In-Depth Weather and Climate Notes

Book Purchase Inquiry

• Only eight attendees bought the book.
• Four purchased the online version.
• Inquiry about the correlation between book purchases and completion of extra credit assignments by regular students.

Current Understanding

• Review of previous concepts with a visual model illustrating atmospheric dynamics.

Key Atmospheric Components

• ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone):
  • Area where trade winds meet, leading to thermal low pressure.
  • Important for understanding wind patterns and weather systems.
• Wind Deflection:
  • In the Northern Hemisphere, wind deflects right; in the Southern Hemisphere, it deflects left.
  • Mid Latitude Winds: Characterized by westerlies in the Northern Hemisphere and near westerlies in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Tropical vs. Polar Jet Streams:
  • Polar jet stream is faster and has a greater amplitude compared to the subtropical jet stream.

Seasonal Atmospheric Changes

• High and low pressure regions shift with seasons, influencing climate and precipitation patterns.
• Observations show significant changes, e.g., the Aleutian low and Icelandic low.
• The declination of the sun affects these patterns as it migrates northward and southward seasonally.

Temperature and Precipitation

• Confirmation that temperature and precipitation are defining elements of climate.
• Snow Water Equivalent: 10 centimeters of snow is roughly equivalent to 10 millimeters of rainfall.
• Regions like Southeast Asia experience monsoons as a result of ITCZ migrations, leading to dry and wet phases.

Monsoonal Activity

• Discussed occurrences in Southeast Asia, the U.S. Southwest, West Africa, Northern Australia, and parts of South America.
• Mechanisms driving these patterns include the migration of low and high-pressure zones.

Upper Atmosphere Circulation

• Understanding how high pressure at the poles and thermal lows at the equator influence upper atmospheric flow.
• High altitude temperatures influence weather patterns significantly.

Ocean Currents Influence

• Wind-driven Surface Currents: Currents develop due to wind friction at the surface and correlate with climate differences across regions.
• Deep Ocean Currents: Influenced by temperature and salinity, these currents operate on much longer timescales and are fundamental to global climate.
• The role of gyres in ocean distribution and climate, with five major gyres noted in oceans.

Key Factors Affecting Ocean Currents

• Wind direction, Coriolis Effect, climate, and the shape of coastlines all impact ocean current movements.
• Currents like the Gulf Stream transport heat and significantly influence coastal climates.

Hydrology and Circulation Mechanisms

• Density differences due to temperature and salinity drive thermohaline circulation.
• Areas of downwellings contribute to oceanic currents and affect global temperature regulation.

Summary of Atmospheric Dynamics and Currents

• Emphasis on the interconnected nature of atmospheric circulation and ocean currents in understanding climate dynamics.
• Future topics to explore include detailed mechanisms of mid-latitude cyclones and their development.