Seasonal Variations in Climate

pressure belts

separate bands of high and low pressure, found about every 30 degrees of latitude

jet stream

A narrow belt of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere

Westerlies

Winds that blow from west to east

Easterlies

Global winds that flow from the east to the west.

winter monsoon

the season when dry winds blow from the northeast across the Himalaya Mountains toward the sea from October through February, sometimes causing drought.

summer monsoon

the season when winds blow from the southwest across the Indian Ocean toward South Asia, from June through September, with winds stirring up powerful storms and causing severe flooding.

Santa Ana Winds

Winds flowing over Rockies and to West Coast/Calif. Bring dry hot weather and fuel wildfires

blizzard

A violent winter storm characterized by freezing temperatures, strong winds, and blowing snow

hurricane

A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and whose strong winds of more than 120 km/h spiral in toward the intensely low-pressure storm center

tornado

a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground

prevailing winds

Global winds that blow constantly from the same direction

Seasons

each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth's changing position with regard to the sun.

direct rays

rays or sunlight (insolation) that strike EArth at an angle 90 degrees, also called vertical rays

angle of insolation

The angle at which the sun's rays strike the earths surface

intensity of insolation

the rate at which solar energy is received by a given area of Earth's surface in a unit of time