Temperatures @specific sites

Type of surfaces and distance from the sea

Man-made Materials

• Densely built-up area of buildings and road networks

• asphalt, concrete etc.

• Absorbs and releases heat from sunlight quickly to the air above

• Higher temperatures in the day where the roads are

• Heat absorbed is also emitted at night

• Increasing temperature

Man-made Heat Sources

• Vehicles

  • Release exhaust fumes (CO₂) → greenhouse gas

  • Trap heat

• Air-conditioning unit

  • Transfers warmth from inside buildings to the air outside with electricity

  • Generates and vents out waste heat 

Thus, higher temps in sites such as urban locations (cities).

Water Bodies

• ponds, reservoir, sea, river etc.

• Poor conductivity so

• Release heat slower than land in the day

• Air above pond is cooler (hence decreases nearby temp)

• Water heats and evaporates into water vapour

• Evaporative cooling

Difference in Colour of Earth’s Surfaces

• Dark colour (asphalt)

  • Absorb more heat

  • Radiate more heat

  • More heating of air above

  • Higher temps

• Light colour (ice and snow)

  • Reflects more heat

  • Radiate less heat

  • Less heating of air above

  • Lower temps

Urban areas have more dark surfaces experience higher temps that sites w/ veg and water bodies  

The Maritime Effect

The sea has a moderating influence on temp of coastal locations because it absorbs and loses heat at a slower rate than land. 

Maritime effect during summer

• sea absorbs heat slower

• Land absorbs heat quickly

• Sea is cooler than land

• Onshore wind blows to land lowers temp 

Maritime effect during winter

• sea loses heat slowly

• Land loses heat rapidly

• Sea is warmer than land

• Warm wind blows towards land increases temp

Continental effect during summer

• inland/interior of the continent

• Air over land is warmer that air over sea 

• As land heats more quickly

• No moderating impact of cool winds format he sea

• HOT SUMMERSS instead of warm

Continental Effect in winter

• air over land is cooler

• Land cools more quickly

• No moderating impact

• Temp remains low

• Cold winters instead of cool