Unit 6: Atmosphere Interactions and Weather
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Transcript of Unit 6: Atmosphere Interactions and Weather
Unit 6: Atmosphere Interactions and Weather
At the end of this unit you will be able to
Calculate: Dewpoint and Relative Humidity
Read and Interpret Charts in Reference Tables
Determine the height of a cloud base using a graph
Read and create station models
List the characteristics of Pressure zones, and fronts
Create synoptic maps
Laboratory Activities for this unit:
Measuring Dewpoint and Relative Humidity
Dewpoint and Cloud Formation
Hurricane Floyd
Station models
Climactic factors: Mountains and Rainfall
Coastal Vs. Continental
Prevailing wind: Winds that usually blow from a certain direction all year
Wind: horizontal movement of air in the atmosphere
Isobar: A line that connects equal air pressure
Barometer: instrument used to measure air pressure
Air pressure/ Barometric pressure: weight of the air above you
Jet Stream: Winds at the top of the troposphere
Anemometer: instrument used to measure wind speed
Evaporation: change of a liquid to a gas, water into the atmosphere
Evapotranspiration: evaporation of water from plants, water into the atmosphere
Visibility: the farthest distance you can see
Precipitation: water coming out of the atmosphere in the form of liquid or solid
Condensation: water vapor turning to liquid water to form clouds
Dewpoint: temperature at which dew (condensation) forms
Relative Humidity: what percent of the air is water
Psychrometer: instrument used to measure relative humidity and dewpoint
Air mass: body of air in the troposphere with the same temperature and humidity
Cyclone: Low pressure system, counterclockwise and towards the center, aka, a Low pressure center
Front: an interface between two different air masses
Isotherm: a line that connects equal temperatures
Climate: overall conditions of a regions weather
Insolation: Incoming Solar Radiation , sunlight
Coriolis Effect: deflection of winds and ocean currents based on the rotation of the earth.
Storm: a violent disturbance in the atmosphere
Hurricane/Typhoon: a large Low pressure that forms over warm water, with winds over 74 miles per hour
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
A. Density of air
1. As temp , it takes up more space (expands) volume , density
Analogy:
Dancing, as you dance you get hotter so you move away from each other and take up more space.
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
B. Wind
1. caused by density differences (different air pressure)
a. unequal heating of the earth’s surface
1. poles = low temperature
2. equator = higher temperature
The equator gets direct
light and that makes it warmer
The poles get less direct light and that makes them cooler
Wind is caused by differences in pressure
because land and water do
not heat up at the same
rate
During the day land heats up
faster causing a low pressure over the land
and high pressure over
the water
At night the water is warmer and a low pressure is found over it where the land is cooler and has a high pressure
REMEMBER:
EVERYTHING FLOWS FROM HIGHS TO
LOWS
INCLUDING PRESSURE
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
Wind Analogy You go to Sea Breeze during the day
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
3. (p 14), ESRT, Wind pattern chart
The purple arrows indicate cold air sinking a high pressure zone an area of
convergence
The light green arrows indicate
warm air rising a low pressure zone of
divergence
On your ESRT draw in the Highs and Lows and label with blue the areas of high pressure and in red the areas of low pressure
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
C. Water into our atmosphere
1. evaporation rates
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
Analogy: Surface area- wadded up towel versus a towel hanging on the rack
Analogy: Windspeed- A blow dryer on low or on high
Analogy: Temperature: a blow dryer on hot or cool
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
D. Water out of the atmosphere 1. Condensation: process by which water vapor is turned into a liquid.
a. energy is released, heat is given off
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
D. Water out of the atmosphere 2. Precipitation: clouds fill with water droplets (saturated) and cannot hold anymore and they fall to earth.
a. Types: rain, hail, snow, freezing rain, sleet
5. Dewpoint (F): point at which clouds (dew) forms
a. p. 12, ESRT
b. Dry bulb = air temp
AS air rises it cools and when the air condenses a cloud forms, we say that the dewpoint has been reached
Wet bulb.. Has a sock over the end of the thermometer
Dry bulb… just a regular thermometer
6. Relative humidity:
a. amount of moisture
(water vapor )
in the air,
b. Measured in %.
c. Use a sling psychrometer
3 things you need to have
clouds:1. Water vapor
2. Condensation Nuclei
3. Temperature to cool off & hit the DEW POINT!
Cloud types
Alto Cumulus
Fair weather Cumulus
Big and puffy
Cirrostratus
Cirrus
Cloud types
Cloud types
These clouds cover the entire sky
In Syracuse
we typically
have these clouds all
winter long
Cloud types
These are thunderstorm clouds, notice the anviling
This is caused by high winds that pull the top of the cloud
Nimbus means: RAIN
As you go up
there is less air
so the cloud expands
Practice:
1. Dry bulb = 12°C
Wet bulb = 10°C
DP = ?
