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Questions and Answers
What is the primary factor that contributes to the formation of weather patterns?
What is the primary factor that contributes to the formation of weather patterns?
What is the name of the zone formed by the broken line of thunderstorms near the equator?
What is the name of the zone formed by the broken line of thunderstorms near the equator?
What is the name of the atmospheric circulation cell that extends from the equator to between 30 and 40 degrees north and south?
What is the name of the atmospheric circulation cell that extends from the equator to between 30 and 40 degrees north and south?
What is the direction of the trade winds in the Hadley Cell?
What is the direction of the trade winds in the Hadley Cell?
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Where do the high-pressure regions form in the Hadley Cell?
Where do the high-pressure regions form in the Hadley Cell?
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What is the typical location where the Ferrel Cell is active?
What is the typical location where the Ferrel Cell is active?
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What role does the ocean play in global weather patterns?
What role does the ocean play in global weather patterns?
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How does the polar cell contribute to global atmospheric circulation?
How does the polar cell contribute to global atmospheric circulation?
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What is the primary source of heat for the Earth that influences weather patterns?
What is the primary source of heat for the Earth that influences weather patterns?
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How do different landscapes like mountains influence weather patterns?
How do different landscapes like mountains influence weather patterns?
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What distinguishes climate from weather?
What distinguishes climate from weather?
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In what layer of Earth's atmosphere does weather primarily occur?
In what layer of Earth's atmosphere does weather primarily occur?
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Study Notes
Weather Patterns, What Causes Weather, and Where Does Weather Happen?
Weather Patterns
Weather patterns are temporary conditions of the atmosphere, formed by the interaction of solar radiation, Earth's large ocean, diverse landscapes, and motion in space. They are a result of the movement of warm and cold air across the globe, which creates various weather systems such as low-pressure systems and high-pressure systems. These systems can be described as large-scale wind circulations, with the world's atmosphere divided into three cells: Hadley cell, Ferrel cell, and Polar cell. Each cell has a specific role in global atmospheric circulation:
Hadley Cell
The largest cells extend from the equator to between 30 and 40 degrees north and south. These cells are named after English meteorologist George Hadley. Within the Hadley cells, the trade winds blow towards the equator, then ascend near the equator as a broken line of thunderstorms, which forms the Inter-Tropical-Convergence Zone (ITCZ). From the tops of these storms, the air flows towards higher latitudes, where it sinks to produce high-pressure regions over the subtropical oceans and the world's hot deserts.
Ferrel Cell
In the middle cell, air converges at low altitudes to ascend along the boundaries between cool polar air and the warm subtropical air that this often occurs around the latitude of the UK which gives us our unsettled weather. The circulation within the Ferrel cell is complicated by a return flow of air at high altitudes towards the tropics, where it joins sinking air from the Hadley cell.
Polar Cell
In each hemisphere, there are three cells in which air circulates through the entire depth of the troposphere. The troposphere is the part of the atmosphere where most of the weather takes place. The polar cell moves in the opposite direction to the two other cells and acts rather like a gigantic conveyor belt, transferring energy from the tropics towards the poles.
What Causes Weather?
Weather is a result of the interaction of several factors:
Solar Radiation
The sun is the primary source of heat for the Earth. The tilt of the Earth, its curvature, atmosphere, clouds, and polar ice and snow all contribute to different parts of the world heating up differently, creating temperature differences between the poles and the equator.
Earth's Large Ocean
The ocean plays a crucial role in global weather patterns. Its vastness helps to moderate temperatures and redistribute heat, affecting the formation of weather systems.
Diverse Landscapes
Different landscapes, such as mountains and bodies of water, can influence weather patterns by affecting air circulation and temperature.
Motion in Space
The Earth's rotation and its orbit around the sun can also affect weather patterns, causing seasonal changes and influencing the distribution of weather systems.
Where Does Weather Happen?
Weather happens in the atmosphere, the layer of air that surrounds the Earth. While we often think of weather in terms of the state of the atmosphere in our own region, weather works like dropping a pebble in water—the ripples eventually affect weather far away from where the pebble was dropped. For example, a snowstorm in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, might eventually reach Chicago, Illinois.
Weather and Climate
While weather refers to temporary conditions of the atmosphere, climate is the average weather in a specific region over many years. Climate also includes variations and extremes over many years. Climate change can affect weather patterns, making them less predictable and causing unexpected weather patterns that can make it difficult to maintain and adapt to.
In conclusion, weather patterns are a result of complex interactions between solar radiation, Earth's large ocean, diverse landscapes, and motion in space. Understanding these patterns is crucial for predicting weather, adapting to climate change, and making informed decisions about agriculture, transportation, and other aspects of our lives.
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Description
Test your knowledge on weather patterns, what causes weather, and where weather happens. Explore concepts like solar radiation, Earth's large ocean, diverse landscapes, and atmospheric circulation. Understand the relationship between weather and climate.
