Download Weather Patterns and Climate

Weather Patterns
and Climate
Bates
Convection Currents
Convection currents occur because warm air near
Earth’s surface rises and cools as it goes up.
Convection Regions
•
Northern regions
are:
• Tropical
Regionequator to
30°N latitude
• Temperate
Region-30° to
60°N
• Polar Region60° to north
pole (90°)
Land and Sea Breezes
Sea breezes and land breezes are local winds caused
by convection currents near a body of water.
Land and Sea Breeze
• land and sea breeze animation
• Unequal heating of air over land and water
results in breezes near shorelines.
• While the land is warm during the day, air above
it rises, and a cool breeze blows in from the sea.
• As the land cools off at night, air pressure over it
increases, and a cool land breeze blows out to
the sea.
Surface Currents
• The surface currents of
the earth’s oceans
circulate warm and cold
ocean waters in
convection patterns
• These currents affect the
weather and climates of
landmasses.
• The warm Gulf Stream
influences the east coast
of the US.
• The cold California
current influences the
west coast of the US.
Global Winds and Jet
Stream
Global Winds
• Coriolis effect-Due to the spinning of the earth,
global winds curve.
• Found in each convection area
• In each global wind belt, the direction of the winds
and air movement affects weather conditions
Global Wind Belts
• Trade winds-blow warm,
tropical air from east to west
in tropical regions.
• Westerlies-blow from west to
east in temperate regions and
are effected by seasons.
• Tropical weather systems
begin moving with trade
winds and can then move
with the westerlies.
• Polar winds-blow cold air
northeast to west in the polar
regions.
Jet Stream
• A fast moving ribbon of air that moves west to east. It dips
and bends and changes positions.
• Air masses and weather systems are moved by this fast
moving air.
• The polar jet stream brings cold polar conditions from the
north.
• The subtropical jet stream brings warm tropical conditions
from the south.