Download Meteorology Notes: Part 1

Meteorology
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Name: _____________________________
What is Meteorology?
o It is the scientific study of all ____________ in the atmosphere. This is very useful for
_______________ forecasting.
What is the atmosphere?
o The atmosphere is an envelope of ______________ that surrounds the Earth and protects us by
blocking out dangerous rays from the ____________.
o The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that becomes thinner until it gradually reaches space.
o It is composed of Nitrogen (_____%), Oxygen (_____%), and other gases (1%).
Why is the Sky (Atmosphere) Blue?
o The ___________________ of sunlight by the molecules in the atmosphere is the key to the Earth’s
sky color.
o The only way to change the color of the atmosphere is to change the _______________ of the
molecules in order to reflect a different color wavelength.
 The more molecules there are, the more scattering of light is caused. If one could add
molecules to the atmosphere to make it more dense, the new sky color would be
_______________ instead of blue.
o Near sunrise or sunset the rays coming directly from the sun strike the atmosphere at a _________
___________.
o The light rays must pass through much __________ atmosphere than at any other time during the day.
o By the time the sunlight has penetrated this large amount of air, most of the _______________ waves
of visible light have been scattered away by the air _______________.
o Just about the ___________ waves from a setting sun that make it through the atmosphere on a fairly
direct path are ______________, orange, and ______________.
 Upon reaching our __________, these waves produce brilliant yellow-orange and red sunsets.
Layers of the Atmosphere
Introduction video clip:
1. The northern lights occur when streams of charged particles or ions from the sun interact with
the _________________ high in Earth’s atmosphere.
2. Earth’s atmosphere contains primarily Nitrogen and ______________________.
3. The atmosphere consists of 4 layers: The outermost layer the __________________, the
mesosphere, the ____________________, and the troposphere.
4. To launch and pilot a balloon, they need a thorough understanding of one of the basic
properties of the atmosphere; warm air __________________ in cooler air.
5. One of the properties of air is that as altitude increases, air density and air pressure
____________________.
6. Where Joe was headed the air pressure was nearly zero. But human beings need air pressure
for our bodies to function properly, breathing becomes difficult and it’s harder for blood to
circulate to provide the body’s cells with the _______________ they need.
7. These days, the use of balloons to study our atmosphere is routine. The national weather
bureau frequently launches ___________________ balloons carrying sophisticated
_________ gathering equipment.
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Composition and Structure of Earth’s Atmosphere
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Earth’s atmosphere is a _________________ of gases with some
suspended __________ (dust, salt, ice) and ________________
(water droplets in clouds).
Extends from ________________ to outer ________________ –
hundreds of km’s.
Very _____________ layer around Earth
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Main Layers of the Atmosphere
o The atmosphere is broken into layers based on changes in ______________________
o These differences are a result of the way the
_____________ energy is ___________________ as it
travels through the atmosphere.
o Some layers have gases that more easily absorb energy
and are ______________________.
o 5 main Layers
1. Troposphere
2. _____________________________
3. Mesosphere
4. Thermosphere
5. _____________________________
o Troposphere
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Contains _____% of all atmospheric gases, within 10 miles
from surface!
All ___________________, clouds, and smog found
here
Temperature _______________ with altitude (about
6.5℃ per km).
There is a thin buffer zone between the troposphere and
the next layer called the tropopause.
Air in troposphere is ____________-mixed.
Troposphere is derived from the Greek tropein, which
means to _____________ or change.
Air molecules can travel to the top of the troposphere
(about 10 km up) and back down again in a just a few
_________________.
This mixing encourages changing
______________________.
o Stratosphere
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Above the troposphere is the stratosphere, where air
flow is mostly _________________.
The thin ozone layer in the upper stratosphere has a high concentration of ______________, a
particularly reactive form of oxygen.
 This layer is primarily responsible for absorbing the ____________________
_________________ from the Sun.
 The ________________ temperature in the stratosphere is caused by the presence of this
layer of ozone which occurs near an altitude of 25 kilometers.
