Lesson Title: INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATOLOGY
Expected Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i) Define climatology
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ii) Describe the physical factors that influence climate
iii) Explain the human factors that influence climate
LESSON ONE
Define to climatology
• Climatology (from Greek κλίμα, klima, "place, zone"; and -λογία, -logia) or climate science is the scientific study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time. Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) was a German meteorologist and climatologist best known for his delineation and mapping of the climatic regions of the world. He played a major role in the advancement of climatology and meteorology for more than 70 years.Climatology is the study of climate and how it changes over time. This science helps people better understand the atmospheric conditions that cause weather patterns and temperature changes over . time. This modern field of study is regarded as a branch of the atmospheric sciences and a subfield of physical geography, which is one of the Earth sciences. Climatology is the science which studies the nature of climate, the causes and interpretation of its spatial. variations and its association with the elements of natural environment and human activities. Just as climate itself encompasses many elements, including temperature, precipitation and wind conditions, the climate system includes five basic components: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
• Climatology is important since it helps determine future climate expectations. Through the use of latitude, one can determine the likelihood of snow and hail reaching the surface.
• Climatology is different than meteorology and can be divided into different areas of study. Further identified subfields are physical climatology, dynamic climatology, tornado climatology, regional climatology, bioclimatology, and synoptic climatology. The study of the hydrological cycle over long time scales (hydroclimatology) is further subdivided into the subfields of snow climatology and hail climatology. Climatology now includes aspects of oceanography and biogeochemistry. Climatology is the science of studying the average atmospheric conditions of a region in long-term perspective. Climatology plays a leading role in the survival and longevity of all life living on the planet earth. Instruments of Climatology. Here are some examples of equipment used my climatologists on Earth and other planets.
• Barometer. Barometers are used to measure the pressure in the atmosphere.
• Hygrometer. This is a big word for the device that measures the humidity in the local atmosphere.
• Thermometer.
Climatology is important since it helps determine future climate expectations. Through the use of latitude, one can determine the likelihood of snow and hail reaching the surface. You can also be able to identify the thermal energy from the sun that is accessible to a region. There are many elements that make up both the weather and the climate of a geographical location. The most significant of these elements are temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, solar irradiance, humidity, precipitation, condensation and topography. Climatology is important since it helps determine future climate expectations. Through the use of latitude, one can determine the likelihood of snow and hail reaching the surface. You can also be able to identify the thermal energy from the sun that is accessible to a region.
climate is an important element because it indicates the atmospheric condition of heat, moisture and circulation; it plays a dominant role in shaping vegetation and soil; and it ultimately affects all forms of life, as a result of the very definition of the word, which is a scientific prediction, based on evidentiary ... Climatology as the name suggests is the study of climate, or in other words, the study of the average weather conditions over a given period of time. It is considered to be one of the 'atmospheric sciences' which are often subsumed under 'earth sciences'. Meteorology is concerned with short term weather patterns. The factors affecting the climate of a place are referred to as controls and are latitude, altitude, pressure and wind system, and distance from the sea, ocean currents, and relief features. The variations in air temperature control the pressure and wind system of a place.
There are approximately five main climate types on Earth:
• Tropical.
• Dry.
• Temperate.
• Continental.
• Polar.
Factors affecting climate
There are many different factors that affect climate around the world. It is the varying influence of these factors that lead to different parts of the Earth experiencing differing climates. The most important natural factors are:
• distance from the sea/continentally
• ocean currents
• direction of prevailing winds
• shape of the land (known as 'relief' or 'topography')
• distance from the equator/Latitude
• the El Niño phenomenon
• Aspects
• ITCZ
• .Man activities
It is now widely accepted that human activity is also affecting climate, and that the impact is not the same everywhere. For example, changes appear to be happening faster near the poles than in many other places. In this tutorial we will look at some of these factors in more detail.
