LACEMOP

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LACEMOP

• Factors that
• Shape Weather

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Weather Climate
Weather a condition of the atmosphere in one
place during a short period of time Climate
weather patterns typical for an area over a long
period of time
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Latitude

• The influence of latitude on climate is part of
  the Earth-Sun Relationship
• ? The suns direct rays fall upon Earth in a
  regular pattern
• This pattern correlates w/ Latitude Zones
• Within each zone, the climate follows general
  patterns

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Earth-Sun Relationships
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Air Masses

• Air masses take on the weather of the place
  from which they came.
• a front most weather changes are caused by
  these.
• Convectional Precipitation
  - Typical of hot climates
  - Convection
  occurs after morning sunshine heats warm, moist
  air. Clouds form in the afternoon and the rain
  falls.

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Fontal Precipitation when 2 fronts of different
temperatures meet. Warm air forced upward by
heavier, cool air. Rising warm air cools
precipitation Most common type
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Continentality
Large bodies of water have a moderating effect on
land temperatures. Why? Land and water absorb and
store energy at different rates.
Land changes quickly water more slowly.
Opposite air
blows off the water and moderates land
temperature.
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Elevation

• The earths atmosphere thins
  as altitude increases.
• Thus as elevation increases, temperature
  decreases b/c thinner
  air retains less heat.
• - Even in sunny places, mountains are cold, snowy
  places year-round.

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Mountain Barriers

• Can block air masses cause precipitation.

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Mountain Barriers

• Orographic Precipitation warm moist air forced
  upward when passing over a mountain. Warm winds
  cool as they rise over the mountains and clouds
  form.

• Windward mountain side which faces the ocean
• Leeward mountain side which is in a rain
  shadow (no precipitation received)
• Air is warm and dry on the Leeward side

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Ocean Currents

• Help to distribute heat
• Carry warm water from tropics to poles and
  return cold water to the Equator
• Winds affect current movement
• Air masses take on water temperature

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Wind Patterns
Trade winds -- blow from the northeast toward the
Equator and from the southeast toward the equator
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Wind Patterns
Westerlies prevailing winds in the
mid-latitudes blow diagonally west to east
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Wind Patterns
Polar Easterlies blow diagonally in the high
latitudes east to westpushing the cold air
toward the mid latitudes
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Pressure Wind

• Rising warm air low pressure
• Falling cool air high pressure

• Wind moves high to low
• Movement from equator to poles and back

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Wind Patterns

• Coriolis Effect rotation of the earth bends the
  patterns of the wind