Global Weather Dynamics Hurricane Katrina Weather and Climate Weather What is it? Day to day environmental conditions. Examples: Rainy / snowy cloudy / sunny Windy / calm Climate What is it? Environmental conditions averaged over many years. Examples: Average rainfall Average daily temperature Questions to consider. What is the weather for today? What is the climate of the Fredericton area if you had to describe it to someone? List 5 decisions that you have had to make in the past year that has depended on the weather. Weather and Climate Below are some variables used to describe weather and climate: Temperature Wind Speed and Direction Visibility Cloud cover Atmospheric Pressure Dew Point Humidity Formation of Weather and Climate Now some questions for you to think about Ill read the question to you and then ask you what the first thing is you think about 1. Now that you have an idea what weather is, can you tell me if the weather is the same here as it is in Saint John? Why not? 2. Geographically, how is Saint John different than Fredericton? 3. Would any of these geographical features affect the weather in that area? If so which ones and how? Components that influence weather and climate include: Latitude and Longitude Atmosphere Oceans Land Masses Here are the facts Influences on Weather and Climate Components that influence weather and climate include: Latitude and Longitude Atmosphere (later) Oceans (later) Land Masses (later) Longitude (Meridians) Sketch this Angle of measure east or west of the Prime Meridian Imaginary vertical lines Label on Your Map Prime Meridian 0 o (Greenwich, England) International Dateline 180 o Latitude (Parallels) Angle of measure north or south of the Equator Imaginary horizontal lines Label on Your Map: (BLM 13.1A) Equator 0 o North Pole 90 o N South Pole 90 o S Arctic Circle 67.5 o N Antarctic Circle 67.5 o S Tropic of Cancer 23.5 o N Tropic of Capricorn 23.5 o S Earths Rotation and Revolution Rotation (24 hours) The Earth rotates on its axis The axis (imaginary line) runs North to South 23.5 o angle One Earth rotation takes one day Rotate West to East (towards the East) Revolution (365 Days) The Earth revolves around the Sun The movement of one object traveling around another It takes the earth one year to revolve (travel) around the Sun counter clockwise Any ideas as to how earths tilt towards or away from the sun can effect the 4 seasons we experience here in Canada?? Mapping Activity Short Worksheet Part A: students to determine latitude and longitude of a location Part B: students to determine location based on latitude and longitude. Bill Nye: Seasons Video Handout: Seasons Worksheet (24 min) Reason for the Seasons The average tilt, 23.5 o, of the Earth is the reason for the seasons ) As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres are opposite. I.Tilt of the Earths axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons Earths Seasons North Pole Earth When the north pole tilts toward the sun, it gets more radiation more warmth during the summer. SUMMER (Northern Hemisphere) South Pole WINTER (Southern Hemisphere) When the north pole tilts toward the sun, the south pole tilts away So when its summer in the north, its winter in the south. Equator I.Tilt of the Earths axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons Earths Seasons When the north pole tilts away from the sun, it gets less radiation So its colder during the winter. North Pole Earth WINTER (Northern Hemisphere) South Pole SUMMER (Southern Hemisphere) When the north pole tilts away from the sun, the south pole tilts toward it When its winter in the north, its summer in the south. Equator Reason for the Season: The Earths Tilt 1. Why is the tilt of the earth the cause for the seasons? A. Seasons are not connected to Earth's distance from the Sun - our northern winter takes place when the Earth is actually closest to the Sun - but due to the fact that the Earth's axis is tilted away perpendicular to the ecliptic, winter takes place. The greater the angle, the less energy transferred.