Download Weather Patterns How does air move?

WeatherPatterns
Howdoesairmove?
- LayersofAir
o Exosphere:
§ Altitudeabout600km
§ Temperature:1700DegreesC
o Thermosphere
o Mesosphere
§ Altitude:about85km
§ Temperature:-90degreesC
o Stratosphere
§ Altitude:About50km
§ Temperature:0degreesC
o Troposphere
§ Altitude:about8-15km
§ Temperature:-55degreesC
- Asaltitudeincreases,howdoesairpressurechange?
o Airpressuredecreasesasaltitudeincreases.Asaltitudeincreases,gasparticles
arefartherapartandthereislessairabove.
- ConvectionCurrents:
o Gasesorliquidsriseandsinkinaparticularpath.
- Whatcausesconvectioncurrents?
o Differenttemperaturesbetweenairabovelandandwatercauseconvection
currents.
Whatareairmasses?
o Airmass:isalargebodyofairwithsimilarpropertiesallthroughit.
- Typesofairmasses:
o ContinentalPolarAir:Thelandnearthepolesisnotverymoist.So,theairmass
fromthisareaiscoldandfairlydry.
o MaritimeTropicalAir:Humidairhaslotsofmoisture.Overtropicaloceansor
rainforests,anairmassbecomeswarmandveryhumidbecausewatercaneasily
evaporatethere.
o MaritimePolarAir:Eventhoughtheoceannearthepolesiscold,watervapor
evaporatesintotheair.Anairmassisformingoverthepolesanditiscoldand
moist.
o ContinentalTropicalAir:Alargehotdesertcancausetheairaboveittobewarm
andfairlydry.
- Whenairmassesmeet:
o Front:aboundarybetweentwoairmasses.*Thinksevereweatherorweather
changes.
- Whatcausessevereweather?
o Thunderstorms
§ Stage1:Aircurrentsmoveupward
§ Stage2:Aircurrentsaremixed
§ Stage3:Allaircurrentsmovedownward.
o Tornadoes
§ Airrollsbetweentwolayersofwinds.Therollingairisturnedsoitstands
uprightandbecomesafunnelcloud.Itisatornadoifittouchestheground.
o Hurricanes
§ Whenwatervaporfromtheoceancondenses,itreleasesenergy.This
buildupofenergyandwinds,drivethehurricane.
- Howareweatherforecastsmade?
o CollectingData
§ Anyinformationgatheredinregardstoanything.Thiscouldbenumbers
(percentages,decimals,fractionsoftime,etc.)
o Barometer:showsairpressure
o Anemometer:measureswindspeed.
o Raingauge:measureshowmuchrainhasfallen.
- WhatisClimate?
o Climate:theaverageofweatherconditionsoveralongtime,usually30years.
Climateincludesthingsliketheaverageamountofprecipitation,theaverage
temperature,andhowmuchthetemperaturechangesthroughouttheyear.