Atmospheric Report

ATMOSPHERIC
CIRCULATION
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
Any atmospheric flow used to refer to
the general circulation of the earth and
regional movements of the air around
areas high and low pressure. On
average, this circulation corresponds to
large-scale wind systems arranged in
several east-west belts that encircle the
earth.
Atmospheric Circulation
 The direction of the wind at various
levels in the atmosphere determines
the local climate and steers around
weather systems and serve weather.
The circulation of the wind in the
atmosphere is driven by the rotation
of the earth and the incoming energy
from the sun.
Three-cell circulation
 Hadley cell - named after George Hadley, is a
global scale tropical
atmospheric circulation that features air
rising near the Equator, flowing poleward at a
height of 10 to 15 kilometers above the
earth's surface, descending in the subtropics,
and then returning equatorward near the
surface.
Hadley Cell
 The ground is
intensely heated by
the sun. This
causes the air to
rise which creates a
low-pressure zone
on the Earth’s
surface. As the air
rises, it cools and
forms thick
cumulonimbus(stor
m) clouds.
The following happens:
 The air separates and starts to
move both North and South
towards the poles.
 When it reaches about 30
degree N and S, the air cools
and sinks towards the ground
forming the subtropical high-
pressure zone.
 As the air sinks, it becomes
warmer and dries. This creates
an area of little cloud and low
rain flow where deserts are
found.
 The Hadley cell is then
complete. The air completes the
cycle and flows back towards
equator as the trade winds.
 Ferrel Cell - is a circulation pattern named for
William Ferrel. Air flows poleward and
eastward near the surface and equatorward
and westward at higher altitudes; this
movement is the reverse of the airflow in the
Hadley cell.
 air converges at low altitudes to ascend along
the boundaries between cool polar air and the

warm subtropical air that generally occurs
between 60 and 70 degrees north and south.
 Air on the surface is pulled
towards the poles, forming
the warm south-westerly
winds in the northern
hemisphere and north-
westerly winds in the
southern hemisphere.
 These winds pick up
moisture as they travel over
the oceans. At around 60
degree N and S, they meet
the cold air, which has
drifted from the poles.
 The warmer air from the
tropics is lighter than the
dense, cold polar air and so it
rises as the two air masses
meet.
 This uplift of air causes low
pressure at the surface and
the unstable weather
conditions that are associated
with the mid- latitude
depressions. Much of our wet
and windy weather in the UK
is determined by this.
 Polar Cell -The smallest and
weakest cells are the Polar cells. Air in
these cells sinks over the highest latitudes
and flows out towards the lower latitudes at
the surface.
WEATHER AND
CLIMATE
Weather
 Weather is the state of the atmosphere,
describing for example the degree to which it
is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy,
clear or cloudy.
 Weather refers to day-to-day temperature
and precipitation activity.

 Meteorology – study the weather.
 Meteorologist – someone who studies
weather.
How Does the Sun Affect
Weather?
It warms the atmosphere &
oceans
It creates climate zones
It keeps the water cycle going
It affects weather patterns
ELEMENTS OF WEATHER
 Precipitation – is simply any water form that falls
to the earth from overhead cloud formations.
 Humidity –is the measurable amount of moisture
in the air of the lower atmosphere.
 Temperature –is simply the measurement of how
hot or cold region is on a day-to-day basis.
 Atmospheric pressure – it is used primarily by
meteorologists to monitor developing storms that
can seem to come out of nowhere.
 Wind – is the move of air masses, especially on
earth surface.
Different Types of Weather
 Sunny weather
 Cold weather
 Rainy weather
 Rainy with thunder
Climate
 is the average weather conditions in a place
over a long period of time.
 Climate is the term for the averaging of
atmospheric conditions over longer periods

of time.
5 Main Types of Climates
 A: Tropical. In this hot and humid zone, the average
temperatures are greater than 64°F (18°C) year-round and there
is more than 59 inches of precipitation each year.
 B: Dry. These climate zones are so dry because moisture is
rapidly evaporated from the air and there is very little
precipitation.
 C: Temperate. In this zone, there are typically warm and humid
summers with thunderstorms and mild winters.
 D. Continental. These regions have warm to cool summers and
very cold winters. In the winter, this zone can experience
snowstorms, strong winds, and very cold temperatures—
sometimes falling below -22°F (-30°C)!
 E: Polar. In the polar climate zones, it’s extremely cold. Even in
summer, the temperatures here never go higher than 50°F
(10°C)!
What Factors Affect Weather
&
1. The Sun
Climate?
2. The Water Cycle
3. The Atmosphere
4. The Ocean

Atmospheric Report

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Atmospheric Report

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Atmospheric Report

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ATMOSPHERIC

the boundaries between cool polar air and the

and precipitation activity.

atmospheric conditions over longer periods

You might also like