Climate, Regional Climates

Question 1

Climate

Answer 1

The charcateristic atmospheric conditions of a region over an extended period of time (years to decades)

Question 2

What three characteristics comprise climate?

Answer 2

Temperature, precipitation, and pressure

Question 3

What is a climograph?

Answer 3

A graph depicting a region’s yearly temperatures and levels of percipitation on two y-axes

Question 4

What two factors influence regional temperatures, and how?

Answer 4

Latitude: Determines incoming solar radiation

Topographical location: Places closer to the ocean/coast have less variation

Question 5

What are the four temperature regimes?

Answer 5

1. Equatorial
2. Tropical Continental
3. Tropical Coastal
4. Midlatitude Coastal and Subantarctic Continental

Question 6

What are the charcateristics of the Equatorial temperature regime?

Answer 6

Warm throughout the entire year because of minimal insolation variability

Question 7

What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Continental temperature regime?

Answer 7

Greater seasoanlity due to insolation changes and reduced coastal influences

Question 8

What are the charcateristics of the Tropical Coastal temperature regime?

Answer 8

Similar patterns to Tropical Continental but with less seasonality due to its coastal location

Question 9

What are the charcateristics of the Midlatitude coastal and Subantarctic Continental temperature regime?

Answer 9

Declining temperature and increased seasonality nearer to the poles. Has singnificant maritime impacts

Question 10

What three factors influence regional percepitation?

Answer 10

1. Air temperature
2. Wind direction/origin
3. Orography (particularly mountains)

Question 11

How does air temperature influence regional percipitation?

Answer 11

Warmer air holds more moisture than cold air (Equator is more moist than the poles)

Question 12

How does wind direction/origin influence regional percipitation?

Answer 12

If wind is coming from the ocean, it will provide moisture to the environment

Question 13

How does orography (emphasis on mountains) influene regional percipitation?

Answer 13

If wind encounters a high altitude obstacle like a mountain, air is directed upwards which causes precipitation (orographic rainfall)

Question 14

What are the seven percipitation regimes (Equator → Asia → South America → North America?

Answer 14

1. Wet Equatorial Zone
2. Asiatic Monsoon
3. Midlatitude Zone
4. Tropical Wet-dry
5. Tropical Desert
6. Westerlies/Subtropical High
7. Westerlies

Question 15

What are the three characteristics of the Wet Equatorial Zone?

Answer 15

1. Equatorial trough
2. High pressure throughout the year
3. Low seasonality

Question 16

What are the two characteristics of the Asiatic Monsoon?

Answer 16

1. Rainfall throughout the year
2. Summer maximum

Question 17

What are the two characteristics of the Midlatitude Zone?

Answer 17

1. Dry Winter
2. Less maritime influence

Question 18

What are the three characteristics of the Tropical Wet-Dry?

Answer 18

1. ITCZ in Summer
2. Wet Summer
3. Dry Winter

Question 19

What are the two characteristics of the Tropical Desert?

Answer 19

1. Low rainfall throughout the year
2. Permanent subtropical high

Question 20

What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies/Subtropical High?

Answer 20

1. Dry Summer
2. Wet Winter

Question 21

What are the two characteristics of the Westerlies?

Answer 21

1. Rainfall through the year
2. Winter Maximum

Question 22

Tropical cyclone

Answer 22

Warm, organized, low-pressure systems that form in the Tropics 5 and 20° either side of the Equator

Question 23

How do tropical cyclones form?

Answer 23

Over warm water in regions of high humidity and light winds that are powered by latent heat. Coriolis forces rotates them

Question 24

How do tropical cyclones dissipate?

Answer 24

When latent heat is released/reduced over cooler water or lands, espically further away from the Equator

Question 25

Extra-tropical cyclone

Answer 25

Storm systems that form in the mid and high latitudes away from the tropics where cyclones typically form

Question 26

What role do extra-tropical cyclones have in the global climate system?

Answer 26

Move heat and moisture from the tropics to the poles

Question 27

Monsoon

Answer 27

Seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation (reversal of winds) and precipitation caused by asymmetric heating of land and sea, creating intense wet and dry periods

Question 28

What main factor influences the intensity of monsoons?

Answer 28

The temperature contrast between land and sea

Question 29

Inter-annual variability

Answer 29

Climate variability caused by the intricate interactions of various complex global processes