Module 3: weather and climate

weather vs climate- the weather is the conditions at a specific place and time
whereas climate is the reliable long-term average weather

worldwide climate is driven by: the earth spinning to create winds and currents,
geographical position in relation to the sun and to the coast, altitude

SA climate is subtropical with dry stable conditions. It is affected by:

oceans- there are 2 currents, the cold Benguela current from the south along
the western coast (Atlantic ocean) and the warm Agulhas current along the
east from the North (Indian ocean)

the Benguela current doesn't carry moisture (does not meet its dew point)
but brings fog and mist, whereas the Agulhas current brings summer rains

the water bodies regulate fluctuations- heats and releases slowly (whereas
atmosphere releases fast) but it does take more energy to warm. this means
costal areas have warmer winters and cooler summers.

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 the coriolis force (easterly spinning of the earth on it's axis) causes winds
and currents to be defected easterly and away from the equator as well as
equatorial waters being warmer- these are what causes the major currents

altitude- higher in-land results in cooler temperature, with temp decreasing

by 6.4C per km with an altitude (warmer on the coast due to Drakensberg
escarpment mountains from N to S- results in a climate zone called the
temperate eastern plateau)

highveld (high bush habitats) are cooler with less vegetation, and so less
animals

latitude (20-33 degrees)- most sun focused on the equator, SA is just above
the tropic of Capricorn, so warmer further North

tropic climates have less defined seasons, just summer and winter

summer = Oct-March, with temp from 15-36C, rains fall in NE

winter = April- Sept, temp of 7.5-20C, rains in SW

SA is relatively dry with an average rainfall of 502mm (mostly easterly due to

agulhas current)

World weather factors:

1. interchanging high/low pressure cells

warm air rises causing low pressure, cool air sinks causing high pressure- with
the heating of equatorial waters and easterly defects, this creates cells-

high-pressure system (anticyclones) anticlockwise, sinking air pushed outwards=

clear skies and settled weather

low pressure system (cyclone) clockwise, pushed inwards = clouds and rain

in the southern hemisphere, if you stand with your back to the wind, high
pressure is on the left

2. winds

wind = movement of air from high pressure to low pressure. there are 4 types:

berg wind- hot dry winds towards sea, can warm temp

valley breeze- anabatic winds (air in contact with warm hill sides in day
forming cells against inclines, see fog rising up slopes) and katabatic winds

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 (opposite of above as air cools at night, cold air sinks down side- results in
evening gusts)

land ↔ sea breeze- air warms faster on land than sea, so rises and cool sea
air fills its place- creates cell in coasts. this is vice versa at night, sending
cool land air towards sea

3. fronts

font = boundary line where warm and cold air meet

cold fronts push under, forcing warm air up to form clouds- this results in sudden
cooling, increasing pressure and heavy rain

warm fronts rises over, causing it to rain, warming and decreasing pressure and
light drizzle with less severe clouds

4. clouds

clouds form when → water evaporates, warm, moist gaseous air rises, air cools
and water vapour condenses (at the dew point) and attaches to dust
(condensation nuclei), molecules combine to from clouds.

when cloud becomes overly saturated and vapour droplets group, water drops
as precipitation

importance of clouds to guides: indicator of future weather, underrated and good

to fill quiet gaps, extra dimension and lighting to photography

types of cloud:

cumulus (wedge), stratus (spread out), cirrus (curly) and nimbus (dark)

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 cumulus- fluffy cotton wool with flat bottoms, associated with warm weather

stratus- long, flat and low lying, associated with light drizzle

(between) stratocumulus- wispy individuals, clearing weather

altocumulus- fluffy individuals, higher and more defined than stratocumulus,

altostratus- blanket cloud, can see through to sun, linked to developing bad
weather

cirrus- higher up, wispy streaks composed of ice, associated with warm
fronts

cirrocumulus- high, mackerel patterned, often colder weather

cirrostratus- complete layers of cirrus

nimbostratus- dark, low pressure systems

cumulonimbus- anvil shaped and tall, nasty weather

5. seasonal changes

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