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Understanding Weather Systems and Patterns

The document discusses various aspects of weather systems, highlighting the state of the atmosphere, differential heating, air masses, air density, air pressure, humidity, and wind. It explains how uneven solar heating leads to air movement and weather patterns, and how factors like temperature, humidity, and altitude affect air pressure and density. Additionally, it covers the significance of wind and its relationship to pressure gradients and the Coriolis effect.

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aidanvalencia055
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2 views14 pages

Understanding Weather Systems and Patterns

The document discusses various aspects of weather systems, highlighting the state of the atmosphere, differential heating, air masses, air density, air pressure, humidity, and wind. It explains how uneven solar heating leads to air movement and weather patterns, and how factors like temperature, humidity, and altitude affect air pressure and density. Additionally, it covers the significance of wind and its relationship to pressure gradients and the Coriolis effect.

Uploaded by

aidanvalencia055
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Weather Systems

Hurricane Florence: A View from Space Captured from International Space Station (400 km above
Earth), Shows Earth's thin but powerful atmosphere, Demonstrates impact of weather systems
What is State of atmosphere in a specific
location
Weather?
Includes:
● Temperature
● Wind conditions
● Precipitation
● Air pressure
Changes over short time periods
Differential
Heating
Basics
Uneven solar heating of Earth's surface. Leads to air movement. Drives weather patterns

Creates temperature differences between:

● Land and water


● Equator and poles

Specific heat: Amount of energy needed to raise temperature

● Water has high specific heat → heats/cools slowly


● Land has lower specific heat → heats/cools quickly
Understanding
Air Masses
Large bodies of air with
uniform characteristics:
● Temperature
● Pressure
● Humidity
Form over specific surfaces
Take on surface characteristics over time
Air Density Explained
Heat affects molecular movement
Hot air: molecules spread out → less dense → rises
Cool air: molecules closer together → more dense → sinks
Creates circulation pattern (convection)
Air Pressure Basics
Weight of air column above a location
Standard Measurements measured with a barometer:
Sea level pressure = 1013 millibars (mb) or 29.92 inches of mercury (in Hg)
Pressure Changes with:
● Altitude (decreases as you go up)
● Temperature (warm air = lower pressure)
● Humidity (moist air = lower pressure)
Rapidly falling pressure → storms likely Rising pressure → fair weather
Record low: 870 mb (Typhoon Tip, 1979. Most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded.
Wind speeds up to 305 km/h)
Humidity and Air
Relative Humidity: Percentage of water vapor in air vs. maximum possible.
Measured with a sling psychrometer.

100% = Air is completely saturated. Ex: 50% means air holds half its capacity

Humid air is lighter than dry air.

Warm air holds more moisture than cold air

Higher humidity = lower air pressure

Dew Point: Temperature where condensation begins

Higher dew point = more humid air


Understanding Wind
Horizontal air movement from high to low pressure
Flows from high to low pressure. Isobars: Lines of equal
pressure. Show pressure gradients
Wind speed depends on pressure differences or Pressure
gradients (steep = faster winds)
Affected by Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect)

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