006 Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon Helene Isaac Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael Sandy Tony Valerie William 2007 *Allison Barry Chantal Dean Erin Felix Gabrielle Humberto Iris Jerry Karen Lorenzo Michelle Noel Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy

A hurricane’s energy source is warm seawater (>80°F)