ATMOSPHERE

- fronts=zone/area where 2 different types of air mass meet&mix

COLD&WARM FRONTS
- classification of airfronts acc. to temperature: 1. COLD F.=occurs when cold polar air meets warm tropical air -
warm air rises, condenses from tall/high clouds (this process is short but very intensive w/thunder and lightnings
2. WARM F.= occurs when tropical air meets cold polar air – warm air slowly rises and creates long period of rain
which is steady&gently
3. OCCLUDED F.=occurs when warm&cold front meet and mix
- classification acc. to source region: 1. the Arctic front=separates Arctic air mass from Polar air mass
2. the Polar f.= separates Polar air mass from Tropical air mass
3. the Equatorial f.= separates Tropical air mass from Equatorial air mass
SEASONAL WINDS
monsoon circulation
- monsoon=is derived from mausin meaning season and it is wind whose direction is completely reversed from 1
season to the next
- land surfaces heat in summer and cool in winter much faster than water surf., the unequal temperatures cause
significant differences in pressure over continental&oceanic areas
- reasonal reversal of wind direc. between oceanic surf. and neighboring lands develops in many parts of the Earth
but monsoon effect, due to its great size, is most typical in South&South-East Asia
- importance of monsoons in Asia
SUMMER MONSOON=blows from ocean surf. to land s. and brings precipitation (very important for growing of rice)
WINTER M.=blows from land surf. to ocean surf. and brings dry sunny weather (important for turism)
LOCAL WINDS
- occur in smaller areas on daily timescale/periodically throughout year
LAND&SEA BREEZE – monsoons in small scale
sea breeze=occurs during summer day, wind blows from water surf. to land s. bcs water s. is cooler than land s. (high
pressure/low p.)
land breeze=occurs during clear night, wind blows from land s. to water s. bcs land s. is cooler than water s. (high
p./low p.)
MOUNTAIN&VALLEY WINDS
valley wind=occurs during sunny day, it´s warm rising air along slopes-bcs sun heats slopes very quickly and there´s
low pressure
mountain wind=occurs during night, it´s cold sinking air along slopes- bcs slopes cool down very quickly during night
and there´s high p.
fohn (fohn wind formation)=warm sinking air in high mountains, especially in northern slopes of the Alps
RAINFALL
- condensation takes place when water vapour changes into tiny water droplets/particles of ice; it occurs when
saturated, cooled to below its dew point (temperature at which water vapour saturates from air mass into
liquid/solid usually forming rain, snow, frast, dew; it occurs when air mass has humidity 100%) and there are small
particles of matter such as dust in air
- forms of condensation are cloud, mist, fog/frost (ice particles)
precipitation= large water droplets (rain) and ice particles (snow, hail) that fall to ground
- 3 TYPES OF RAINFALL (acc. to process of formation)
1. FRONTAL/DEPRESSION/CYCLONE – resulting from meeting of 2 different air masses; long term precipitation,
usually gently
2. COVECTIONAL – air uplift causes condensation of water vapour, fast development of clouds; short intensive
precipitation
3. OROGRAPHIC/RELIEF – humid air mass, when forced to rise to overcome relief barrier, cools and produces
precipitation over windward side of slope
- prefixes&suffixes used to describe clouds: CIRRUS, ALTUS, FOG, NIMBUS, CUMULUS, STRATUS