Download Weather in the UK

Weather in the UK
Aim – To learn about
the UK’s climate & how
it might change in the
future
By the end of this lesson you
should all know the main features
of the UK climate including
temperature, rainfall and
seasonality
You should also understand why
it might change in the future
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The British Climate
The British Isles has a temperate climate.
This means that it is not too hot, not too cold, not too dry
and not too wet!
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July temperatures
Isotherms are lines
joining areas of
equal temperature.
‘Iso’ means ‘the
same’.
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Words for sheet
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cool
Mild
Cool
Cold
Warm
Mild
Warm
Cold
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610
1100
699
low
heavy
low
heavy
smaller
smaller
large
large
15
6
9
1999
14
16
16
4
5
7
9
11
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Learning objectives
Why is the South of Britain warmer than the
North?
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Why is the South of Britain warmer than the North?
Therefore, the sun’s rays are more concentrated in
the South rather than the North of Britain.
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Learning objectives
Why is the South of Britain warmer than the
North?
Why are temperatures in January warmer on
the West coast?
Why is there more rainfall in the West?
What is high and low pressure?
Why is the weather in the UK so changeable?
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January temperatures
Match the letter with the
correct temperature.
A
between 5ºC and 6ºC
B
4ºC
C
between 4ºC and 5ºC
Why is B colder than C, even though B is further south?
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Rainfall in the British Isles
Describe the pattern of rainfall in the UK.
Why is there more rainfall in the West of the British Isles?
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Why is it warmer in the West in January?
The North Atlantic Drift is a warm ocean current that
brings higher temperatures to the west of the UK. The
North Atlantic Drift starts its journey in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Learning objectives
Why is the South of Britain warmer than the
North?
Why are temperatures in January warmer on
the West coast?
Why is there more rainfall in the West?
What is high and low pressure?
Why is the weather in the UK so changeable?
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Why is there more rainfall in the West?
Many of the mountain ranges in the British Isles occur in
the West.
The West is therefore more likely to experience relief rainfall.
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Why is there more rainfall in the West?
The prevailing wind comes from the SW.
This wind blows over the Atlantic, bringing moisture-laden
air.
The prevailing wind is the most common direction of wind.
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Choose the three correct statements and
write them in your book:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In summer the south is warmer than the north
In summer the north is warmer than the south
In summer the east is warmest
In winter temperatures are the same all over the
country
In winter the south is colder than the north
In winter the west is warmer than the east
The south is always wetter than the north
Rainfall is the same all over Britain
The east is wetter than the south
Most rainfall is in the west
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Learning objectives
Why is the South of Britain warmer than the
North?
Why are temperatures in January warmer on the
West coast?
Why is there more rainfall in the West?
What is high and low pressure?
Why is the weather in the UK so changeable?
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• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WplvSvvG
XRA&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1aFoJSBJ
F4
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Why does the British Isles have unpredictable weather?
In the British Isles it can be sunny one minute and raining
the next!
Why is this?
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Why does the British Isles have unpredictable weather?
The answer has a lot to do with air masses…
Air masses are huge blocks of air. They can be damp or
dry, warm or cold, depending on where they came from
and over what type of surface they have travelled.
For example, an air mass that has travelled over the sea
will increase its moisture content and be more likely to
produce rainy weather.
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Air masses affecting the British Isles
Many air masses cross the British Isles, which explains
our changeable weather!
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