 The ozone molecules ______________ high-________________ UV rays from the sun,
which ______________ the atmosphere at that level
Many jet aircrafts fly in the stratosphere because it is very stable.
 Jet Streams
o A current of ______________ moving air found in the upper levels of the
atmosphere
o Usually found somewhere between ___________ km (6-9 miles) above the
earth's surface
Weather ____________________ have also made it into this layer
At the boundary between the stratosphere and the next higher layer is the Stratopause
o Mesosphere
 Scientists know less about the mesosphere than other layers.
 Hard to study b/c weather balloons and jet planes can’t fly __________ enough.
 Orbits of satellites are _______ high.
 We don't have many ways to get scientific ________________ to the mesosphere
to take measurements.
 Temp ________________ with altitude -____________ of the layers: Temps reach
-100°C (-______℉)
 Meteors burn up in the mesosphere __________________ Earth.
 If it is so cold, why do the meteors burn up here?
o _________________ between meteor and air molecules
o Thermosphere
 The layer of the atmosphere which is _____________ exposed to the Sun's radiation and
so is first heated by the Sun.
 The air is so thin that a ______________ increase in energy can cause a
_______________ increase in temperature.
 The temperature in the thermosphere is very dependent on ______________ activity.
When the Sun is active, temperatures can reach up to 1,500°C (2732˚F) or higher!
 Ergo, the name Thermosphere or “heat sphere”.
 Temp _____________ with height.
 Divided into two sections
 Ionosphere
o Where many atoms are ionized (have gained or lost _____________ so
they have a net electrical ______________).
o Layer is very ___________, but it is where ________________ (Northern
and Southern lights) take place
o Also responsible for absorbing the most energetic photons from the Sun
o Reflects ______________ waves back to Earth, making long-distance
radio communication possible.
 Exosphere
o the region where molecules from the atmosphere can overcome the pull of
________________ and escape into outer ____________. The atmosphere
slowly diffuses into the void of space.
o Exosphere usually begins about 500 km up and is where Earth-orbiting
_________________ are located.
o Even at heights of 800 km, the atmosphere is still measurable. Eventually,
you would find so few molecules and ____________ that, for all practical
purposes, you would be out of Earth’s atmosphere and into space.
o There’s ______ clear _____________ between the atmosphere and space.
o Magnetosphere
 The magnetosphere is formed when a stream of _____________ particles, such as the
solar _______________, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic ____________
field of a planet or similar body.
 Also helps create _______________ at the poles.
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Pressure Trends
o Gases in the atmosphere, like all matter, have ________________.
o Atmosphere is a sea of air – the deeper you are in it, the heavier it feels (more __________
exerted)
 Sea level pressure is _________ mb at STP
 Denver pressure is _________ mb (1600 m)
 Mt Everest pressure is _________ mb (8800 m)
Meteorology Part 2
What is the difference between climate and weather?
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Climate refers to the _______________, or typical, weather conditions observed over a long period of
time for a given area.
o For example, Southern Nevada’s climate is generally ________ and ________ in the summer and
cool and dry in the winter.
 This is an AVERAGE – because of course we do have some ___________ days and
sometimes get warm days in winter and ______________ days in summer.
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What Determines an area’s Climate?
 Many things factor in…but in general you can look at:
 _____________________
 Moisture
o Proximity to other _______________
o Prevailing (constant) winds
 Elevation
Latitude
 An area’s Latitude refers to how far ___________ or _____________ of the
______________ it is located.
 Latitude accounts for ______________ scale climatic differences
 It determines how much ____________ energy per unit area a location receives
 General Rule:
 The greater the latitude (farther from the equator), the lower the average
temperature
Moisture
 Moisture accounts for much of the differences between regions at similar latitudes
 Large bodies of water will have a ______________ effect on a location’s temperature due
to…
 Specific Heat
o Water gains and loses its heat ___________ than land (higher
____________ heat) so areas close to large bodies of water tend to
________ have major temperature ____________________.
 Evaporation
o Areas that receive heavy morning dew use _________ radiation to
________________ the water instead of ______________ up the
atmosphere therefore are generally cooler.
