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FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE: WIND & OCEAN ((the main geographical…
FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE:
WIND & OCEAN
prevailing winds: direction of the average wind
Why do winds occur? Wind is the movement of air parallel to earth's surface. Winds move from areas of high air pressure to areas of low air pressure, until pressure is equalized.
winds also move between east and west the coriolis effect
The air convection currents happen on a global scale
local winds are affected by local geographical features and
weather
in most areas wind originates from just one direction most of
the time and are mainly affected by the global wind currents
earth's surface is hotter near the equator
The ground or ocean surface is heated by the sun by radiation.
It warms up the air above it by conduction.
Hot air rises and circulates in the atmosphere by convection.
Air cools down as it rises and spreads out in the upper atmosphere.
Cool air is less dense so it sinks back down to the surface.
The cool dense air spreads out, especially into areas of lower density, the areas where hot air is rising.
Hence there is wind from cool, low pressure areas, into hot, low pressure areas.
the main geographical factors that determine an areas climate:
-latitude
-altitude
-prevailing winds
-proximity to the ocean
-ocean currents
-humidity and precipitation
-temperature
an area's climate is a measure of two things
Surface ocean currents are streams of ocean water that move through the oceans in regular patterns, caused by wind blowing predominantly in the same direction gradually causing momentum in the water.
Warm currents: some warm currents move from the tropics toward the poles. This warm water warms their above it. The warmed air then moves over nearby land, affecting its climate.
Cold currents: cold water comes from the polar zones toward the equator. This cools the air that comes with it.
Happens every 2-7 years when trade winds blow warm water from southern north america and central america west cross the pacific.
This event can last 9-12 months and can cause flooding, droughts and storms.
Prevailing winds might not come from the same direction all year, making them seasonal.
Monsoon: winds that bring heavy rains
Sea breeze: during the day, air over the land is warmer, rises, and creates a low pressure area into which a cool wind blows from the denser air over the sea.
Land breeze: during the night, the air above the land is now cooler than the air above the sea, so it blows from the land to the sea ocean currents.
Prevailing winds affect temperature and humidity
A wind coming from the north or
south pole is called polar wind.
A wind coming from the equator is called an equatorial wind.
global winds
climate
ocean currents
el nino souther oscillation
seasonal winds
land and sea breezes