Chapter 3: Weather and Climate

Chapter 3: Weather and Climate

Weather and climate, pages 76–77

1.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

2.

Answers may include: sun, snow, rain, hot, cold, wet, dry, humid, wind, cloud, fog – but there are many others.

3.

(i)STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

(ii)STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

4.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

EXTENSION WORK

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

5.

Answers may include: wet, raining, cold, damp. Other answers may also be valid.

6.

For example:

(i)Cold = people wearing gloves, jackets and coats

(ii)Wet = umbrellas up and people wearing boots

(iii)Wet = puddles on ground

7.

The state of the atmosphere in any one place at any one time.

8.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS – may include what is worn; activities which can or can’t be done; how they travel etc.

9.

Extreme weather in not just an inconvenience, it can be a matter of life or death – often causing damage and destruction over both the long and short term.

10.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

Answers may include, e.g. the rescue services; farmers; people who are already vulnerable etc.

11.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

Sample text may include:

Location / Description / Causes
(type of extreme weather)
South
Australia
(Figure 2) / Wildfire destroying everything in its path, e.g. vegetation, homes. It may also result in deaths and injuries (people and wildlife/farm animals). / After a long period of very dry or drought conditions. Fire can start suddenly and spread easily whether naturally, accidently or deliberately.
Tanzania, Africa
(Figure 3) / Bare dry, soil. No food or water for cattle who simply starve to death. / Extreme, long-term drought, often in areas which are marginal/quite dry in normal times. Often a gradual process but devastating.

12.

Climate is the average weather for an area over a long period of time – usually 25–30 years.

Tick the statements below which are true:

•Climate changes more often than weather.

•The Earth’s climate has changed many times in the past. 

•Extreme weather is common in the countries of Western Europe.

•The Netherlands has a temperate climate with different seasons. 

•Greenhouse gas emissions have stayed at the same levels since 1900. 

EXTENSION WORK

•Antarctica: as seen by the penguins, snow cover and a large iceberg. Similar conditions are found in the Arctic, but there are no penguins in the Arctic. Antarctica is a land mass; the Arctic is ocean with land masses around its edges.

•As temperatures warm, ice and snow could melt, the sea level may rise. Habitats and food sources for penguins could be changed or destroyed.

3.1 Factors affecting weather, pages 78–79

1.

(a)STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

(b)STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS - should include changing seasons.

2.

•A: latitude. Lines running from east to west, parallel to the equator.

•B: longitude. Lines running from Pole to Pole, numbered from the Prime Meridian.

•C: tropical. The region between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, north and south of the equator.

•D: polar. The regions around the North and South Poles.

•E: temperate. The area between the Earth’s tropical and polarregions.

3.

(i)Areas closer to the Equator are always closer to the Sun.

(ii)The Sun’s rays have further to travel.

(iii)They have to heat up far more land than at the equator because of the angle atwhich they reach the ground.

4.

The Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun means that as you move away from the Equator the weather changes and there are distinct seasons. In the northern hemisphere in winter the Sun is lower in the sky, so it is colder and there is less daylight. The opposite is true in summer with the Sun much higher in the sky it is much warmerwith more daylight.

5.

In order from Equator to Poles (left to right): very hot; hot; warm; cool; cold; freezing.

6.

(a)The higher the altitude above sea level, the colder it becomes. Rates vary, but in Western Europe, for every 150 metre rise, the temperature falls by 1oC. This means that even at the equator, if land is high enough, it will be cold enough to have snow on the ground all year.

(b)900 metres high 2oC
1950 metres high –5oC
3450 metres high –15oC

7.

Land warms up more quickly than water. x

The temperature range is the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures.

Places closest to the sea have a higher temperature range. x

Continental areas have more extreme temperatures compared to maritime areas.

In summer, areas close to the sea are cooler than those inland.

In winter, areas inland are warmer than those close to the sea. x

8.

(a)Urban areas contain vast amounts of concrete, tarmac and glass which, once warmed, retain or hold heat.

(b)Because the surrounding area will be a few degrees cooler, so the urban area itself is like an isolated island of heat.

9.

