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Flashcards in Climatology Deck (14)
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1
Q

Define Climate

A

an aggregate of environmental conditions involving heat, moisture, and motion typical of an area

2
Q

Define Climatology

A

The scientific study of climate

3
Q

Define climatological normal

A

The normal of a climatic element is defined as the arithmetic mean of the observed values of that element over a specified period of time,

4
Q

What does the macroclimate consist of

A

all those events and processes that are large enough to be considered on a world or continental scale.

5
Q

What 3 aspects of North america’s physical geography interact with the atmospheric circulation to produce our weather

A
  1. Mountains and plains
  2. Widespread vegetation
  3. Large lakes and enclosed seas
6
Q

List the principal elements of macrogeography

A

1 Central plains

  1. Boreal forest
  2. Eastern mountains
  3. Western highlands
  4. Arctic Canada
  5. Lakes and Oceans
7
Q

List the 5 heat exchange mechanisms

A
Radiation
Advection
Convection
Conduction
Precipitaton
8
Q

What are the 4 factors that affect Surface humidity

A
  1. Density of the air. Moist air is less dense than dry air.
  2. Temperature of the air
  3. Source of moisture
  4. Seasonal variations
9
Q

what is the water balance equation and list the 9 processes that occur during water balance

A

Precip=Surface run off + evaporation

  1. Evaporation
  2. Evapotranspiration
  3. Sublimation
  4. Advection
  5. Convection
  6. Condensation
  7. Precipitation
  8. Run off
  9. Percolation
10
Q

what are the 2 classes of disturbances

A
  1. Quasi-stationary

2. travelling or transient

11
Q

Name the 5 Quasi stationary systems

A
  1. Aleutian low
  2. Icelandic Low
  3. Arctic High
  4. Pacific High
  5. Bermuda high
12
Q

What are the 3 travelling disturbances

A
  1. synoptic systems
  2. Cyclones forming in the tropics
  3. Showers and thunderstorms
13
Q

Name the 8 synoptic systems

A
  1. Pacific Lows
  2. Alberta Lows
  3. Central US lows
  4. Atlantic Coast lows
  5. Cold arctic lows
  6. Travelling warm highs
  7. Blocking Highs
  8. Cold arctic highs
14
Q

List the 10 macroclimatic zones in NA

A

1, Pacific Coastal

  1. North Pacific Coastal
  2. Cordelleran and plateau provinces
  3. Praries and the great plains
  4. Gulf States
  5. Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Northeastern states
  6. Atlantic Canada
  7. Boreal
  8. Arctic
  9. North Atlantic