Name:
Per.
Weather Notes
Major Causes of Weather - KEY IDEA
Unequal Heating due to:
1) Direct Sunlight
Explanation: Sunlight at the equator
A.
B.
C.
has greater intensity which causes
warmer temperatures which force convection
between the equator and the poles
Causes North / South Winds
2) Spinning Earth
Explanation: The earth spins faster at the equator than the poles, and
therefore winds don’t travel at the same rate in a vertical path. Due
to tilt and other factors the picture becomes even more complex.
Causes East / West Winds
3 polar easterlies
2 westerlies
1 trade
winds
3) Different Surfaces
A.
Explanation – the sun warms up the land
faster than it does the water. This difference
in temperature can cause convection in
certain areas that are not the same as the
global winds.
Causes Localized/Coastal Winds
Moisture in the Atmosphere:
The Water Cycle –
Draw this yourself!
Label and then
Explain each of the parts
Evaporation
Run-off
Precipitation
Condensation
Explanation of the Water Cycle
E – Evaporation – water leaves the oceans/lakes and turns into vapor and rises into the atmosphere. C –
Condensation – the water in the atmosphere cools and condenses forming clouds. P – Precipiation – With the correct
saturation and temperature the clouds will drop their excess water vapor to the ground as either rain, snow, sleet, or
hail. I – Infilitration, the water that hits the ground may seep insided (I) or run over the ground as runoff until it joins a
lake, ocean, or groundwater.
Name:
Per.
Air Masses
m – maritime (water) = high humidity
c – Continental (land) = low humidity
P – Polar = cold temp.
T – Tropical = warm temp.
A – Arctic = really cold temp.
A Localized Weather Situation – The shoreline (Gizmo Activity Notes)
6am
Land
Sea
10 am
2pm
6pm
10pm
2am
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed/Dir
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed/Dir
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed/Dir
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed/Dir
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed/Dir
Temp
(°F)
60.5
14.1 
71.5
3.2 
92.7
20.9 
79.4
15.8 
73.1
5.8 
66.1
68.1
14.4 
69.9
3.2 
71.6
20.9 
71.7
15.8 
70.0
5.8 
68.9
Draw what is happening during the day and the night in this picture.
2pm
Wind
Speed/Dir
5.3 
5.3 
2am
What is going on in my picture?
During the day, the land heats up faster than
What is going on in my picture?
At night the land cools off faster than the water
the water and has a higher temperature and will begin to
and drops in temperature resulting in the air above it
rise as it is less dense. Cooler air will fill in the spot and
being cooler. The air temp. above the water is now
create a wind that is towards the land.
Warmer and will rise creating a wind toward the water.