Distance from the sea (Continentally)
The sea affects the climate of a place. Coastal areas are cooler and wetter than inland areas. Clouds form when warm air from inland areas meets cool air from the sea. The centre of continents are subject to a large range of temperatures. In the summer, temperatures can be very hot and dry as moisture from the sea evaporates before it reaches the centre of the land mass.
Distance from the sea (Continentally) affects the climate of a place. Coastal areas are cooler and wetter than inland areas. Clouds form when warm air from inland areas meets cool air from the sea. The centre of continents are subject to a large range of temperatures. Mountains affect climate by blocking wind and receiving more rainfall than low-lying areas. As air is forced over higher ground, itcools, causing moisture to condense and fall as rain. The higher a location is above sea level, the colder it is.S Large bodies of water such as oceans, seas, and large lakes affect the climate of an area. Water heats and cools more slowly than land. Therefore, in the summer, the coastal regions will stay cooler and in winter warmer. A more moderate climate with a smaller temperature range is created.
Ocean currents
Ocean currents act much like a conveyor belt, transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Thus, ocean currents regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth's surface. Ocean currents can increase or reduce temperatures. Currents affect climate by moving cold and warm water around the globe. In general, how do currents carry water? Currents carry warm water from the tropics toward the poles and bring cold water back toward the equator. ... Since cold air holds less moisture than warm air, these currents bring cool, dry weather. The main ocean current that affects the UK is the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is a warm ocean current in the North Atlantic flowing from the Gulf of Mexico, northeast along the U.S coast, and from there to the British Isles.
The Gulf of Mexico has higher air temperatures than Britain as it is closer to the equator. This means that the air coming from the Gulf of Mexico to Britain is also warm. However, the air is also quite moist as it travels over the Atlantic ocean. This is one reason why Britain often receives wet weather.The Gulf Stream keeps the west coast of Europe free from ice in the winter and, in the summer, warmer than other places of a similar latitude.
Direction of prevailing winds
Winds that blow from the sea often bring rain to the coast and dry weather to inland areas. Winds that blow to Britain from warm inland areas such as Africa will be warm and dry. Winds that blow to Britain from inland areas such as central Europe will be cold and dry in winter. Britain's prevailing (i.e. most frequently experienced) winds come from a south westerly direction over the Atlantic. These winds are cool in the summer, mild in the winter and tend to bring wet weather.
There are 3 major wind patterns found in the Northern Hemisphere and also 3 in the Southern Hemisphere. These are average conditions and do not essentially reveal conditions on a particular day. As seasons change, the wind patterns shift north or south. So does the intertropical convergence zone, which moves back and forth across the Equator. Sailors called this zone the doldrums because its winds are normally weak.
Prevailing wind - The prevailing wind is the most frequent wind direction a location experiences. In Britain the prevailing wind is from the South West, which brings warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. This contributes to the frequent rainfall. When prevailing winds blow over land areas it can contribute to creating desert climates. There are 3 major wind patterns found in the Northern Hemisphere and also 3 in the Southern Hemisphere. These are average conditions and do not essentially reveal conditions on a particular day. As seasons change, the wind patterns shift north or south. So does the intertropical convergence zone, which moves back and forth across the Equator. Sailors called this zone the doldrums because its winds are normally weak.
As the Earth circles the sun, the tilt of its axis causes changes in the angle of which sun’s rays contact the earth and hence changes the daylight hours at different latitudes. Polar regions experience the greatest variation, with long periods of limited or no sunlight in winter and up to 24 hours of daylight in the summer. .
Latitude or distance from the equator – Temperatures drop the further an area is from the equator due to the curvature of the earth. In areas closer to the poles, sunlight has a larger area of atmosphere to pass through and the sun is at a lower angle in the sky. As a result, more energy is lost and temperatures are cooler. Latitude and angles of the suns rays. As the Earth circles the sun, the tilt of its axis causes changes in the angle of which sun’s rays contact the earth and hence changes the daylight hours at different latitudes. Polar regions experience the g [Show Less]