Physical Geography Lecture 08 - Precipitation, Air Masses, and Stor...

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Physical Geography
Chapters 5 & 6:
Precipitation, Air Masses,
Storms, and other fun stuff

Formation of Precipitation:
The Bergeron Process

The Collision-coalescence process

Some Different Forms of Precipitation
• Rain
– Drizzle vs. showers

6
Some Different Forms of
Precipitation
• Snow
• Sleet
• Glaze (ice storm)

Hail

The Formation of Hail

The Formation of Hail

Global Precipitation

Global Precipitation:
The ITCZ Connection

Precipitation in the U.S.

What Is An Air Mass?
A large parcel of air with
characteristics distinguishing
it from surrounding air
1000 mi (1600 km)...

Source Regions
 Extensive, physically uniform surface area
 High or low latitude
Not found in the midlatitudes (too muc...

Air Mass Movement & Modification
 Once an air mass
moves, it influences the
regions it enters
 It is also influenced by
...

17
Buffalo, NY (Dec., 2001)--Nearly seven feet
of lake effect snow fell in 5 days
Areas commonly affected
around the Great...

Air Mass Classification
Latitude
A = arctic/antarctic
P = polar
T = tropical
E = equatorial
Surface Conditions
m = ...

Major Air Mass Source Regions
(c)A
mP
cP
mT
cT
(m)E

Air Masses of North America

So what happens when these
air masses meet???
They start frontin’.

Frontal lifting

Movement of a Warm Front

Warm Front: Development

Movement of a Cold Front

Cold Front: Development

Comparison: Note the shape
of the frontal boundary

Stationary Front

Occluded Front

Fronts on a Weather Map

Putting it together:
Note line A – A’

A cross section along line A – A’
(from the map on the previous slide)

Real-World Application:
An Atlantic Storm

Life-cycle of a Midlatitude Cyclone

A Hypothetical Weather Map
(note the alternating Highs and Lows…)

How do the
Upper-level Winds Move?

Major Midlatitude Disturbances
 Midlatitudes are the most dynamic weather region
Where polar and tropical air masses mee...

Characteristic weather changes
with the passage of a cold front:
 Sharp temp. drop as the front approaches
 As the front...

Mapping it out:

Midlatitude Anticyclones
High pressure systems moving west to east
No fronts
Subsidence
Clear, dry weather
Cold in wi...

Now on to the fun stuff!

Lightning

Lightning

Thunder

Tornadoes

Tornado formation

4949

Tropical Disturbances
Tropical Depression - winds up to 38 mph
Tropical Storm - winds 39 - 73 mph
Hurricane - winds 74+...

Hurricanes
Four different names
for the same event:
Hurricane
Typhoon
Cyclones, tropical
cyclones
Baguios

Hurricane Origins
 Form in tropical and subtropical zones approx. 8° to 15° N or S
latitude
 Rarely form within 3° N or ...

Hurricanes

Hurricane Tracking

Pressure Signature of a Hurricane

Hurricane Structure

Hurricane Katrina making landfall

Storm Surge

61
Storm surge damage in Galveston, TX from Hurricane Ike
(Category 2)

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