Meteorology 6

Module 6
Weather systems and patterns
Objectives:
Describe various storm weather patterns
Discussion
Imagine our weather if Earth were completely motionless, had a flat dry
landscape and an untilted axis. This of course is not the case; if it were, the
weather would be very different. The local weather that impacts our daily lives
results from large global patterns in the atmosphere caused by the interactions
of solar radiation, Earth's large ocean, diverse landscapes, and motion in space.
Global winds
Earth’s orbit around the sun and its rotation on a tilted axis causes some parts
of Earth to receive more solar radiation than others. This uneven heating
produces global circulation patterns. For example, the abundance of energy
reaching the equator produces hot humid air that rises high into the
atmosphere. A low pressure area forms at the surface and a region of clouds
forms at altitude. The air eventually stops rising and spreads north and south
towards the Earth's poles. About 2000 miles from the equator, the air falls
back to Earth's surface blowing towards the pole and back to the equator. Six
of these large convection currents cover the Earth from pole to pole.
Air masses
These global wind patterns drive large bodies of air called air masses. Air
masses are thousands of feet thick and extend across large areas of the Earth.
The location over which an air mass forms will determine its characteristics.
For example, air over the tropical ocean becomes exceptionally hot and humid.
Air over a high latitude continent may become cold and dry. You have probably
noticed the temperature rapidly dropping on a nice warm day as a cold air
mass pushed a warm one out the way.
Fronts
The location where two air masses meet is called a front. They can be indirectly
observed using current weather maps, which can be used to track them as the
move across the Earth. Cold fronts, generally shown in blue, occur where a
cold air mass is replacing a warm air mass. Warm fronts, shown in red, occur
where warm air replaces cold air.
Jet streams
The local weather conditions that we experience at the Earth's surface are
related to these air masses and fronts. However the environment far above us
impacts their movement. High in the atmosphere, narrow bands of strong
wind, such as the jet streams, steer weather systems and transfer heat and
moisture around the globe.
Coriolis effect
As they travel across the Earth, air masses and global winds do not move in
straight lines. Similar to a person trying to walk straight across a spinning
Merry-Go-Round, winds get deflected from a straight-line path as they blow
across the rotating Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere air veers to the right
and in the Southern Hemisphere to the left. This motion can result in large
circulating weather systems, as air blows away from or into a high or low
pressure area. Hurricanes and nor'easters are examples of these cyclonic
systems.
What are the different types of weather conditions?
There are many different types of weather conditions. Next slide you will find
out about the different types of weather we experience on a day-to-day basis
as a result of the global weather system. We have also included some weird
facts about weather for kids!
Constant shifts of air pressure in the atmosphere results in various different
types of weather, such as rain and sun. There are also severe types of weather,
such as thunderstorms and hurricanes too.

What are the different types of weather conditions?

