Name ________________________ Meteorology/Climate Essentials!
1) angle of insolation (angle of incidence)- the angle at which the sun's rays hit Earth's surface
90 degrees is the highest possible angle from the horizon and provides the most intense angle of insolation (more energy per surface area).
Lower angles spread the visible light out over a greater area, reducing the intensity of insolation. The tropics are the only areas where the sun can be directly overhead (90 degrees above the horizon)
2) sun's altitude-the angle the sun is above the horizon
3) duration of insolation-the length of time the sun is above the horizon; or the amount of time between sunrise and sunset

4) convection-the transfer of heat energy by circulatory movements in a fluid (liquid or gas) that results from differences in density within the fluid
5) convection current (convection cell)-a circulatory motion in a fluid resulting from differences in density within the fluid.
6) Greenhouse Effect-the process by which the atmosphere greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor and
Methane transmits (allows to pass through) short-wave radiation (visible light) from insolation and absorbs long-wave radiation (infrared energy) emitted from Earth's surface. The greenhouse gasses act similar to the glass roof in a greenhouse, allowing the sun's energy to pass through to Earth's surface, and trapping the Earth's radiated energy inside.

7) Greenhouse gases-gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor and methane, present in the atmosphere, which allow short-wave visible light to easily pass through but absorb long-wave infrared radiation, preventing it from escaping the atmosphere.
8) prevailing winds- winds that blow from a certain compass direction for a large part of a year; usually associated with the planetary wind belts; winds that blow from a certain compass direction for a large part of a year at specific latitudes.
9) evapotranspiration-the combination of evaporation and transpiration (all the water that enters the atmosphere)
10) climate- the overall view of a region's weather conditions over a long period of time; a regions atmospheric conditions over a long period of time
11) weather-the condition of the atmospheric variables, such as temperature, air pressure, wind and water vapor at a particular location for a relatively short period of time; an area's atmospheric conditions over a short period of time
*climate vs. weather
Any discussion of climate change has to begin by drawing a distinction between weather and climate. Weather is what we experience on a dayby-day or season-by-season basis. Climate is the long-term average of weather, typically twenty years or longer. The winter of 2009-2010 was colder and snowier than typical for Asheville and most of the eastern U.S. This is weather, not climate. This was balanced by a warmer and less snowy winter over most of the western U.S. One winter does not tell us how the climate is behaving.
It would take a series of years showing the same pattern to signal a climate change. Or as Mark
Twain put it, long before anyone was concerned about climate change: Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.

12) Two main variables that determine climate? Temperature and moisture content
13) cold front details- Type: Heavy precipitation (snow or rain) for a short duration; Location: Precipitation at/along the front. (*think of the cold front as the "bully" it "punches into the warm air in front of it-but this is NOT something you say on an exam!)
14) warm front details- Type: Light/gentle precipitation (snow or rain) for a long duration; Location: Precipitation in front of the front
15) front-the interface, or boundary, between two different air masses (with different characteristics)
16) air mass-a large body of air in the troposphere with similar characteristics of moisture and temperature

17) describe why warm air rises-warm air rises because it is less dense than surrounding air.
18) low pressure (cyclone)- a portion of the troposphere that has air moving towards it's center; usually rotates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere; includes hurricanes, tornadoes and mid-latitude cyclones (warmer, "lousy" moist weather)
19) How do winds move around a low pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere? Winds move inward toward the center of the low and counter-clockwise.
20) high pressure (anticyclone)-a portion of the troposphere that has air moving out from the center; rotating clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. (cooler, clear (sunny + "dry")
*Drawings of circulation around low and high pressure
21) Coriolis Effect-the deflection or curving of fluids (winds and surface ocean currents) due to Earth's rotation (this provides evidence for Earth's rotation). Currents curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the
Southern Hemisphere.
22) isobar-an isoline that connects points of equal barometric air pressure on a weather map
23) isotherm-an isoline that connects points of equal air temperature on a weather map

24) Why are parts of England warmer than parts of Canada found at the same latitude? Parts of England are warmer than parts of Canada, because the warm North Atlantic Current carrying warm water from the Equatorial region flows toward England, bringing warmer air to England. Eastern Canada has a cool ocean current, the Labrador Current, flowing along its coast, bringing cooler air to Canada.
25) Explain how and why a sea breeze occurs on a hot, sunny summer afternoon at the beach. (include diagram)
Land has a lower specific heat than water, so the land heats up faster on a summers day, warming the air above it. This warm air rises, creating a low pressure region over the land. The water has a higher specific heat than the land, so the ocean heats up slower than the land on a summers day, cooling the air above it. This cool air sinks over the ocean, creating a region of high pressure. Air moves from the high pressure region over the ocean to the low pressure region over the land, creating a sea breeze.

26) Explain why a land breeze occurs early in late evening/early morning in the summer. (include diagram)
Land has a lower specific heat than water, so the land cools off faster at night, cooling the air above it. This cool air sinks, creating a high pressure region over the land. The water has a higher specific heat than the land, so the ocean cools down slower and keeping it's heat more than the land at night, keeping the air above the ocean warm. This warmer air over the ocean rises, creating a region of low pressure. Air moves from the high pressure region over the land to the low pressure region over the ocean, creating a land breeze.
27) How do clouds for
(condensation nuclei must be present) until air temperature=dewpoint temperature and condensation occurs rising air expands and cools (cooling air causes humidity to increase) warm air rises
Air warmed at Earth's surface rises (because it is less dense than surrounding air). As the warm air rises it expands and cools until the air temperature equals the dewpoint temperature and condensation occurs. (there must be condensation nuclei present (dust, salt or ice particles) for condensation to occur.
28)Explain why the windward side of a mountain his cooler and has more moisture than the leeward side of a mountain:
Prevailing winds cause air to rise on the windward side of a mountain. As warm air rises it expands and cools, causing relative humidity to increase. When air temperature equals dewpoint temperature condensation occurs and precipitation can fall. As the air moves over the mountain, the cooler air sinks, compressing and warming the air decreasing the humidity of the air.

29) Where is the sun, part 1.
June 21st-Summer Solstice the sun is directly overhead* at the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 degrees North
December 21st-Winter Solstice, the sun is directly overhead* at the Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5 degrees South
March 21st (Spring Equinox) and September 21st (Fall Equinox) the sun is directly overhead* at the equator
*directly overhead means 90 degrees above the horizon
30) Where is the sun.....part 2
If we're located at 41 degrees North, how high is the sun above our horizon on June 21st?
Well, where is the sun on June 21st? It's 90 degrees above the horizon at 23.5 degrees North (the Tropic of Cancer). So, how many degrees between us (at 41 degrees North) and 23.5 degrees North?
41 degrees - 23.5 degrees = 17.5 degrees difference between our latitude and the Tropic of Cancer.
You know the sun is 90 degrees above the horizon at 23.5 degrees North so subtract that 17.5 degree difference and that's how high the sun is at 41 degrees North on June 21st. (90 degrees - 17.5 degrees = 72.5 degrees high)
Try another one:
How high is the sun in Springs on December 21st? Assume Springs latitude is 41 degrees North.
Well, where is the sun on December 21st? It's 90 degrees above the horizon at the Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5 degrees
South. How far away is Springs from the Tropic of Capricorn? 23.5 degrees South is 23.5 degrees from the equator + 41 additional degrees North of the equator. 23.5 + 41 degrees = 64.5 degrees
Now subtract that 64.5 degrees from 90 degrees and you now know that the sun is only (90-64.5=25.5 degrees)
25.5 degrees above our horizon, here in Springs on December 21st.