Download Weather and Climate Notes

Weather vs. Climate
Weather is the day to day conditions in our atmosphere.
 Sunny
 Precipitation
 Windy
 Tornados, hurricanes, etc.
Weather also includes temperature, air pressure, humidity,
wind, etc.
We base our day to day activities on weather.
Weather can change quickly but follows predictable
patterns.
Climate is the average conditions for an area over a period
of time. This can be over a season or over a number of
years.
There are three main climate zones:
1. Tropical- This area is between the Tropic of Cancer
and the Tropic of Capricorn, along the equator.
2. Temperate- 4 seasons (This is where we live.)
3. Polar- at the poles (North and South Poles)
Biomes are often identified by climate.
 Dry
 Humid
 Tropical, etc.
Climate phrases may include words like: average, typically,
generally, usually, normally, over time, etc.
Wind
Wind is produced by the uneven heating and cooling of the Earth
produces the wind.
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As the sun warms the Earth's surface, the atmosphere warms
too. Some parts of the Earth receive direct rays from the sun all
year and are always warm. Other places receive indirect rays,
so the climate is colder.
Warm air is less dense than cold air and rises higher in the
atmosphere. Then cool air moves in and replaces the rising
warm air. This movement of air is what makes the wind blow.
For example.....
There are two types of breezes along coastlines.
1. Sea Breeze- occurs during the day
The sun warms up land more quickly than water, and warms
the air above the ground. The warm air expands and rises and
cool air comes in from the sea to replace the rising warm air.
2. Land Breeze- occurs at night
The air also cools faster above the land than the sea, so at
night the air above the water is hotter and rises. The cooler
air above the land now goes out to sea to replace the rising air
here. These predictable patterns make coast lines a great
place to harness wind energy!
Clouds
There are 4 base categories for classifying clouds. These
names can be combined to form at least 10 different types
of clouds.
Cumulus
Like all clouds, cumulus clouds are made of tiny droplets of
water. They are tall and puffy. Some can look like towers. Some
can look like cauliflower. When sunlight hits these clouds, they
look bright white.
Stratus
In stratus clouds, water droplets collect into flat shapes like
pancakes. The "pancakes" can be thick or thin. They can stack
up like the layers in a cake. But they are not round like cakes —
the edges can take on different shapes.
Cirrus
In cirrus clouds, water droplets collect to form thin curves with
no clear shape. They look like curls of hair or string. You can
see a lot of sky through the holes in these clouds. Cirrus clouds
are found high in the sky (at about 18,000 feet or above). At this
height, most of the water droplets in clouds turn to tiny pieces of
ice.
Cumulonimbus
The cumulonimbus clouds can't hold all their water droplets.
When droplets join together, they form bigger drops. These
drops can become so heavy that they fall as rain, snow, or hail.
These clouds look tall, puffy, and gray. They may bring thunder
and lightning.
The Study of Weather and Weather Maps
The study of weather is called Meteorology.
A meteorologist is a scientist that studies weather and the
atmosphere. They use scientific principles to explain,
understand, observe or forecast the earth's atmospheric
phenomena.
Thermometers are used to measure air temperature
Anemometers are used to measure wind speed
 Changes in wind speed indicate weather changes.
Barometers measure air pressure.
 High pressure indicates fair or clear weather.
 Low pressure indicates stormy weather.
A Wind Vane is used to determine wind direction.
Meteorologists use weather maps to share information about
weather.
Weather can be viewed and described using a weather map
with weather symbols.
Weather symbols are used to tell us about precipitation, warm
fronts, cold fronts, high pressure, low pressure, etc.
Warm fronts = warm, moist air from the tropics
Cold front = cold, dry air from the poles – often brings storms
Stationary fronts = no air movement – warm air vs. cold air. They often cause
lingering rain storms.
Weather maps show the day to day weather.