News
• http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinam
erica/articles/2009/10/21/hurricane_weake
ns_as_it_nears_resorts/
• http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/art
icles/2009/10/21/8_nations_resist_binding
_limits_on_emissions/
Climate
Image courtesy of United States Federal Government
Hot Air Rises
Air can hold
less water at
higher altitudes
1. Hot air rises over land due to heating by the sun.
2. The rising air leaves less air in one spot, low pressure forms.
3. Generally, from 3,000 to 5,000 feet, the air cools, high pressure develops.
4. Meanwhile, over the cooler water, air sinks, leaving less air aloft.
5. More air piles up at the surface of the water, high pressure forms.
6. Air moves from high pressure to low pressure.
7. The sea breeze generally forms during the afternoon. This creates a mini
cold front that helps lift air upward to create thunderstorms.
Hadley Cells
Image courtesy of NASA
Coriolis Force
• Result of earth spinning
• In Northern Hemisphere, Coriolis Force
deflects moving objects to the RIGHT
• Force is proportional to velocity
• Force is a function of latitude (zero at
equator)
Winds
Westerlies
Trade Winds
Image courtesy of NASA
SeaBreezes and Monsoons
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•
•
•
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Land heats up faster than ocean
Air moves from high to low pressure
Cold air holds less water vapor
Diurnal—Sea Breeze
Seasonal--Monsoon
Rain Shadow Effect
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Biomes
Image courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture
Climate
Image courtesy of United States Federal Government
Global Conveyor Belt
Upwelling
Image courtesy of NOAA
El Nino
Normal pattern
El Nino Conditions
Image courtesy of United States Federal Government
El Nino Conditions
Greenhouse Effect
Image courtesy of U.S. Department of the Interior