GG101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Dew Point, Supercell, Snowbelt
Document Summary
Weather short term, day to day condition of the atmosphere contrasted with climate. Climate long term average of weather conditions over roughly 3 decades (30 years) Elements contributing to weather: temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, seasonal factors such as insolation and sun angle. Air mass homogenous mix of temperature, humidity and stability that initially reflects the characteristics of its source region, interactions of air masses produce weather patterns. As air temperature decreases, the air masses ability to hold moisture decreases. Antarctic: (cid:862)(cid:373)p(cid:863) = (cid:373)a(cid:396)titi(cid:373)e pola(cid:396) (cid:894)(cid:272)ool, hu(cid:373)id, u(cid:374)sta(cid:271)le all yea(cid:396)(cid:895), (cid:862)ca(cid:863) = (cid:272)o(cid:374)ti(cid:374)e(cid:374)tal a(cid:396)tic (very (cid:272)old, (cid:448)e(cid:396)y d(cid:396)y, sta(cid:271)le(cid:895), (cid:862)mt(cid:863) = (cid:373)a(cid:396)iti(cid:373)e t(cid:396)opi(cid:272)al (cid:894)(cid:449)a(cid:396)(cid:373), hu(cid:373)id, u(cid:374)sta(cid:271)le(cid:895), (cid:862)cp(cid:863) continental polar (cold, cry, stable and high pressure) I(cid:374) the su(cid:373)(cid:373)er, (cid:449)e gai(cid:374) co(cid:374)ti(cid:374)e(cid:374)tal tropical air (cid:862)ct(cid:863) (cid:449)hich is ho(cid:449), lo(cid:449) relati(cid:448)e hu(cid:373)idity, stable aloft, unstable at surface, turbulent in summer.