(a)STUDENT CENTRED.
(Glossary words are hemispheres, heat islands and micro-climates)

(b)rotates: moves around a central point, e.g. the Earth rotates on its axis.
tilted: at an angle, e.g. the Earth is tilted towards the Sun.
highest temperature: the maximum/warmest.
lowest temperature: the minimum/coldest.
temperature range: the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures.

3.2 Precipitation, pages 80–81

1.

STUDENT CHOICE but should include (in the same order) information from the labels from Figure 1 page 80 – but probably with some of them combined, e.g. Figures 4 and 5.

2.

Moisture which falls from the sky/clouds: rain, sleet, snow and hail.

3.

The water is not lost, it ‘cycles’ around, e.g. it rains, the rain falls onto the ground, it drains into seas and oceans, evaporates, forms clouds and rains again.

4.

4As the air rises it cools down, forms clouds and rains.

5Air descends once it reaches the highest point.

2Warm moist air reaches the land.

3Hills or mountains force the air to rise up.

1Prevailing winds blow across a sea or ocean towards the land.

6The air begins to warm up, there is no rain.

5.

(a)Tropical areas are very humid (hot and wet) all year. The Sun is very high in the sky, so as evaporation occurs, water vapour rises vertically. After a few hours, massive vertical clouds form, resulting in regular heavy rain.

(b)STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

6.

The warm air mass pushes up above the cold air at an angle. As it rises it cools down and clouds form,forming frontal rainfall.

7.

(i)The least common is relief rainfall. Relief rain forms when warm moist air is forced to rise over high ground. In the Netherlands, there is almost no high ground in the way – most rain comes from the west, and then crosses the low flat lands of the western North Sea coast –so relief rainfall is rare.

(ii)The most common is frontal rainfall.Most rain comes from low pressure systems (depressions) which cross the Atlantic Ocean. The rain is brought by the prevailing westerly winds across the Netherlands.

3.3 Air masses and air pressure, pages 82–83

1.

A large block of air which can be stationary or move from place to place.

2.

(a)Whether they come from a hotor cold place.
If they travel across land or sea.
What season it is.

(b)The winds move air masses (from high pressure areas to low pressure areas). In the Northern hemisphere, if winds blow from the north, they bring cold weather (from the North Pole); if they blow from the south, they bring warm weather (from the Tropics).

3.

EastVery cold wintry conditions with snow

WestWet but warm weather in summer

SouthLeads to a rise in temperature in winter and summer

NorthBrings wet weather in summer, but snow in winter

4.

It would become colder and may even bring snow.

5.

Heavy air sinks to the ground giving low (high)pressure.

When the air is light it rises, giving high (low)pressure.

Lines showing places with equal pressure are called millibars(isobars).

Pressure is measured in units called isobars (millibars).

6.

(a)A: Depression or cyclone
B: Anticyclone

(b)964–1028 millibars

(c)It would blow from B to A. Winds always blow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

7.

Several possibilities (see Figure 3, page 83).

Depression (cyclone) / Anticyclone
Pressure / Lowest in centre, highest on edge / Highest in centre, lowest on edge
Isobars / Close together / Far apart
Winds / Can be strong; blows inwards, anticlockwise / Light or calm, blows outwards clockwise
Weather / •Warm wet weather with steady rain at the warm front
•Short heavy showers as the depression passes and the cold front arrives / •Hot dry weather in summer. May end with stormy weather.
•Cold with clear skies in winter.
Precipitation / Frontal rainfall / Convectional rainfall

8.

Should include:

•It would start to rain – steady rain often over a few hours.

•The temperature would rise.

•A period of warm, dry weather.

•Heavy rain would fall (usually a fairly short shower).

•The temperature would fall again.

NB Only a description is asked for – not an explanation.

3.4 Measuring, recording and forecasting,
pages 84–85

1.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

2.

Air temperature, air pressure, precipitation, cloud cover, humidity, sunshine, wind speed and wind direction.

(These are the main ones and are listed in the Student Book. There are others, including ground temperature).

3.

Any of these or parts of these:

•They can be taken in more remote locations, e.g. seas and oceans.

•Data can be collected continuously.

•Data can be sent directly to super computers for storing and processing.

