Frenzie Mae V.

Rivera December 2012 BSMT 4AN Elective

12 Assignment in

Weather Elements
The weather is made up of different elements, which are measured either by special instruments or are observed by meteorologists. These measurements are then recorded and used in the making of climate graphs and weather forecasts. There are six basic weather elements. WIND Wind is defined as the horizontal movement of air across the surface of the earth. The direction from which it blows and its speed are its important characteristics. Wind speed is currently expressed in knots or metres per second. The wind is rarely steady in direction and speed for any prolonged period, and thus a mean value over a ten minute period is assessed for observational purposes. A gust, an increase, and a lull, a decrease in speed about the mean value may well be experienced. If, during the ten minute period, the wind speed changes by 10 knots or more, and the new speed is maintained for more than 3 minutes, then the new speed is recorded. A squall is a prolonged gust with a duration of more than one minute and an increase in speed of at least 16 knots, or three steps on the Beaufort Scale, its speed being Force 6 or greater. ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE It is the most important meteorological element observed since it is the principal guide to the state of the atmosphere at a given time. The term atmospheric pressure therefore refers to the force which a column of air exerts on unit area of the earths surface. The formula which defines this pressure is P = pgh where P is the pressure, p the mean density of the air in the column, g the value of gravity, and h the height of the air column. The unit of measurement of atmospheric pressure is the hec/opascal (hPa), this unit being equivalent to and having recently replaced the

millibar (mb) (I hPa = 1mb = )0' Nm-', where N is a newton which is equal to I kg m' s-'). At any height above the surface of the earth the atmospheric pressure will be less than that at the surface. This is due to the smaller values of both the height of the air column and the mean density of air in the column.
TEMPERATURE Air temperature may be monitored at various heights above the surface. Surface air temperature is monitored at 1.25 m, the recommended height for instruments on land. Surface temperature is that monitored at the surface, and at land observing stations the surface may be turf, concrete or soil. At sea the surface temperature is monitored by voluntary observing ships or data buoys. The air temperature recorded can in some circumstances reflect the influence of the underlying surface on a mass of air, and in particular the contrast which exists between land and sea surfaces. On other occasions the air temperature reflects the horizontal movement of air associated with pressure systems. CLOUDS

Clouds are collections of water droplets or ice crystals, or combination of these two states of water, suspended in the atmosphere. A knowledge of the many types of clouds and their occurrence provide a valuable source of information to the seafarer in forecasting the weather. HUMIDITY Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air. The quantity of water vapour present in the atmosphere is variable in both time and space. The actual water vapour content of a sample of air may be expressed by a number of terms: 1. Humidity Mixing Ratio-the ratio of the mass of water vapour to the mass or dry air (air without water vapour). Units are grams per kilogram (g kg-I).

2. Absolute Humidity-the ratio or the mass or water vapour to the volume occupied by the mixture of water vapour and air. This ratio is also known as the vapour density or vapour concelltratioll. Units are grams per cubic metre (g m - 3). 3. Vapour Pressure-the pressure exerted by the water vapour in the atmosphere, which rorms part or the total atmospheric pressure. Units are hectopascals (hPa).
PRECIPITATION AND FOG Precipitation is the deposit on the earth's surface of water in liquid or solid state or a combination of both. The principal forms are: o Drizzle-Water droplets with diameters between 200 IIm and 500 IIm. o Rain- Water droplets with diameters exceeding 500 IIm. o Snow or Snowflakes-Small ice crystals or aggregates of ice crystals. o Hail- Balls of ice of varying size. o Sleet-Mixture of rain and snow. Ice pellets, prisms or granular snow also occur. Usually, but not always, precipitation is associated with a cloud. On occasions it can be seen leaving the base of a cloud in vertical or inclined trails which do not reach the surface, which are termedfal/streaks or virga.Fog is a cloud whose bas is at the surface of the earth. Fog is composed of water droplets or ice crystals (ice fog) formed by condensation or crystallization of water vapour in the air.

Fronts
Air masses are the distinctive parts of the atmosphere, within which common characteristics prevail over a reasonably large area. Air masses are named according to their source regions. Four regions are generally recognized, indicative of relative temperature as well as latitude of origin: o equatorial (E), the doldrums area between the north and south trades; o tropical (T), the trade wind and the lower temperate regions; o polar (P), the higher temperature latitudes; and o arctic or Antarctic (A), the north or south polar regions of ice and snow. As air masses move within the general circulation, they travel from their source regions to other aireas dominated by air having different characteristics. This leads to a zone of separation between the two air

masses, called a frontal zone or front, across which temperature, humidity and wind speed and direction change rapidly. In a frontal system, COLD FRONT moves faster than a WARM FRONT, thus, overtaking it. Type of Front Representation on weather maps Characteristic

Warm Front

Red lines with rounded barbs

Any non-occluded front which moves in such a way that warmer air replaces colder air

Cold Front

Blue lines with pointed barbs

Any non-occluded front which moves in such a way that colder air replaces warmer air

Lines with pointed and rounded barbs alternating and on Stationary Front opposite sides of the line with the pointed barbs away from the colder air

A front which is stationary or nearly so, moves at a speed less that about 5 knots

Occluded Front

Lines with alternating pointed and rounded barbs.

A composite of 2 fronts, forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front or stationary front

COLD OCCLUSION: at the surface, COLD AIR replaces LESS-COLD AIR

WARM OCCLUSION: at the surface, COLD AIR is replaced by LESS-COLD AIR

NEUTRAL OCCLUSION: at the surface, there is NO TEMPERATURE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MASSES

Cold Front Warm Front

Occluded Front

Stationary Front

Sea Breeze
This is due to the unequal heating and cooling of land and sea. By the day, the sun rapidly raises the temperature of the land surface whereas the sea temperature remains virtually constant. Air in contact with land expands and rises, and air from the sea flows in to take its place producing an onshore wind, and it fades after sunset.

Warm air Cold Air

From Forenoon Until Sunset

Land Breeze
By night, the land rapidly loses heat by radiation and becomes colder than the adjacent sea. Air over the land is cooled and flows out to the sea to displace the warmer air over the sea and produces an offshore wind. It fades after sunrise and these are usually weaker than sea breezes.

Cold air Colder/Cooler Air

From Late Evening until Sunrise