The document discusses climate graphs and pressure systems affecting the UK. It includes a climate graph for Leeds showing average monthly rainfall and temperature. It describes how to interpret the graph and provides examiner tips. The document also discusses drawing your own climate graph for London using provided data. Finally, it discusses high pressure systems and their effects on weather in the UK in summer and winter.

1. 4 November, 2014
Climate graphs and pressure systems
Starter:
1. What type of pressure is
affecting the UK?
2. Draw wind arrows on the
map.
3. Which airmass is
affecting southern
Britain?
4. What weather would we
expect with this airmass?

3. Explain the pattern shown on each map. Which factors affecting climate are visible? A LAD.
A
B
C D

4. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly
Rainfall (mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly
Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4
The average temperature
in March is 6°C
The average rainfall in
September is 51 mm
1. Calculate the total annual rainfall?
2. Calculate the average annual temperature?
3. Calculate the temperature range?
The table below shows the climate data for Leeds.
Climate Graphs

5. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly Rainfall
(mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly
Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4
But how do you represent the data above in the form of a graph?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Averagemonthly
rainfall(mm)
The blue bars
show average
rainfall
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Averagemonthly
temperature(°C)
The red line is
the average
temperature
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20
30
40
50
60
70
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Averagemonthly
rainfall(mm)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Averagemonthly
temperature(°C)

6. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Averagemonthly
rainfall(mm)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Averagemonthly
temperature(°C)
The maximum
rainfall is 66 mm
and the
minimum is 41
mm – a range of
25 mm.
The driest month
is February when
an average of 41
mm of rain falls.
The wettest
month is August
when an average
of 66 mm of rain
falls
The maximum
temperature is
16°C and the
minimum is 3°C –
a range of 13°C.
The coldest
months are
January and
February with an
average monthly
temperature of
3°C.
The temperature
peaks in July and
August with an
average of 16°C.
Interpreting a climate graph
Remember to describe the TRENDS, then minimum and maximum values.
Question 4: Describe the CLIMATE of Leeds

7. 0
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20
30
40
50
60
70
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Averagemonthly
rainfall(mm)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Averagemonthly
temperature(°C)
Examiners tips when describing climate graphs:
•What is the total annual rainfall?
•Describe any wet and dry seasons.
•What is the annual temperature range?
•Is there a distinctive annual temperature pattern?
•State the maximum and minimum values of each
•Describe the CHANGE throughout the year. Don’t list.
•Use figures from the graph: months, temperature, rainfall
•Use the units of measurement! – mm and oC
•Describe the changes, don’t explain the reasons.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly
Rainfall (mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly
Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4

8. Task;
Draw your own Climate Graph
for London using the Data
provided.
Remember- you need to have
• twelve months along the
bottom
• mm on the left (precipitation)
• degrees c on the right
(temperature)
RULES-
• Choose one to do first – either
Precipitation OR Temperature
• Precipitation must be shown in
a bar graph
• Temperature must be shown in
a line graph – plot the points in
the centre of the month.
Extension;
what month
could this have
been in?

9. Extension- When you have done the
graph (including double checked it, and
stuck in), answer in your book;
•What is the temperature range – the
difference between the highest and
lowest temperature.
•What is the total annual rainfall – add
the precipitation figures up.
•What is the average temperature –
add the temperature figures up and
divide by 12.
Extension;
what month
could this have
been in? Extension;
what month
could this have
been in?

10. London Climate Graph
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60
70
80
90
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Precipmm
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
TempC
Precipitation mm
Temp C
It should look something like this!
Task- Describe the climate in London- what is it like there?
In London the climate is…………..

11. Plenary ; How well can you read climate graphs?
Work with your neighbour to match each graph to a place- On MWBs 1=? …
TOKYO; Here it rains a lot in
the summer but not so much in
winter. It is very humid in the
summer months but winter is
quite mild. I don’t normally get
to build snowmen!
TORONTO; We have cold
winters, it usually snows, but
our summers are lovely and
warm. You need to carry an
umbrella all year round though!
We have 4 distinct seasons.
MUMBAI; Here we enjoy a
tropical climate, its always
warm which is nice, but we do
have a monsoon seasons every
year which always causes
problems with flooding!
1
2
3

12. Savanna Climate
0
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20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Precip
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Degrees
mm
°C
Task- Can you describe the climate in the Savannah? Use full sentences, what
does the climate graph tell us?
Eg is it Hot/ Cold? Vary what months are the driest / wettest?
Extension- how is it different to London?

13. Pressure systems
• The UK has been affected by High Pressure for the past 3
weeks.
• Known as an anticyclone
Effects
summer
Effects
winter

14. What weather does high pressure bring?
An anticyclone is a weather system associated with ‘high pressure’
and are caused when cool air sinking to earth putting a lot of pressure
or weight on the earths surface is high. Anticyclones bring different
weather to the British Isles depending on whether it is Summer or
Winter but is always fine and settled. When an anticyclone is
established over our country it can remain in place for a long period of
time—often affecting the whole country but unfortunately anticyclones
are not that common!
Because the air is sinking it is unable to pick up moisture through
evaporation so rain rarely happens during an anticyclone! Winds are
very light and blow in an clockwise direction.
In the summer:
Anticyclones are often responsible for heatwaves in the summer as
they bring hot and sunny conditions to the country and then do not
move for several days.
Because there are very few clouds the days are warm and sunny but
the same clear skies make the nights very cold as the daytime heat
escapes straight back into the atmosphere.
In the winter:
Temperatures are very low because of the sun’s low angle in the sky
but it is, however, very sunny and there are still no clouds. These
cloudless skies allow any heat from the sun to escape back into the
atmosphere during the evening making the nights very cold and often
frosty. The difference between the temperatures during the day and
night see condensation at ground level and fogs are also common.