Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
1
Bio 126 Climate and Weather
2
Earth from the moon
3
Meteorology Climate- over all combination of temperature and precipitation that a region experiences – Mediterranean= winter precipitation followed by long hot, dry summers Weather- daily, weekly variations in these phenomena
4
Solar radiation
5
Climate zones Warm at equator, cooler towards poles. – Caused by intensity of sunlight at equator. – Poles receive less on a per area basis.
6
Solar radiation around the Globe
7
Seasons Caused by tilting of earth on its rotational axis. – Intensity of sunlight varies. – Most extreme at poles – Little change at equator.
8
Causes of Seasons
9
Precipitation Varies by latitude. Wet at equator 0 0, and 60 0 N / S Dry at 30 0, and 90 0 poles – Poles are frozen deserts Caused by formation of Hadley Cells
10
Hadley Cells Air currents in Hadley Cells caused by air density not just temperature. Uneven heating in different regions on the earth cause winds.
11
Hadley Cells Air rises (0, 60) due to warming of surface. – Adiabatic Cooling as air rises as rises the air becomes less dense and cooler this cause water to condense and fall as rain, snow Air falls (30, poles) – Adiabatic warming as air falls air becomes compressed, and heats. air absorbs moisture, falls as dry air and absorbs moisture from the environment.
12
Global air circulation, precipitation, and winds: Hadley cells
13
Global Air Circulation
14
West Coast Latitudes San Diego=32.5; LA= 34; Sta. Barbara= 34.5 ; Sta. Cruz=37, SF 37.75; Eureka= 40.75 Approx. Portland= 45.5; Seattle= 47.5 ; Juneau= 58; Anchorage = 61 CA large enough to span climate zones between Hadley cells. – South dry – North wet
15
Seasons- tilting of earth moves solar equator. Effectively moves 30 0 dry zone north in summer – descending dry air belt is pushed farther north in our summer, the wet belt moves farther south giving us wet winters
16
Causes of Seasons
17
Prevailing winds These Hadley cell wind currents move North or South The spinning of the earth makes it seem like they come at an angle. – In CA our winds, storms usually come from the south west. – Rains often bring warmer weather
18
Ocean currents Prevailing winds cause ocean waters to move in the prevailing direction. huge gyres form due to earth’s spinning known as the Coriolus effect – In Northern Pacific clockwise general direction of flow from our coast. – Ca. Current, with its cold, nutrient rich water flows from Alaska southwards along our coast – At Sta. Barbara coastline moves east, current flows due south, allowing Southern Ca. water to warm
19
Hadley cells
20
Barometer measures air pressure Low pressure (rising air) associated with storms. High pressure (descending air) blocks storms. – High pressure off California in summer blocks most storms
21
Global Trade Wind Patterns
22
Ocean Currents
23
Biomes Major vegetation types that also determine the animal community present. Determined mostly by climate – Soil also important factor
24
Figure 50.3 A climograph for some major kinds of ecosystems (biomes) in North America
25
Biomes
26
Patterns of distribution in the biosphere
27
Major Biomes
28
Coniferous forest, Lady Bird Grove (top left), Sequoias (right), rain forest (bottom left)
29
Temperate deciduous forest, Great Smokey Mountains National Park
30
Tropical forests
31
Savanna
32
Desert. Organ Pipe State Park (top), Joshua Tree National Park (bottom left), Death Valley (bottom right)
33
Temperate grassland- Prairie
34
Tundra. Denali National Park (left), reindeer (right)
35
Rain shadow Precipitation increases as storms are pushed up over mountians. – accordingly rain becomes snow – As air moves up slope in the Sierras it cools 3-5 degrees per 1,000 ft. This is the same effect as moving 300 miles farther north ! Causes deserts in Nevada Most islands with mountains have wet and dry sides
36
Rainshadow
37
Rainshadow
38
Summer Fog – Inland air warms quickly. This rising air, pulls in coastal air. – Cold water off CA. cools incoming warm, moist ocean – Coast causes summer fog. Essential for southern ranges of Coast Redwoods, and relic pines, cypress species
39
Temperature Inversion layers dense air flows downhill and collects in low spots, valleys. Great Central valley is an example. – This dense air may be blocked by hills etc. from warmer winds which blow over the top of dense air, leaving it alone. – Dense tule fog may form for days. Inversion layer (cold air higher up) also traps pollutants. Mexico City problems Reno, Tahoe now ban fireplaces. Often “burn off” in summer but leave the haze of phytochemical smog behind.
Similar presentations
© 2024 SlidePlayer.com Inc.
All rights reserved.