Caribbean Climate Notes PDF

Location:‌‌The‌‌Caribbean‌‌Climate‌ 1.‌‌Define the following terms: weather and climate, evaporation, water cycle, transpiration, percolation, rainfall, water vapor, cloud. i. Weather is daily conditions of the atmosphere. ii. Climate is the average weather conditions of a given place for 30 years...

Location:‌‌The‌‌Caribbean‌‌Climate‌ 1.‌‌Define the following terms: weather and climate, evaporation, water cycle, transpiration, percolation, rainfall, water vapor, cloud. i. Weather is daily conditions of the atmosphere. ii. Climate is the average weather conditions of a given place for 30 years. iii. Evaporation is the process by which a liquid turns into a gas. iv. Water cycle is the process by which water is continuously transferred between the surface of the earth and the atmosphere. v. Transpiration is the evaporation of water from plants. vi. Percolation is the slow movement of water through the pores in soil or permeable rock. vii. Rainfall is the amount of precipitation usually measured by the depth in inches. viii. Water vapor is water in the form of a gas resulting from heating water or ice. ix. Cloud- a white or gray mass of very small drops of water or ice that float in the sky: 2.‌‌List‌‌the‌‌elements‌‌of‌‌weather‌‌and‌‌the‌‌instruments‌‌used‌‌to‌‌measure‌‌each‌‌element.‌‌‌ The‌‌elements‌‌of‌‌weather‌‌and‌‌the‌‌instruments‌‌used‌‌to‌‌measure‌‌each‌‌element: ‌ i. Wind speed- anemometer ii. Wind direction - Wind vane iii. Sunshine- sunshine recorder iv. Cloud cover -oktas v. Humidity- hygrometer vi. Temperature- Thermometer vii. Rainfall- rain gauge viii. Atmospheric pressure- barometer. 3.‌‌State‌‌the‌‌main‌‌climatic‌‌characteristics‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Caribbean;‌‌temperature,‌‌rainfall,‌‌wind.‌‌ The‌‌main‌‌climatic‌‌characteristics‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Caribbean;‌‌temperature,‌‌rainfall,‌‌wind.‌‌ Tropical Zone- The tropical climate zone stretches from the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north latitude to the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south latitude, with the equator centered within this zone. The Caribbean has a Tropical marine climate. One of its most noticeable features is its uniformity of its high temperatures. Tropical temperatures at sea level are high and do not vary much, either geographically or seasonally. This uniformity extends over the year. The hottest months have average temperatures of about 27-28 °c, while the coolest months have average temperatures of between 21° c and 26°c. The Caribbean region lies in the Tropics of the Northern Hemisphere between 10° N and 25° of the equator. The tropical sun is nearly always overhead at midday. The average temperature throughout the region during the year is 25°C at the sea. Mountain slopes are usually cooler than lowlands. Temperatures are lower on very high mountains. Night time temperatures are lower than those in the day time. Local winds coming from the sea help to lower the high tropical temperatures of land and coastal areas. In some islands the mountains lie in the path of the North East trade winds. Where this is the cause the windward side of the islands is usually wetter than the leeward side. 4. ‌Identify‌‌the‌‌factors‌‌that‌‌influence‌‌rainfall‌‌and‌‌describe‌‌relief‌‌rainfall.‌‌ The‌‌factors‌‌that‌‌influence‌‌rainfall‌: i. In large territories after a period of very high temperatures ii. In mountainous territories when winds laden with moisture are forced to rise over mountains. iii. In low-lying territories from low pressure air movements called easterly waves. iv. In the eastern and northern territories from hurricanes. v. In the southern Caribbean during the movement of a belt of low pressure air called the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) from July to September. Relief rainfall occurs when warm moist air from the Atlantic Ocean rises up over mountains. When the warm air rises, it cools and condenses to form clouds, which bring rain. Once the air has passed over the mountains, it descends and warms. This creates drier conditions known as a rain shadow.