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Meteorology
Wait??? … that is not right!
Meteorology
• Much better.
• The word meteor
means “high in the air”.
• The atmosphere is
high in the air, isn’t it?
Meteorology is the study of atmospheric phenomena.
Types of meteors
(what is in the atmosphere)
• Hydrometeors – “water” that is “high in the air”
– Ex: Clouds that hold water
• Lithometeors – “rock” that is “high in the air”
– Ex: Smoke, haze, dust, and condensation nuclei
• Electrometeors – “electricity” that is “high in the air”
– Ex: Thunder and lightning or audible electricity
Weather
• Weather is the current (short-term) state
of the atmosphere
Ex: It is sunny today, it will rain tomorrow.
Climate
• Climate
describes the
average weather
over a long
(usually 30+
year) period of
time
Why is it colder at the poles?
• When the sun hits you straight on it is
concentrated and hot
– Ex: At noon, or tropical locations
• When the sun hits you at an angle it is
cooler, since the heat is spread out over a
larger area
– Ex: At sunset, or polar regions
Air Masses
• An air mass is a large body of air that
takes on the characteristics of the area
over which it forms.
– Air masses formed over land are usually dry
– Those over oceans are usually wet
• That is why they are classified according
to source region.
Air Mass Classification
Air masses formed over land:
• continental tropical (cT) = dry and warm
• continental polar (cP) = dry and cold
…formed over oceans/seas:
• maritime tropical (mT) = humid and warm
• maritime polar (mP) = humid and cold
…formed over the arctic:
• arctic (A)
• Air mass modification is the exchange of heat
or moisture with the surface over which an air
mass travels.