Weather and Climate：天气和气候.ppt

Water gets into the atmosphere through evaporation. Called humidity Causes clouds Changes density of the air Dew Point – temperature at which condensation occurs. Depends on the humidity and air temperature. Clouds form at whatever elevation dew point is reached Rain shadow – caused when water vapor hits mountains, gets pushed upward, cools off, condenses, and drops it water vapor load – all on the windward side of the mountain. Types of Clouds Cumulus – cotton balls – indicates fair weather Stratus – flat layers – often has precipitation Cirrus – high, thin clouds – usually means change in weather Fog – cloud on the ground Precipitation –cloud droplets get too heavy to stay in the cloud Kinds of precipitation Rain Sleet Hail Snow Measured with a rain gauge or ruler Types of air masses (large body of air with similar properties) Tropical – forms over the high latitudes / Polar – forms in low latitudes Maritime – forms over water and are moist / Continental – forms over land and are dry. This results in four main types Maritime polar Maritime tropical Continental polar Continental tropical Air masses move because global winds move the air masses Front Fronts occur where two air masses with different properties touch each other. Four types of fronts Cold Front The air mass doing the pushing is cooler and more dense that the air mass it is pushing Move quickly and can produce severe weather After it moves through, clear skies, cooler temperatures Warm Front The air mass doing the pushing is warmer and less dense than the air mass it is pushing Bring humid weather, sometimes rainy for several days After it moves through, temperatures are warmer Stationary front Two air masses next to each other. Neither mass is moving the other Weather remains the same for several days Occluded front Warm air mass is caught between two cold air masses Storms are violent disturbances in the atmosphere Cumulonimbus causes most of our violent weather, including these Lightning – sudden