 Cloud Cover
o Areas that are on average more cloudy get ___________ solar radiation,
and are relatively cooler
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Moisture Continued….
 Factors that Affect amount of precept a region receives
 The two factors that affect the amount of precipitation at a particular location are
o Prevailing Winds
 A wind that blows ___________ often from __________
direction that from any other direction is called a prevailing wind.
 Prevailing winds have a ___________ influence on the climate of
regions in their path. Different prevailing winds carry different
amounts of ___________________.
 The amount of moisture carried by a prevailing wind affects the
amount of _________________ a region receives. Winds formed
by rising ______________ air tend to bring precipitation.
 The _____________ from which a prevailing wind blows also
affects the amount of moisture it carries. Some prevailing winds
blow from the ____________ to the land (sea breeze).
o Mountain ranges.
 The amount of _________________ at a particular location is also
affected by ________________ ranges.
 A mountain range acts as a ______________ to prevailing winds.
 The _____________ side of a mountain has a _________ climate.
On the leeward side, relatively ___________ air moves down the
side of the mountain and results in very __________ precipitation.
 A good example is the _____________ (where LV is located) on
the leeward side of the ___________ Nevada Mountain Range.
How does 70F coastal air become105F desert air?
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Elevation
 Elevation accounts for much of the differences between _________________ locations.
 Think of Las Vegas vs. Mt. Charleston.
 Elevation, or altitude, is the distance above ________ level.
 As ________________ increases, the air becomes _________ dense. This means
there are ____________ gas molecules in the air and they are spread ______ apart.
 Less- dense air cannot hold as much _____________ as denser air. So as elevation
increases, temperature ________________.
 Las Vegas Elevation: ____________ ft above sea level
 Flagstaff: ____________ ft above sea level
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Weather - The _______________ state of the atmosphere
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Things that affect weather conditions
 Air Pressure
 Wind
 Air Temperature
 Amount of Moisture
RECALL: Where does weather happen?
 THE ________________________!!
 The atmosphere is like a giant blanket of air around the Earth.
o It is divided into layers. Weather happens in the troposphere, the layer
directly above the _______________________.
What causes the weather?
 The basic reason we have weather is the Earth is heated _____________ by the sun –
 “Middle Earth” or area around the equator (Tropics) receives more ____________
radiation than the Polar Regions.
 Nature tries to try to _____________ out temperature differences.
 ____________ heating sets atmosphere in _____________ and is the
fundamental cause of all _____________________.
 Weather is an _______________ cycle of events.
What happens to sun’s energy?
 Three possibilities
 Reflected back into ____________ (Albedo)
o By Atmosphere
o Land/water/ice
 Absorbed by ____________________
 Absorbed by land and water surfaces
Redistribution of the Sun’s Energy
 There are three main ways that energy can be transferred from one place to another helping
to redistribute Earth’s heat.
 Radiation (no medium/no molecules needed)
o Transfer of energy ____________ the involvement of a physical substance
in the transmission
o Allows ____________ radiation to reach Earth as it travels through
____________
o There are _________ particles between the Sun and the Earth so it
CANNOT travel by conduction or by convection.
o How does heat energy get from the Sun to the Earth? ________________
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Convection (air movement)
o transmits heat energy by transporting ____________ of molecules with
_______________ amounts of ____________ (heat) from one place to
another ____________ a substance
 warmer _________ dense portions of the medium will
___________ while colder more dense areas will ___________
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Conduction (direct contact)
o Transfer of energy (heat) between molecules in close proximity to each
other until an ____________ temperature is reached
o As you heat the metal, the particles _________, these vibrations make the
_____________ particles vibrate, and so on and so on, the vibrations are
______________ along the metal and so is the ________________.
Air Masses
 A large body of air that has the
_____________ properties as the
surface over which it develops.
