Earth Science – Weather Study Guide

1.  Temperature Conversions – be able to convert between degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and Celsius (°C)

·  42ºF à

·  20ºC à

2.  Air Movement – Air always moves from areas of (anticyclone) to areas of (cyclone).

3.  Draw how air moves around and between high pressure and low pressure

4.  Draw diagrams of Land and Sea Breezes

Land Sea

5.  Draw diagrams of Mountain and Valley Breezes

Mountain Valley

6.  Air Masses of North America –

Name the 5 types of air masses and the properties in terms of moisture and temperature.

a. mT -

b. mP -

c. cP -

d. cT -

e. cA -

Label the Diagram Below to show the air masses and their source region.

7.  Frontal Systems and Their Weather

a.  – the boundary between an advancing cold air mass and a retreating warmer air mass

·  Generally move from to

·  Represented by a solid line with pointing towards the warmer air and in the direction of movement

·  After the front passes, air becomes noticeably and

·  Periods of brief, heavy precipitation

·  Cirrus then Cumulus and clouds appear

b.  Front – the boundary between an advancing warm air mass and a retreating colder air mass

·  Generally move from southwest to northeast

·  Represented by a solid line with pointing towards the colder air and in the direction of movement

·  After the front passes, air becomes noticeably and more than it was before

·  Nimbostratus, Altostratus, Cirrostratus and Cirrus clouds associated with it. The clouds appear first, and then the clouds lower and thicken until clouds are present with rain.

c.  Stationary Front –

·  Represented by alternating blue and red lines with blue triangles pointing towards the warmer air and red semicircles pointing towards the colder air

·  A noticeable temperature change and/or shift in wind direction is commonly observed when crossing from one side of a stationary front to another

·  Nimbostratus clouds associated with it

d.  – the boundary that separates the new cold air mass (to the west) from the older cool air mass already in place north of the warm front

·  Develops after a cyclone has developed

·  Represented by a solid purple line with alternating triangles and semicircles pointing in the direction the front is moving

·  Changes in temperature, dew point temperature, and wind direction can occur

·  Cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds associated with it

8.  Changes in wind direction and temperature can also be used to locate fronts.

Front / Wind Before / Wind After / Temperature Before / Temperature After
Cold
Warm

9.  Winds on a Non-Rotating Earth, Coriolis Effect, and Global Wind Patterns

Draw a diagram to show each:

10.  Synoptic Weather Maps (Station Models)

  1. Converting air pressure from long to short form
  2. 200 à
  3. 120 à
  4. Converting air pressure from short to long form
  5. 1008 à
  6. 996 à
  7. Reading a station model: write a weather report for the current station model

42 980

-12

40

11.  Drawing Isobars and Weather Fronts: Draw the isobars on the map below, label the pressure center, and draw the warm and cold front. Fronts can be drawn based on the shifts in temperature and wind direction. Use appropriate colors.

12.  Weather Presentations – review the notes you took from the weather poster presentations. There will be some questions on the safety and/or formation of weather events.

  1. Tornado
  1. Hurricane
  1. Thunderstorm
  1. Blizzard

13.  LABS TO REVIEW: write what was done and what was learned from each lab.

  1. Heating of the Land and Sea
  1. The Effects of Mountains on Precipitation
  1. Pressure Gradient and Air Masses
  1. Angle of Insolation
  1. Insolation, Latitude, and Temperature
  1. Investigating Weather Maps
  1. Analysis of Weather Data