Atmosphere Part 2 Notes
A. Understanding Air Pressure
a. Air Pressure - is _______ in all directions: down, up , sideways
i.
Sea level pressure = 1 kilogram per square inch
b. Measuring Air Pressure i.
___________ - used to tell the air pressure around you (in millibars)
ii.
Increases in ___________ = mercury rises
iii.
Decreases in __________ = mercury lowers
c. Wind
i.
A result of __________ difference in air _________
ii.
Flows from ______ to _______ pressure
iii.
Solar radiation = ultimate source for ______
d. Control Wind
i.
Three factors
1. _________________
2. Coriolis Effect
3. Friction
e. Pressure Differences
i.
Pressure ___________ - read from the isobars
ii.
__________ isobars = _______ winds
iii.
__________ isobars = _______ winds
f. Coriolis Effect
i.
A _________ angle to the direction of air flow
ii.
Effects _________ and wind speed
iii.
Strong wind = strong ________
iv.
Strong at _________, weak at the ________
g. Friction
i.
Slows down air movement which changes direction
ii.
Above layer = _________ to isobars (_________ friction)
iii.
Jet Streams - fast moving “______” of air
B. Pressure Centers and Winds
a. High Pressure vs. Low Pressure
i.
Anticyclones
1. _________ increases from _____ to ______
2. Winds blow __________ and ________
3. Net flow = __________
ii.
Cyclones
1. ___________ decrease from ______ to ______
2. Winds blow ________ and ________
3. Net flow = _________
b. Weather and Air Pressure
i.
Rising Air = ________ formation and ________
ii.
Sinking Air = _________ skies
iii.
Have to have _________ and __________
c. Weather Forecasting
i.
Low pressure system = ______________
d. Global Winds
i.
Atmosphere = air conditioner
ii.
Warm air goes _________ high latitudes
iii.
Cool air goes ________ the equator
e. Non - Rotating Earth Model
i.
Where hot air goes to the _______ when it reaches the troposphere
f. Rotating Earth Model
i.
4 pockets
1. Trade Winds, Westerlies, Polar Easterlies, Polar Front
g. Influence of Continents
i.
Southern Hemisphere - __________ pressure system
ii.
__________ + _________ = ___________ pressure system
h. Monsoons
i.
Seasonal changes in the ______________ ______________
ii.
Lots of rain!!!
C. Regional Wind Systems
a. General Info
i.
_____________ in the middle latitudes in _________ and does not fit the _______ system
described for the tropics
b. Local Winds
i.
Caused by either __________ effects or by ____________ in surface composition
1. Land and Water
c. Valley and Mountain Breezes
i.
Valley Breeze - heat during the day = ________ air rises
ii.
Mountain Breeze - cools at night = air moving into the _______
d. Measuring Wind
i.
Two basic measurements
1. ____________ and __________
ii.
Labeled by the ________ they flow
1. Ex. North wind - _____________ towards the _______
2. Measured by a ______________
iii.
Wind direction - __________ wind = blows from the same direction ________
1. Ex. Westerlies (US)
iv.
Wind Speed - measured by an _________
e. El Nino
i.
Warm _________ that becomes usually strong and ______ cold offshore water with warm water - Every ____ years
f. La Nina
i.
When _________ temperatures in the eastern Pacific are colder than ________
1. Distinctive set of _________ patterns