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GEO ENGAGE: 9/14 – GLOBAL WARMING
DEBATE
Get out your notes
over Global Warming.
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE GROUPS
Use chapter 3 section 2 of the textbook
At least 4 main points
Be sure to include SHORT definitions for
any key terms
2 hand drawn pictures
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE


Divide your paper into 4 squares.
Label them the following (4 front, 4 back):
1.
2.
3.
4.



Low Latitudes
Mid-Latitudes
High Latitudes
Elevation
5. Wind Patterns
6. Ocean Currents
7. El Niño
8. Landforms
You will write at least 3 main points for each IN
YOUR OWN WORDS!
Illustrations
Leave room for extra notes I may have! 
LOW LATITUDES
 Between the Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn
(aka-“Tropics”)—includes the Equator!
 Low numbers in latitude value
 Receive direct rays from Sun
 Equator: 6 months a year
 Each Tropic: 3 months a year
 Receive indirect rays from Sun
 Equator: 6 months a year.
 Each Tropic: 6 months a year
 Warm to hot climates year round
MID LATITUDES
 Most variable weather on Earth
 Between Tropic of Cancer & Arctic Circle;
between Tropic of Capricorn & Antarctic Circle
(~30°- 60° N&S)
 Ranges from fairly hot to fairly cold (temperate),
dramatic changes, but moderate—no extremes!
 Summer gets warm air from the tropics (low
latitudes), winter gets cold air from the polar areas
(high-latitudes)
HIGH LATITUDES
 Polar areas= North of the Arctic Circle and South of
Antarctic Circle (high numbers in latitude value)
 Receives constant sunlight for 6 months when pole faces
Sun
 March-September: North has constant daylight, South is
in dark (switches for next 6 mos.)
 Arctic & Antarctic Circles are last point to receive
indirect rays (during summer or winter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5ZT9LCntJA &
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QewZYUbmTJA
ELEVATION
 At any latitude, anywhere
on Earth, elevation
influences climate
 If high enough in elevation, can have
snow on the Equator!
 As altitude increases, the
air thins which absorbs
less heat
 As elevation increases,
temperature decreases
(3.5° per 1,000 ft)
WIND PATTERNS
 Move clockwise in Northern Hemisphere
 Moves counterclockwise in Southern Hemisphere ( Coriolis
Effect)
 Cool air flows in to replace rising warm air (Polar front),
distributing Sun’s heat
 Switches direction in each latitude zone
 Low latitudes have trade winds (northeasterly/southeasterly)
 Mid-latitudes have westerlies
 High latitudes have polar easterlies
*(named for direction they come FROM)
 Windless bands
 Doldrums @ Equator
 Horse Latitudes @ Tropics
Coriolis Effect
OCEAN CURRENTS
 Cold water moves from poles to Equator and
warms up (cold currents), or warm water
moves from Equator to poles and cools (warm
currents)
 Currents affect the climate on land: either
cooling or warming (ex: North Atlantic Drift
& W. Europe)
EL NIÑO
Periodic change in currents & water temps.
in mid-Pacific region
No known cause
Reversal of atmospheric pressures 
reduce or reverse wind patterns brings
warm water from Asia to South America
Domino effect:
Precipitation increases, flooding in S. America
Or droughts and fires in SE Asia/Australia
EL NINO
 What it is: warming of eastern Pacific Ocean + rise in pressure
 changes in weather patterns throughout entire area located
along the Pacific Ocean
• El Nino occurred
in 2014
• Supposed to be
strong
• Predicted: 95%
chance it lasts
through our
winter season
Powerful
cyclones
(hurricanes) in
Northwestern
Pacific
More rain in North
& South America
but usually, lower #
of hurricanes 
Australia: HOT
weather, droughts
LANDFORMS
 Landforms affect climates of places @ the same latitude
 Bodies of water moderate temps. b/c they take a long time to
change temp.
 Gulf of MX is warm water keeps Houston warmer
 Continentality– absence of lg. body of water means more
drastic weather changes
 Nebraska can have hot summers and receive snow in the winters (4
seasons instead of 2  )
 Rainshadow effect
 Cool air releases moisture on windward side of mountain; then hot, dry
air moves to leeward side creating deserts
Ganges Plain in India
Himalaya
Arid Tibetan
Plateau