More Related Content Similar to Natural and Human Sciences: My Earth Survey Similar to Natural and Human Sciences: My Earth Survey (6) 3. The
Climate
and
Weather
"Tampa
has
a
humid
subtropical
climate
(Köppen
Cfa),
with
hot
summer
days,
frequent
thunderstorms
in
the
summer
(rain
is
less
frequent
in
the
fall),
and
a
threat
of
a
light
winter
freeze
from
November
15
through
March
5
caused
by
occasional
cold
fronts
from
the
north,
and
even
then
not
every
year.
Big
freezes
happen
rarely,
only
around
every
15
to
20
years.
It
is
listed
as
USDA
zone
10,
which
is
about
the
northern
limit
of
where
coconut
palms
and
royal
palms
can
be
grown.
Average
highs
range
from
70
to
90
°F
(21
to
32
°C)
year
round,
and
lows
52
to
76
°F
(11
to
24
°C).
Surprising
to
some,
Tampa's
official
recorded
high
has
never
hit
100
°F
(37.8
°C)
‐
the
all‐`me
record
high
temperature
is
99
°F
(37
°C),
recorded
on
June
5,
1985.
Temperatures
are
hot
from
around
mid‐April
through
early
October,
which
coincides
approximately
with
the
rainy
season.
Summer`me
weather
is
very
consistent,
with
highs
consistently
around
90°F
(32‐34
°C),
lows
in
the
mid‐70s
°F
(23‐24
°C),
and
high
humidity.
Acernoon
thunderstorms,
generated
by
the
interac`on
of
the
Gulf
and
Atlan`c
sea
breezes,
are
such
a
regular
occurrence
during
the
summer
that
the
Tampa
Bay
area
is
recognized
as
the
"Lightning
Capital
of
North
America".
Every
year,
Florida
averages
10
deaths
and
30
injuries
from
lightning
strikes,
with
several
of
these
usually
occurring
in
or
around
Tampa.In
the
winter,
average
temperatures
range
from
the
low
to
mid
70s
during
the
day
to
the
low
to
mid
50s
at
night.
However,
sustained
colder
air
from
Canada
does
push
into
the
area
on
several
occasions
every
winter,
dropping
the
highs
and
lows
to
15
degrees
below
the
average
or
even
colder.
The
temperature
falls
below
freezing
an
average
of
2
to
3
`mes
per
year,
though
this
does
not
occur
every
season.
Since
the
Tampa
area
is
home
to
a
diverse
range
of
freeze‐sensi`ve
agriculture
and
aquaculture,
major
freezes,
although
very
infrequent,
are
a
major
concern.
The
lowest
temperature
ever
recorded
in
Tampa
was
18
°F
(−8
°C)
on
December
13,
1962.
In
the
Great
Blizzard
of
1899,
Tampa
experienced
its
one
and
only
known
blizzard,
with
"bay
effect"
snow
coming
off
Tampa
Bay.
The
last
measurable
snow
in
Tampa
fell
on
January
19,
1977.
The
accumula`on
amounted
to
all
of
0.2
inches
(0.5
cm),
but
the
city,
unprepared
for
and
unaccustomed
to
wintry
weather,
came
to
a
virtual
stands`ll
for
a
day.
Three
major
freezes
occurred
in
the
1980s:
in
January
1982,
January
1985,
and
December
1989.
The
Sherrie Adduci • Geoscience • Rockey P7
3
6. Month Sunshine
Hours
January 63%.
February 65%
March 71%
April 75%
May 75%
June 67%
July 62%
August 61%
September 61%
October 65%
November 64%
December 61%
Source:
hkp://www.rssweather.com/climate/Florida/Tampa/
Sherrie Adduci • Geoscience • Rockey P7
6
7. Geology
“In
the
Great
Blizzard
of
1899,
Tampa
experienced
its
one
and
only
known
blizzard,
with
"bay
effect"
snow
coming
off
Tampa
Bay.
The
last
measurable
snow
in
Tampa
fell
on
January
19,
1977.
The
accumula`on
amounted
to
all
of
0.2
inches
(0.5
cm),
but
the
city,
unprepared
for
and
unaccustomed
to
wintry
weather,
came
to
a
virtual
stands`ll
for
a
day.
Three
major
freezes
occurred
in
the
1980s:
in
January
1982,
January
1985,
and
December
1989.
