new weather 3 practice

Continentality

• Definition: Extreme temperature swings (hot summers/cold winters) due to being far from oceans.

• Example: Siberia, Nebraska (USA).

Dry Tropical Climate (Subtropical High)

• Definition: Deserts caused by sinking, dry air near the Tropics (23.5°N/S).

• Example: Sahara, Australian Outback.

Monsoon

• Definition: Seasonal wind shift bringing heavy summer rain (e.g., India) or dry winters.

• Key City: Kochi, India (Arabian Sea branch).Steppe

Steppe

• Definition: Semi-arid grasslands with 10–20" annual rain.

• Example: Mongolian Steppe, Patagonia.

Mediterranean Climate

• Definition: Hot/dry summers, mild/wet winters.

• Example: Los Angeles, Cape Town.

Marine West Coast Climate

• Definition: Cool summers, mild winters, constant rain.

• Example: Seattle, Scotland.Boreal (Subarctic) Climate

Boreal (Subarctic) Climate

• Definition: Frigid winters, short summers; taiga forests.

• Example: Alaska, Northern Canada.

Humboldt Current

• Definition: Cold current creating coastal deserts (e.g., Atacama).

• Location: West coast of South America.

ENSO Normal Phase

when sea surface temperatures and weather patterns in the tropical Pacific are near average—neither El Niño nor La Niña is present. Trade winds blow steadily east to west, and rainfall patterns are typical.

El Niño

El Niño is a climate pattern where warm water builds up in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, disrupting weather worldwide. It happens near the equator, especially off the coast of South America.

Rainshadow Effect

• Definition: Mountains block rain, creating deserts behind them.

• Example: Death Valley (behind Sierra Nevada).

Jet Streams & ENSO

• El Niño weakens the Pacific jet stream → pushes it south → causes wet winters in California.

• La Niña strengthens the jet stream → pushes it north → droughts in the U.S. Southwest.

Albedo Feedback

• Definition: A climate feedback where changes in surface reflectivity (like ice melting) affect temperature. It’s usually positive.

• Location: Arctic, Greenland.

I=PAT Formula

• Definition: Human environmental impact = Population × Affluence × Technology.

• Use: Predicts resource use (e.g., CO₂ emissions).

Greenhouse Gases

• Gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, like CO₂ and methane, causing the planet to warm.

Volcanic Cooling

• Definition: Sulfur aerosols block sunlight, lowering temps.

• Example: 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption.North Atlantic Humidity

North Atlantic Humidity

Moisture levels in the air over the North Atlantic Ocean, which influence storms, rainfall, and weather patterns in North America and Europe.

Microclimates (Building Example)

• Rule: Sunlit side = hotter/drier; shaded side = cooler/wetter.

• Application: Urban heat islands.

Climograph Interpretation

• Marine West Coast: Flat temp line, steady rain (e.g., Portland).

• Mediterranean: Spiky summer drought (e.g., Rome).

Positive Feedback

A process that amplifies change—like warming causing ice to melt, which leads to more warming

Negative Feedback

A process that reduces change—like warming causing more clouds, which reflect sunlight and slow the warming.

La Nina

The opposite of El Niño, with stronger trade winds cooling the eastern Pacific, leading to droughts in the Americas and heavy rains in Asia/Australia while lowering global temps slightly. Both are part of the ENSO cycle.

Relative Humidity

The percentage of water vapor in air compared to the max it could hold at that temperature.

Specific Humidity

The actual amount of water vapor in air (grams per kg of air).