The different types of weather conditions are listed below.
Temperature
Temperature refers to how hot or cold the air outside is. Temperature is
measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. Temperature also tells us how fast
air molecules and atoms are moving. If the atoms are moving fast it means the
temperature is high, but if they are moving slowly, then it will be cold.
Humidity
Humidity refers to the concentration of water vapour that is in the air. For
example, topical regions will often be described as being high in humidity,
whereas arid areas, like deserts, have low humidity. When in a warm and
humid environment, it may feel sweltering to you, as high humidity can make it
difficult for the body to regulate its temperature through sweating.
Precipitation
Precipitation refers to all the different types of water that fall to the ground.
For example, rain, snow, sleet, ice, hail, and drizzle are all precipitation. The
temperature of the air affects which type of precipitation falls. For example, if
it is particularly cold at cloud level, water droplets will freeze and fall as hail or
snow.
Wind
Wind can be defined as the movement of air near the earth’s surface. Wind is
dictated by changes in the temperature of water, land, and air. When the sun
warms the surface of the earth, the warm air rises. Because cool air weighs
more than warm air, the cool air moves under the warm air and into space it
once occupied. This movement is what causes the wind to blow.
Clouds
Clouds are collections of water droplets in the sky. As air rises, it begins to cool.
Water vapour in the air then condenses, forming tiny water droplets in the sky.
These water droplets cling onto dust particles in the air. When billions of these
suspended water droplets come together, a cloud is formed. There are four
main types of cloud, these are called: cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and
cumulonimbus.
Atmospheric pressure
Air has weight! Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air pushing onto the
earth’s surface. A high-pressure system results in cool temperatures and clear
skies and low-pressure systems create warmer weather, storms, and rain.
Different Types of Weather
There are many different types of weather for kids to learn about, some of
these are:
Sunny
The weather is sunny when there are no clouds blocking the sunlight and the
temperature is warm. Sunny days are most common in Spring and Summer,
but they can also happen in Autumn and Winter, but usually they are less
warm in these seasons. Sunny days are great for playing outside, going for days
out, and enjoying the outdoors. They are also good for plants, as sunny days
bring heat and energy that plants need to survive. It is important to wear sun
cream on sunny days to prevent sunburn, and when temperatures are high it is
important to drink lots of water and spend some time in the shade.
Cloudy
The weather is cloudy when there are lots of clouds in the sky that get in the
way of the sun. Cloudy days can be cold, because there is not much sunlight,
but they can also be warm if there is lots of humidity. Sometimes clouds can
completely cover the sky, this is called overcast weather. Rain will often
happen on cloudy days, but not always. Cloudy days are common in Autumn
and Winter, but can also happen in Spring and Summer. Usually, cloudy days in
the summer are warm, whilst cloudy days in the winter are very cold.
Rainy
Rainy weather happens when there are large clouds in the sky that produce
rain. Cloudy days can become rainy days if the clouds get large enough and
there is a lot of precipitation. There are some parts of the world where rainy
days happen almost every day for weeks at a time, and other parts of the
world where rainy days are rare. Rainy days are good because they provide
water for plants. It is important to wear a waterproof coat or carry an umbrella
on rainy days.
Snowy
Snowy days usually happen in winter, when precipitation falls as snow instead
of rain. This happens because the low temperatures cause the water in clouds
to freeze and become snowflakes, which fall to the ground and pile up. Snowy
days are often very cold, but they also allow for lots of fun activities such as
sledding, snowball fights and building a snowman. On snowy days it is best to
dress in warm clothes, including a hat, gloves and a scarf, when going outside.
Different types of severe weather:
There are six types of severe weather conditions. These different types of
severe weather are:
Thunderstorms–thunderstorms are produced by cumulonimbus clouds!
Thunderstorms include rain, hail, thunder, lightning, and strong winds.
Thunderstorms can vary in severity.
Tornadoes–tornadoes occur when warm air collides with cold air, and then it
creates a narrow and rotating column of air from a thunderstorm. Like
thunderstorms, tornadoes can also vary in severity. We have a scale to
measure the severity of tornadoes, this is called the Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and typhoons–hurricanes and typhoons are also spiraling storms,
but these are huge and long-lasting. They form over water and can produce
winds of 200 mph. The difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is the
location, for example, storms from the north of the Pacific Ocean are called
typhoons, but storms from the north of the Atlantic Ocean are called
hurricanes.
Winter storms–these storms occur in colder temperatures which causes rain to
freeze and create snow and ice. A winter storm is when a large amount of
snow has fallen.
Blizzards–blizzards are a type of severe snow storm and occur for a longer
period of time. Blizzards also include dangerously low temperatures and strong
winds as well as lots of snow.
Droughts–a drought is a long period without rain or precipitation. They can
happen all around the world and can have devastating effects. Droughts can
also cause forest fires, famine, and can last for months to years.
Sources:
https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/different-types-of-weather-
conditions
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resources-collection/weather-
atmosphere/weather-system-partterns