Global Climate Systems

Climate

weather over time

Climatology

the study of climate that locates areas of similar weather statistics and groups them into climatic regions

Climate components

insolation, temperature, pressure, air masses, precipitation

Insolation

uneven heating from the sun, comes in as short wave energy

Air masses

formed by contrasts between different air parcels

El nino

Easterly winds weaken, warm water moves eastward

La Nina

weather is different

Koppen Climate Classification System

most common system

Koppen’s climate designations

5 bases on thermal characteristics, one based on moisture characteristics

A

tropical

C

mesothermal

D

microthermal

E

polar

H

Highland

B

Dry

Tropical rainforest

AF moist and warm climate, heating produces abundant precipitation and lush vegetation

Tropical monsoon

AM has dry season and wet season brought about by shift in ITCZ

Tropical Savanna

AW poleward of Af, wet summers

Humid Subtropical Hot Summer

Cfa and Cwa = moist all year f, have dry winter, w, have hot summers

Mediterranean Climate

caused by shifting high pressure blocking summer

Global Warming

the gradual increase of Earth’s surface temperature

Climate Change

the long term change in global weather patterns

Greenhouse gases

excess of CO2 and other of these gases trap too much heat in the atmosphere

Greenhouse gas examples

methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbon, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide