Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____

Geophysical . . . Severe Weather

Guided Notes: Weather

Chapter 17: Atmosphere
A. Energy in the Atmosphere
The __________ energy drives the weather.

1) The __________ heats Earth’s surface  2) Earth’s surface transfers that energy to
the __________  3) Differences in __________ drive the weather.

Energy is transferred in three different ways.

1) Radiation
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________.
2) Conduction
- The transfer of energy through __________ _________ .
- Heat always moves from ___________ areas to __________ areas.
3) Convection
- The transfer of energy through a __________ or __________
caused by differences in density.
- As heat __________ ( ), density __________ ( ).

Heat – the __________ movement within a substance

Temperature – the __________ movement within a substance

Measured by a __________. Units: __________

Demo: Heating Water

Identify radiation, conduction, and convection.

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather
B. The Atmosphere
Earth’s atmosphere has four layers identified by changes in __________.
1) Troposphere
- Layer closest to Earth’s surface, where weather occurs.
- Temperature __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
- Air pressure __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
2) Stratosphere
- The second layer from Earth’s surface.
- Temperature __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
Why?:
- Air pressure __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
3) Mesosphere
- The third layer from Earth’s surface.
- Temperature __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
- Air pressure __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
4) Thermosphere
- The fourth layer from Earth’s surface.
- Temperature __________ ( ) with increasing (⇑) altitude.
Chapter 19: The Atmosphere in Motion
C. Air Pressure
A force caused by the __________ of air molecules being
pulled to the Earth by _________.
- Air pressure is exerted in all directions.
- At sea level, air pressure is __________ pounds per
square inch (lb/in2)
Barometer – weather instrument that measures __________
__________.
- Units of Air Pressure
1)
2)
3)

What affects air pressure?

1) Altitude
As altitude _________ ( ), air pressure _________ ( )
because less air is pushing down from above.
2) Temperature
- As temperature __________ ( ), air pressure
__________ ( ) because molecules move faster
and further from each other.
- As temperature __________ ( ), air pressure
__________ ( ) because molecules more slower
and closer to each other.
3) Humidity
definition - ______________________________
_______________________________________

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather
On weather maps, areas with the same air
pressure can be plotted using isobars.

Isobar – lines that join areas with

__________ pressure.

*** Isobars NEVER cross each other!***

Changes in air pressure are linked to predictable changes in the weather.

High Pressure - H Low Pressure - L

• a.k.a. • a.k.a.
• Cool air _________ from the atmosphere. • Warm air __________from the surface.
• Linked to __________ air. • Linked to __________ air.
• Cloud __________ . • Cloud __________ .
• Winds blow away from pressure center. • Winds blow towards pressure center.

D. Wind
The movement of air from areas of _________ pressure ( ) to _________ pressure ( ).
- Wind speed increases (⇑) as:
1) the pressure difference __________ ( ) or
2) distance between isobars _________ ( ).

Anemometer - instrument that measures _________ _________.

Wind Vane – instrument that measures _________ _________.

Local Winds
Definition – Winds that blows for less than 100 km.
Mainly caused by differences in __________.
1) Sea Breeze
- Starts over __________ and blows
onto _________.
- Occur during the __________
when __________ warms faster
than ________ .

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather
2) Land Breeze
- Starts over __________ and blows
onto __________.
- Occur during the __________ when
__________ cools faster than
__________.

Winds patterns across the Earth effected by

1) Temperature Differences
- At the equator: air is __________,
creating an area of _____ pressure.
Therefore, air _________.
- At the poles: air is _________, creating
an area of _____ pressure.
Therefore, air ________.

Pressure differences = predictable weather

patterns.
- At the equator: air is hot and humid 
__________ rainfall.
- At the poles: air is cold and dry 
__________ rainfall.

2) Coriolis Effect
Definition – the tendency of objects moving
free of Earth’s surface to _________
its path of travel.

- Caused by _________ _________.

- In the Northern Hemisphere, objects are
deflected to the _________.
- The Coriolis Effect is larger closer to the
_________.

Winds blowing out of a high (H) pressure system spiral __________.

Winds blowing into of a low (L) pressure system spiral __________-_________.

H L

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather
Chapter 18: Water in the Atmosphere
E. Humidity
Specific Humidity – the __________ amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
- Hotter air can hold _________ water vapor.

Saturation – the point at which air is at the maximum capacity for water vapor

Psychrometer – instrument that measures __________ _________ .

F. Condensation
Condensation – occurs when water turns from a _________ to a _________.
- Slows the rate at which water cools

Dew Point – the temperature at which saturation occurs and __________ begins,
- As humidity __________ ( ), dew point __________ ( ) because the air can hold less
water.

Condensation occurs when:

1) Presence of Condensation Nuclei
definition – tiny particles on which
water can condense.
2) Air must cool below its dew point
a) Contact with Colder Surface
- Advection Fog – warmer air
moves over a colder surface
and the air temperature _________
water vapor in the air condenses.

b) Expansion as it Rises
Adiabatic Cooling – air ________ as it rises
because the surrounding air pressure _________.

- As air __________, it __________ heat.

G. Clouds
Clouds form when _____ ___________ = _____ _________.

H. Precipitation
Precipitation – any form of water that falls from a _________ to _______ ___________.
- Precipitation falls when water droplets/ice crystals become heavy enough to fall out of
a cloud.

Rain Gauge – instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation.

Precipitation forms when warm, moist air __________  then cools and __________.
- Warmer air carries __________ precipitation.
- The higher air rises, the ___________ precipitation can form.

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather

Mountains can promote condensation

and precipitation.
- Air, forced to a __________
_________, condenses and precipitates
on the windward side of the mountain.
- On the __________ side, drier air
sinks and warms.

Weather on the other side of the

mountain tends to be drier.

Chapter 20: Weather

I. Air Masses
A body of air in the __________ that has similar characteristics throughout.
1)
2)

Air masses are named for where they came from  two-part name.
- 1st Letter: describes the __________ of the air mass.
‘c’  __________, DRY air
‘m’  ___________, MOIST air
- 2nd Letter: describes the __________ of the air mass.
‘A’  __________, VERY COLD.
‘P’  __________, COLD
‘T’  __________, WARM

1) cA  Continental Arctic = very cold, very dry

2) cP  Continental Polar = cold, dry
3) mP  Maritime Polar = cold, moist
4) cT  Continental Tropical = warm, dry
5) mT  Maritime Tropical = warm, moist

J. Fronts
Front – the boundary that separates two different air masses
1) Cold Front
A _______ air mass replaces a _______ air mass.
- Warm air is quickly forced up  steep but narrow
front boundary.
- Air pressure __________ ( ).
2) Warm Front
A _______ air mass replaces a _______ air mass.
- Warm air is slowly forced up  shallow, wide front
boundary.
- Air pressure __________ ( ).

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather
3) Occluded Front
A _______ air mass catches up to a _______ front.
- Warm air is forces to rise above the cooler air below.
- Air pressure generally __________ ( ).
4) Stationary Front
Occurs when an air mass _______ _________.
- Can cause __________ due to continuous rainfall.

K. Mid-Latitude Cyclone
A _____ pressures system that forms from the interaction of _________.
- Drives the weather patterns in a mid-latitudes ( _____ - _____ ).

Stages of Formation
1) Stationary Front
_____ air mass is separated from _____
air mass.
2) Unstable Stage
Air pressure _______ along the frontal
boundary, creating a _____ pressure
center.
3) Mature Stage
Winds blow ___________ into low
pressure center.
4) Occluded Stage
The _______ front catches up to the
_______ front, forming an _______ front.

Stages 1 and 2 (Stationary and Unstable) last for _________ hours.

Stages 3 and 4 (Mature and Occluded) last for _________ days.

The _____ _______ determines the intensity and path of mid-latitude cyclones.
- Mid-latitude cyclones generally travel to the __________.

L. Thunderstorms
Weather event associated with lightning, thunder, and hail.

Thunderstorm Formation
1) Cumulus Stage
_______ air rises to form a cumulus cloud.
Updraft – rising warm air that prevents __________ from reaching the ground.
2) Mature Stage
Precipitation becomes heavy enough to fall through the updraft.
Downdraft – strong downward movement of air in a thunderstorm.
3) Dissipation Stage
The __________ becomes stronger than the _________.
Moisture from the ground is cut-off and the cloud starts to _________.

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather

Dry Line – separates warm, moist air masses ( ____ ) and dry desert air ( _____ ).
- Found _______ of the cold front and _______ warm front in a mid-latitude cyclone.
- Warm, dry ( ______ ) air behind the dry lines gives the updraft to feed the storm.

Lightning – discharge of electricity from a thundercloud.

- Caused by collisions between cloud particles  as charged particles move past each
other, they create a spark that becomes a lightning bolt.

Thunder – the time delay between seeing lightning and hearing thunder is due to the
different speeds of light and sound.

Hail – a form of precipitation that falls as clumps of ice.

M. Tornadoes
A violently rotating column of air that normally touches the ground

Tornado Formation
1) Wind Shear
definition – a strong change in wind
_______ and _______ with height

- Creates a ________, rotating column of

air.
- Lets the storm develop over a longer
period of time.

2) Strong Updraft
definition – upward, _______ movement of
air.

- From the warm, dry ‘_____’ air mass

behind the dry line

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather

3) Updraft Rotation
definition – the updraft starts to rotate with
the _______ column of air.

- The vertical, rotating column of air

eventually reaches the ground.

Tornado Alley – region of the United States where tornadoes occur most often.
- Increased sunlight during ______ and _______ heats the air, making it unstable
- Strong wind shear between cool, dry ______ _________ and warm, moist air from the
_____ _____ _______.
Tornado Safety
Tornado (Severe Weather) Watch – issued when conditions are favorable for severe
thunderstorms to produce tornadoes.

Tornado Warning – issued when a tornado has been _____ by eye or weather radar.

N. Hurricanes
A large, rotating storm that gets its energy from _______, _______ water.

Hurricane Formation
1) Tropical Disturbance
- Warm ocean water rises in warm unstable air to generate clusters of
thunderstorms.
2) Tropical Depression
- Individual thunderstorms start to merge.
- Rotation due to _______ _______.
- Direction?:
3) Tropical Storm
- Low (L) pressure center with clear center (NO eye)
4) Hurricane
- A clear eye forms, surrounded by spiral bands of rain and thunder.

Hurricanes form during _______ and early ______, when ocean temperatures are warm
enough.
Hurricanes need unstable ( _______, _______ ) air that occurs close to the equator.

Hurricane Impact
1) Storm Surge – the hurricane eye creates a dome of ocean water that _____ the
sea level by several meters.
2)

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Name: _____________________________ Hour:_____
Geophysical . . . Severe Weather

Hurricane Safety
Tropical Storm Watch – issued when tropical storm conditions present a threat to a
coastal area within _____ hours.

Tropical Storm Warning – issued when tropical storm condition present a threat to a
coastal area within _____ hours.

Hurricane Watch – issued when hurricane conditions present a threat to a coastal area
within _____ hours.

Hurricane Warning – issued when hurricane conditions present a threat to a coastal

area within ______ hours.

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