Geography > Weather > Flashcards

Weather Flashcards

(49 cards)

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1
Q

Definition of Weather

A

The short term day-to-day state or current condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time.

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2
Q

Definition of Climate

A

The long term avg weather conditions of a place, usually over a period of time of about 30 years.

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3
Q

Element: Temperature (what it measures)

A

How hot or cold the atmosphere is (measured in °C or °F) - Isoline

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4
Q

Instrument used to measure Temperature

A

Six’s Maximum and Minimum Thermometer (measures daily range) and Dry-bulb Thermometer (measures current temperature).

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5
Q

Element: Atmospheric Pressure (what it measures)

A

The weight of the air pressing down on the Earth’s surface (measured in millibars or hPa). - Isobar

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6
Q

Instrument used to measure Atmospheric Pressure

A

Barometer (Aneroid or Digital).

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7
Q

What does a Low Pressure system (depression) typically indicate?

A

Rising air

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8
Q

What does a High Pressure system (anticyclone) typically indicate?

A

Sinking air

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9
Q

Instrument used to measure Wind Speed

A

Anemometer (uses rotating cups) - Isotach

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10
Q

Instrument used to measure Wind Direction

A

Wind Vane (indicates the direction from which the wind is blowing). - Isogon

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11
Q

Element: Precipitation (what it measures)

A

Water falling from the atmosphere to the ground (rain, snow hail)

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12
Q

Instrument used to measure Precipitation (Rainfall)

A

Rain Gauge

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13
Q

Purpose of the Stevenson Screen

A

To house thermometers and hygrometers in standardized

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14
Q

Type of rainfall caused by moist air being forced to rise over a mountain barrier

A

Orographic (Relief) Rainfall

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15
Q

The dry area on the leeward side of a mountain

A

deprived of rain

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16
Q

Type of rainfall that occurs when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass (common outside the tropics)

A

Frontal (Cyclonic) Rainfall

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17
Q

High-level clouds

A

thin

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18
Q

Puffy

A

heaped

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19
Q

Low-level

A

grey

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20
Q

Very tall

21
Q

The wind pattern associated with a Tropical Cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere

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A

Winds blow inwards and counter-clockwise towards the low-pressure centre (the eye).

22
Q

Instrument used to measure Humidity (moisture in the air)

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A

Hygrometer or Sling Psychrometer (uses wet and dry bulb thermometers).

23
Q

one word to distinguish between weather and climate

24
Q

Temperature

Study These Flashcards
A

A weather element that indicates the degree of hotness or coldness in the atmosphere.

25
Humidity
A weather element that indicates the amount of water vapour present in the atmosphere
26
Wind speed
An element of weather that describes how fast the air is moving past a certain point
27
Wind direction
The direction from which the wind/air is blowing or moving
28
Rainfall
The amount of precipitation in the form of rain (water from clouds), that descends onto the surface of the Earth.
29
Sunshine
The amount of direct sunlight on the Earth's surface that is unbroken by clouds.
30
cloud cover
A weather element that shows how much of the sky is covered by cloud
31
Atmospheric pressure
The force exerted on a surface by the air above it as gravity pulls it to Earth.
32
Precipitation
water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
33
Rain
liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor.
34
Hail
Small lumps of ice that falls from the sky during precipitation.
35
Sleet
Rain that freezes just before it hits the ground.
36
Snow
precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 0C
37
3 factors that cause air to rise are:
1. It meets a high relief or mountain. This produces relief rainfall. 2. The temperature is high on a hot day so that convection currents (flowing fluids that transfer heat from one place to another) are created. This produces convectional rainfall. 3. A warmer and lighter air passes or rises over a cooler and heavier air. This produces frontal rainfall. For rain to fall the air must be cool. Air rises and cools when the air is heated in the lower atmosphere then it expands and cools.
38
Types of Rainfall
**Relief or orographic rainfall** is rain that is produced from the lifting of moist air over a mountain. Relief rainfall occurs when moisture-laden winds from the sea blow towards the land and evaporates. The winds rise on meeting a mountain. Moist air then rises, expands and cools. Water vapour is condensed and condensation form clouds from which rain falls. The windward side of the mountain receives the most rainfall. The winds that get across the mountain are drier and so this side of the mountain gets little to no rainfall; this is called the leeward side or rain shadow. The winds descend on the leeward side.
39
Another name for orographic rainfall is
relief rainfall.
40
Relief rainfall is caused by Winds filled with " " blowing from the " " towards the " "
1. moisture 2. sea 3. land
41
During a relief rainfall the side that receives the most rain is called the
windward side.
42
The side that receives little or no rain is the
leeward side.
43
What condenses and form clouds?
Water vapour
44
What is convectional Rainfall?
rainfall which occurs when the energy of the sun heats the earth's surface and causes water to evaporate changing to water vapour. The heating of the Earth's surface by the sun causes warm air to rise as convection currents. As air rises, it cools and the water vapour within condenses to form clouds, which produces convectional rainfall. In the tropics, convectional rainfall is heavy but usually of short duration. It mainly occurs in the afternoon and is sometimes accompanied by lightning and thunder.
45
Diagram representing Convectional Rainfall Shows:
Heat rays heat the rain, Warm air rises and carries up water vapour, Rainfall takes place called Convectional Rain, Heat is radiated from the ground to the air, Warm air cools down and water vapour condenses to form water droplets/clouds.
46
It occurs where:
1. The earth's surface is heated by the sun 2. Warm or heated air rises by convection currents 3. Air expands and cools 4. Water vapour is condensed to form clouds 5. The clouds then produce rain.
47
State in the correct order the process of conventional rainfall using the following phrases: Cooling, warm air rising, rain, condensation.
1. warm air rise 2.cooling 3. condensation 4. rain
48
Diagram representing Frontal Rainfall Shows:
Warm air forced to rise over cold air, Condensation occurs rapidly along front with greater temp difference, Condensation forms clouds, Heavy rainfalls along front.
49
Frontal rainfall is
rainfall which occurs when a warm air meets a cold air The heavier cold air sinks to the ground and the warm air rises above it. When the warm air rises, it cools. The cooler air condenses and **form** clouds. - An area of warm air meets an area of cold air - The warm air is forced over the cold air - Where the air meets the warm air is cooled and water vapour condenses - Clouds form and precipitation occurs
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