Cloud height= ?
Practice:
1. Dry bulb = 12°C
Wet bulb = 10°C
DP = 8°C
Cloud height= ?
Practice:
1. Dry bulb = 12°C
Wet bulb = 10°C
DP = 8°C
Cloud height=0.5 km
2. Dry bulb = 22°C
Wet bulb = 17°C
DP = ?
Cloud height = ?
2. Dry bulb = 22°C
Wet bulb = 17°C
DP = 14°C
Cloud height = ?
2. Dry bulb = 22°C
Wet bulb = 17°C
DP = 14°C
Cloud height = 1.0 km
3. Dry bulb = 30°C
Wet bulb = 24 °C
DP = ?
Cloud height = ?
3. Dry bulb = 30°C
Wet bulb = 24 °C
DP = 21°C
Cloud height = ?
3. Dry bulb = 30°C
Wet bulb = 24°C
DP = 21°C
Cloud height = 1.1 km
Weather 3
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
A. Weather: observations based on air temperature, dewpoint, humidity, cloud cover, wind, etc… at a certain time and location.
B. Page 13, ESRT Station Models
Station model map
NY State Station model map
II. Weather and Our atmosphere
B. Page 13, ESRT Station Models
1. Temperature
F C use thermometers above.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
1. Wind direction, the place where the tail is pointing (named by where it comes from)
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
2. Wind speed: how many feathers are on the tail
a. whole = 10 knots b. half = 5 knots (always in 5’s)
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
c. Knots to MPH
1. 20 knots x 1.15 mph = ___________
2. 15 Knots = _______mph
3.______ knots = 51.75 mph
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
4. Barometric Pressure (air pressure)
a.Decoding adds a 10 or a 9 in front and places a decimal in between the last 2 numbers.
b. 9 in front if the value are more than 500, 10 in front if the value is less than 500
4. Barometric Pressure (air pressure)
c.Examples
1. 825 = ________
2. 426 = ________
3. 922 = ________
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
4. Barometric Pressure
(air pressure)
d. Millibars Inches
1. Use the chart on page 13, ESRT
2. 1000.0 mb =______inches
3. ______ mb = 29.96 inches
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
4. Barometric Pressure
(air pressure)
e. Isobars: lines that show equal barometric pressure
1. When the lines are close together = fast wind, lines are far apart = slow wind.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
Isobaric contour map
4. Barometric Pressure (air pressure)
f. Measure pressure with a barometer
1. pressure above 1013.2 is considered HIGH pressure
a. Dry, cold air
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
4. Barometric Pressure (air pressure)
1. Pressure below 1013.2 is considered LOW pressure.
a. moist, warm air
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
5. Dewpoint (F): point at which clouds (dew)
forms
a. p. 12, ESRT
b. Dry bulb = air temp
AS air rises it cools and when the air condenses a cloud forms, we say that the dewpoint has been reached
6. Relative humidity:
a. amount of moisture
(water vapor )
in the air,
b. Measured in %.
c. Use a sling psychrometer
7. Precipitation
a. 3 things you need to have
1. Water vapor
2. Condensation nuclei, something to form on
3.Cooling air
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
C. Air Masses
1.Humidity (lower case letter)
a.over water = moist and maritime
b.over land = dry and continental
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
C. Air Masses
2. Temperature ( Capital letter)
a.Polar = cold, near polar areas
b. Tropical = warm/ hot, near the equator, tropical areas
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
Air mass animation
D. Air masses and Pressure Zones
1. Warm air, rises, low pressure,
counter clockwise,moist,
below 1013.2 mb.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
Pressure animation
D. Air masses and Pressure Zones
2. Cold air, sinks, high pressure,
clockwise, dry,above 1013.2 mb.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
Pressure animation
Remember
Clocks are always high on the wall , so….High rotates clockwise
Or Left hand rule!
D. Air masses and Pressure Zones
3. Low pressure air goes into the center
4. High-pressure air goes out away from the center.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
E. Air Masses and Boundaries
1. Front is an edge of an on coming air mass
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
E. Air Masses and Boundaries
2. 4 types
a.Cold, air sinks, High Pressure, FAST, close to the ground, narrow band of rain.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
cold front animation
E. Air Masses and Boundaries
2. 4 types
b. Warm; air rises, Low pressure, slow, wide band of rain.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
warm front animation
E. Air Masses and Boundaries
2. 4 types
c. Stationary, warm and cold fronts battling, both travelling in opposite directions
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
Stationary front animation
E. Air Masses and Boundaries
2. 4 types
d. Occluded, warm front caught between 2 cold fronts.
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
occluded front animation
National Weather Map Current
II. Weather and Our Atmosphere
I. Interactions in our atmosphere
3. water vapor , less dense
DEMO ___________________