Name _________________________________________ Date ________________

12.2 Weather Systems – notes sheet What is the Coriolis Effect? Deflection of air to the right in the Northern hemisphere due to the earth’s rotation. The Earth rotates from West to East. The Coriolis Effect combines with the heat imbalance found on Earth to create distinct _____Global wind System ___________ that transport __colder ____ air to warmer areas and ___Warmer_____ air to colder areas. The end result is the ____balancing______________ of heat energy on Earth. Global Wind Systems:

Name Location Description of how wind moves

Towards or Away from the Equator?

Trade Winds

30° N 30° S

from east to west toward

Prevailing Westerlies

30°--60° North and South Latitudes

from west to east away

Polar Easterlies

between 60° and the poles

from east to west toward

Global Pressure Systems: sailors can get stranded due to little or weak winds

Name Location Low or High Pressure? Horse Latitudes

30° N

High

ITCZ (Doldrums)

near equator Low

What causes wind? __differences in temperature and pressure_______________________ Weather systems generally follow the path of what winds? ___narrow bands of fast high altitude westerly winds called jet streams___

Type of Front Map Symbol &

Color Description of air

movement Associated

Weather Cold Front

solid blue line with triangles pointing in the direction of the front’s motion

Cold dense air replaces warm air—by forcing it up. As warm air rises it cools and condenses

Clouds, showers and sometimes thunderstorms

Warm Front

solid red line with semicircles pointing in the direction of the front’s motion

Warm air displaces cold air. Movement is slower and more gradual

extensive clouds and precipitation

Stationary Front

combination of short segements of both warm and cold front symbols

Two air masses meet and neither advances. Boundary stalls

light wind and precipitation

Occluded Front

purple line with alternating semicircles and triangles that point in the direction of motion

cold air mass moves very rapidly and overtakes warm front. Warm air is wedged upward and two cold air masses collide

Strong winds and heavy precipitation on both sides of the front

Use the following list of characteristics to create a Venn diagram that compares/contrasts Low-Pressure Systems with High-Pressure Systems.

• Air moves in circular motion both • Winds move clockwise in northern hemisphere High • Rising air Low • Stormy weather low

• Winds move counter-clockwise in northern hemisphere Low

• Fair weather High • Sinking air High Low-Pressure System High-Pressure System