Chapter 3: Weather and climate

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 3

Chapter 3:
 

Weather and climate

Section 3.1.: Weather
Section 3.2.: Dutch climate

Section 3.3.: Climates in Europe
Section 3.4.: Tropical climates
Section 3.5.: Dry climates
Section 3.6.: Cold climates

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Section 3.1. The weather

Learning goals:

1. Define the keyword weather 

2. Explain the four most important parameters when it comes to weather.

Weather is the current state of the atmosphere. It's measured on a time in a certain place.

 

Climate is the average weather over an extended period.

Longer period and larger area

We'll watch the BBC weather forecast of today. 

Which different elements of weather do you recognize? 

https:

Which different elements of weather did you recognize?

In the weather forecast you've recognised the four charecteristics or elements of weather:

• Temperature
• Precipitation
• Wind (speed and direction)
• Cloud cover 

With these four elements you can express the difference in weather between places.

Temperature

In the Netherlands measured in degrees Celsius using a thermometer.

Location influences the temperatures:

Further away from the equator the temperatures becomes less. 

The higher on a mountain the lower the temperature.

Isotherm temperature map of 

the USA 

Precipitation

There a two types of precipitation:

solid (e.g. hail and snow) 

and 

fluid (e.g. rain, fog).

Three important processes that make precipitation possible:

- Evaporation
- Transpiration

- Condensation

Precipitation always needs rising air!

Very important!

When air rises it gets colder, cold air can't hold as much water vapour then warm air so precipitation.

When air falls it gets warmer, so less precipitation

Very very important!

When air rises it gets colder, cold air can't hold as much water vapour then warm air so precipitation.

When air falls it gets warmer, so less precipitation

What is the difference between the small and large water cycle?

Wind

Wind is the movement of air through the atmosphere. 
In the forecast they mention wind speed (in Beaufort) and wind direction.
Wind always is named after the direction it came from, in the Netherlands that's mainly western wind.

Buys Ballot

Important law of Buys Ballot
1. Wind always moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas;

2. Wind is deflected the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to left in the Southern.

Coriolis effect

Also wind goes the opposite direction in the Northern Hemisphere, but why?

That's because the Coriolis effect.

Air pressure

Is expressed in hectopascal hPa and on a map of the air pressure you see isobars.

Section 3.2. The Dutch climate

Learning goals:

1. Explain the difference between weather and climate 

2. Use a climate graph to describe the Dutch climate 

3. Draw a climate graph 

4. Explain why the earth has different seasons

What's the difference between weather and climate?

Why is the temperature near the tropics warmer then near the poles (figure 3.17)?

1. Distance from the sun is shorter near the poles;

2. The surface that is heated near the equator is smaller.

The climate of the Netherlands is influenced by it's location near the sea.

Seawater slowly warms up and slowly cools down compared to land surface. 
Therefore places near the sea have less differences in summer and winter temperatures.

Typically Dutch is also our annual rainfall. 

This rainfall is also caused by the location near the sea but also thanks to frontal rainfall.

The temperature of the Atlantic Ocean near Western Europe is higher than could be expected because it's location. 

That's because of the Gulf stream a warm sea current that originates from the Gulf of Mexico.

Section 3.3. Europe's climates

Learning goals:

1. Describe Köppen’s climate classification system.

2. Describe differences between climates in Europe.

3. Explain the effect of mountains on the climate 

4. Explain the different height belts in mountains. 

5. Determine using a climate graph which climate according Köppen’s classification system a place has 

The Netherlands has a maritime climate, but Europe has also different climates.

Köppens'climate classification

The German geographer Wladimir Köppen ordered all the climates in the world in his climate classification by investigating the vegetation in the world