The
losses
suffered
by
farmers
forced
many
to
sell
off
their
citrus
groves,
which
helped
fuel
a
boom
in
subdivision
development
in
the
1990s
and
2000s.”
Source:
hkp://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02jan.htm
• “In
Florida,
some
of
the
more
common
minerals
include
quartz
(beach
sand),
aragonite
(shells),
calcite
and
clay
minerals
such
as
kaolinite
and
montmorillonite.”
• “In
certain
areas
of
Florida,
some
minerals
are
of
such
economic
importance
that
they
are
mined.
In
northeast
Florida,
for
example,
a
group
of
minerals
known
as
"heavy
minerals"
are
mined
from
ancient
beach
ridges.
These
minerals,
which
only
comprise
a
few
percent
of
the
total
sand,
are
useful
for
their
`tanium
(Ti)
content.
The
element
Ti
is
useful
for
manufacturing
paint.
In
southwest
Florida,
phosphate
minerals
are
mined
for
the
manufacture
of
fer`lizer
products.
Florida
produces
about
one‐fourth
of
the
world's
supply
of
phosphate.”
• “There
are
three
major
rock
types:
igneous,
metamorphic
and
sedimentary.
Igneous
rocks,
such
as
granite
or
basalt,
form
as
a
result
of
a
magma
(molten
rock)
that
has
cooled
to
form
a
variety
of
interlocking
crystals.
Metamorphic
rocks
form
due
to
changes
in
the
temperature
and
pressure
resul`ng
from
a
changing
geologic
environment.
For
example,
if
limestone
undergoes
an
intense
amount
of
heat,
it
becomes
the
metamorphic
rock,
marble.
In
Florida,
sedimentary
rocks
are
the
most
common.
These
rocks
are
made
up
of
cemented
mineral
par`cles.
One
example
is
shell
fragments
(the
mineral
aragonite)
that
are
cemented
together
by
calcite
to
form
Sherrie Adduci • Geoscience • Rockey P7
7
8. the
sedimentary
rock
coquina.
Another
type
of
sedimentary
rock
is
limestone,
which
is
mined
for
road
building
and
other
construc`on
applica`ons.
This
rock
is
made
up
of
small
calcite
par`cles
formed
by
marine
organisms
that
build
up
large
reefs
in
the
oceans.
During
much
of
Florida's
geologic
history,
it
was
covered
by
the
ocean.
Much
of
the
surface
of
Florida
is
covered
by
sediment
(loose
mineral
par`cles,
such
as
quartz
sand),
or
sedimentary
rocks
such
as
limestone
and
dolostone.
Igneous
and
metamorphic
rocks
do
not
occur
naturally
at
the
surface,
but
are
found
in
deep
wells
reaching
from
3,500
feet
to
deeper
than
18,670
feet
below
land
surface.”
Source:
hkp://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/rockmin.htm
Man’s
Impact
• Human
ac`vi`es
have
deliberately
or
inadvertently
altered
the
equilibrium
in
the
everglades.
Human
impact
on
the
Everglades
is
substan`al.
Rapid
popula`on
growth
in
southern
Florida
requires
massive
supplies
of
freshwater.
Water
for
human
consump`on
is
derived
from
pumping
ground
water
and
diversion
of
surface
water
via
numerous
canals.
The
net
consequence
is
diminished
flow
of
surface
water
through
the
Everglades
drainage
system.
Surface
water
in
the
Everglades
is
naturally
nutrient
poor.
However,
upstream
agricultural
runoff
delivers
large
quan``es
of
fer`lizer
to
the
Everglades.
Due
to
Florida's
growing
popula`on
part
of
the
everglade
is
turned
to
houses.
Due
to
human
water
pumping,
humans
are
affec`ng
the
everglades.
In
the
future
there
will
no
everglades
na`onal
park,
because
it
will
turn
to
residen`al
areas.
Humans
can
help
it
in
the
future,
by
stop
draining
freshwater
from
Everglades.
• Pollu`on
harming
the
ocean
life
‐
coral
reefs
• Fishing
for
dolphins,
tuna,
etc.
• Anchors
killing
animal
and
plant
life
in
the
ocean.
Source:
hkp://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/guide/humimpac.html
Sherrie Adduci • Geoscience • Rockey P7
8