 When you witness a ____________
in the _______________ from one
day to the next, it is due to the
_____________ of air masses.
 Air masses move due to ________
heat and moisture distribution by
__________________ currents.
 Currents cause the air masses
to move and ____________
which creates ____________
(wind, clouds, precipitation,
etc)
Air masses of different ______________ have different _________________.
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Coldest column = ________________ pressure
Warmest column = _______________ pressure
Pressure Differences Create the movement of air masses or ______________
Air moves from __________ toward ____________ pressure
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The Water Cycle
o The sun’s energy helps cycle ___________________ through the water cycle
 Evaporation/transpiration (water evaporated from/let off by _____________)
 Condensation
 Precipitation
METEOROLOGY PART 3
Fronts - a ________________ (interface) between ________ ______________
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Warm Fronts - ____________ air slides _______________ departing cold air
o large bands of precipitation form
o Symbol:
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Cold Front - ___________ air pushes ____________ a warm air mass.
o Warm air rises quickly=narrow bands of _____________ storms form
o Symbol:
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Occluded Front - Two air masses moving in the ____________ direction, merge and force warm air
_______________ them to ___________ quickly.
o Strong ___________ and heavy precipitation will occur
o Symbol:
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Stationary Front - Warm or cold front stops moving.
o Light wind and precipitation may occur across the front boundary
o Symbol:
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The Rule: triangles and bumps always point ____ the direction the front is _______________
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A: _____________________________________________________________________________
B: _____________________________________________________________________________
C: _____________________________________________________________________________
D: _____________________________________________________________________________
E: _____________________________________________________________________________
Water in the Atmosphere
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Humidity: measure of the amount of __________ vapor stuck between _____________ in the air. The air’s
ability to hold water depends on the air ____________
o The ____________ the air, the ____________ water the air can hold
o Cold air: molecules move slower so droplets of water can start to _________ together = condensation
Relative Humidity is the ratio (%) of the ___________ of _____________ vapor in __________ to the
________________ amount it can hold at that ______________. (expressed as percentage) *Varies with
_________________ change
o 100%=air is _______________ and ______________ will form (possible precipitation)
Dew Point: Temperature at which air is saturated and ________________ occurs.
o Point where ________________ humidity equals 100%
REMEMBER:
 As air temperature ________________, it can hold ______________ water
 As air temperature ________________, it can hold ______________ water
Cloud Formation
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Clouds
o Classified mainly on _____________ and _____________
o Form when warm air is forced upward, ______________, and _____________.
o At the dew point (temp), ________________ occurs
o Aided by _________________ (dust, salt, smoke…)
 Provides something for water to condense on
Cools to the
___________________
Expands
Warm Air
______________
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Clouds are likely to form when:
 The air is ________________ and _________________
 The temperature is at the ____________________
 Condensation _______________ are available
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TYPES OF CLOUDS
 Cirrus Clouds: ____________, feathery clouds
 Form only at high levels, therefore are made of __________ crystals
 Cumulus Clouds: are ____________ white ____________ ball looking clouds
 Cumulonimbus Clouds: These are ______________ clouds – usually are ___________ (have
great vertical height)
 Stratus Clouds: clouds that form in __________ layers- ___________ all or most of the
____________ and are ___________ level clouds
WEATHER MAPS
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Severe Weather
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Tornado
Hurricane
Lightning
Tornadoes
 Violent, _____________ wind that moves in a __________ path over the land, usually in a direction from
______________ to northeast.
 Typically form along a front where warm, humid air collides with cold dry air
 __________ storm, _____________ duration
 Vortex extends from ______________
 Strength measured by the Fujita Scale
 Found all over the world but mostly it The U.S. – Texas holds record for __________ in one year
 Why can we see it?
