GEOG 2HI3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: 30Th Parallel North, Polar Easterlies, Trade Winds
Document Summary
Equatorial low pressure (0-20 degrees north or south of equator) Convergent wind systems around whole of equator known as intertropical conversion zone. If it occurs on land it tends to be very thermal and if over water its very dynamic. Often associated with lots of rainfall delivered by thunderstorms and is very wet tropical in regions where you have rainforest and east africa. Subtropical high pressure (25-35 degrees latitude) and is also dynamic in origin and result of complications in the upper atmosphere and is characterized by descending air masses. It is denser and cooler and causes air to descend and compresses the air leading to dry conditions. Sub-tropical high-pressure systems result in desert formation (e. g. , sahara desert of north africa) The mid-latitudes are damp in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The polar zone where heat and light are severely limited precipitation is surprisingly light in this zone. Surface of the earth is also affected by different wind systems.