 Tornado Occurrence
o Tornado Alley - Cold _______ air from
___________ can meet warm _________ air
from south because there are _____ geologic
features in this area to get in the way (no
major ________________ ranges)
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Fujita – Person Tornado Scale
Category
Wind Speed (mph)
F-0
40-72
F-1
73-112
F-2
113-157
F-3
158-205
F-4
207-260
F-5
261-318
Tornado Summary
o Lightning
o Damaging ________
o High Winds
o Torrential ________
Potential Damage
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Waterspouts - A waterspout is a __________ that forms over a body of __________, or a tornado that
moves from land onto water
Hurricanes
o Formation of a Hurricane
 Hurricanes are storms that form over ____________ waters. The hurricanes that affect
the eastern coast of the United States form off the western coast of _____________
where the water is __________, the air is humid, and the winds _________________.
 Hurricanes start out as a _____________ of storms that begin to rotate when they meet
converging winds. These storms create violent ________ that send more _____________
into the air. The water vapor ___________ and helps the wind ____________ in speed.
If the storm holds itself together for 24 hours, we call it a tropical __________________.
o Tropical Depression
 Tropical cyclones are areas of low pressure that develop over tropical waters. We call
them tropical depressions if their wind speeds are more than 25 mph and less than 38
mph. A tropical disturbance becomes a tropical _______________ if it lasts more than
______ hours.
o Tropical Storm
 A tropical depression becomes a tropical ____________ when its winds rise above
38mph. It is called a tropical storm if the winds are between 39 and 73 mph.
o Hurricanes
 A tropical storm becomes a _________________ when its winds exceed 73 mph.
o Hurricane Categories
 Category 1 – Winds between ________ mph
 Category 2 – Winds between 96- 110 mph
 Category 3 – Winds between 111-130 mph
 Category 4 – Winds between 131-155 mph
 Category 5 – Winds above _________ mph
o Hurricane Facts
 Hurricanes can be very big, even as big as the state of __________! They can be seen
from outer space.
 The entire formation and life of a hurricane takes days or _____________.
 Because hurricanes seldom travel in straight paths, meteorologists predict several paths.
 Hurricanes usually lose power as they travel over ____________.
 Hurricanes destroy beaches, buildings, and vegetation.
 Hurricanes bring strong winds, heavy rain, storm surges, flooding, and tornadoes.
Lightning
o _______________ of + and – charges within a storm
cloud by frictional charging and freezing.
o (+ )charges carried to ____________ portions of
cloud and (–) portions gravitate to bottom of clouds.
o Electric field from cloud induces movement of
electrons upon ________________
o Buildings, trees and people can experience a buildup
of _____________ static charge as electrons are
repelled by the cloud’s ______________.
o Anatomy of Lightning
 As the charge ______________ within the
cloud and between the bottom of the cloud
and earth increase, the electric field becomes stronger
 Begins with development of a __________ leader from the cloud.
 Induces a strong positive charge on earth surface. This charge begins migrating
_______________ (streamer) through buildings, trees and ____________ into the air.
 When step leader meets streamer, a ___________ conductive pathway is mapped out and
a complete lightning ____________ is born.
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Myths about Lightning
o Never strikes the same place twice
o Only strikes very tall objects
o Does _____________ strike water
o Could be used as a power source
o Rubber shoes or boots insulate and protect against a lightning strike
o A metal vehicle is safe because of rubber tires
o “Heat lightning” is a strange phenomenon caused by hot water or occurs after very hot summer
days and poses ____ threat.
o Lightning victims are _______________
Facts about Lightning
o The average flash could light a 100-Watt light bulb for more than __________ months
o Chances of being struck are estimated to be 1 in 600,000
o Temperature of a flash is 5x hotter than __________ surface
o Can travel over and ____________ the Earth’s surface
o ~20 million cloud to ground lightning strikes occur in the US per year
o ~2,000 thunderstorms active throughout the world at any given time, producing more than
______ flashes/second
o ~26,400 lightning-induced fires/year in the US
o _______% of livestock deaths attributed to lightning strikes
o Second largest storm killer in the US (#1 ____________)