•It is more accurate, detailed and reliable.

4.

(a)Meteorologist : a scientist who studies weather and climate (meteorology).

(b)Synoptic: a map or chart showing, e.g. weather conditions over a large area.

5.

(a)Although satellite technology allows forecasters to see what is happening now, it is difficult to be 100% accurate when predicting how fast or in what direction individual weather systems may move.

(b)Answers may include, for example:

•In the case of extreme weather events, it would allow more time to prepare and evacuate areas.

•Shipping companies could avoid bad weather systems.

•Shops could order the correct stock in advance, e.g. ice creams or umbrellas!

6.

(a)Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).

(b)English version:

7.

(a)STUDENT CENTRED ANSWERS.

(b)STUDENT CENTRED.

EXTENSION WORK

STUDENT CHOICE.

3.5 Tropical storms and tornadoes, pages 86–87

1.

Answers may include some of the regions/countries below –but there are many other individual countries:

Hurricanes / Tropical cyclones / Typhoons
Caribbean / India / North Australia
Gulf of Mexico / Bangladesh / Japan
Central America / Sri Lanka / Philippines
Southern USA / Madagascar / Oceania Island
Northern parts of South America / East Africa / Indonesia

2.

Tropical storms are large areas of low pressure. They form over warm water where the temperature is above 27ºC. The warm water heats the air above it, which causes it to rise. The air is now moist. It spins inwards as it rises, forming the central eye of the storm.

3.

(a)weather system – large moving mass of air
torrential rain – can cause landslides or mudslides
eye – the calm centre of the hurricane
storm surge – high waves caused by winds causing flooding
vortex – a high speed whirling mass of air

(b)It loses energy (it is driven by moist air heated by warm tropical water) and wind speeds drop.

4.

There will be variations in the cross section drawn – but it must be a true cross section, i.e. no perspective.

5.

STUDENT CHOICE/OPEN ANSWERS.

6.

(i)119 kph

(ii)210 kph

7.

(a)It is easier to identify them when several are active across the world at any one time – and no two will ever have the same name at the same time.

(b)When a particular hurricane has caused a lot of damage.

8

Variety of possible answers, but may include:

•Have more money/resources

•Better emergency services/disaster response groups

•Have warning systems so can evacuate people if enough time.

9.

(i)Strong winds rotating around a central point; very destructive.

(ii)Tropical storms are big air masses which also bring torrential rain and flooding from the storm surges they create. They originate over warm oceans and may travel thousands of kilometres. Tornadoes are small, localised and last for a few minutes. They form from intense thunderstorms.

3.6 Case study: Hurricane Katrina, USA,
pages 88–89

1.

In the warm tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa in mid-August 2005.

2.

Answers may vary slightly from the table below:

Date / Location / Pressure
mbs / Category/description / Direction of
travel
24.08.05 / 250km north of Cuba / n/a / tropical depression / north east
25.08.05 / The Bahamas / n/a / tropical storm / west
26.08.05 / Florida / 984 / hurricane / south west
27.08.05 / Gulf of Mexico
150 km north of Cuba / n/a / hurricane / south west
28.08.05 / Gulf of Mexico / 902 / hurricane / north west
29.08.05 / 250km south of
New Orleans / 902–920 / hurricane / north
30.08.05 / Near Jackson, Mississippi / 928 / hurricane / north
31.08.05 / Tennessee / n/a / tropical storm / north east

3.

Highest ever damages/cost = $82 billion.

4.

(a)The city is on the low-lying Mississippi delta and needs extensive protection from flooding.

(b)They could not cope with the strength and size of the storm surge and were damaged or collapsed.

5.

(a)Meteorologists can watch the hurricane develop and try to predict the course it will take.

(b)260000.

(c)Unable to leave as many were reliant on the public transport network which shut down.

(d)On the roofs of their homes.

6.

STUDENT CHOICE/GROUP ANSWER.

7.

(i)Pump out floodwater.

(ii)Repair broken levees.

8.

10000 people took refuge in the Superdome in New Orleans.S

Much of the floodwater was heavily polluted.L

Over a million people were made homeless.S

Some people had to be rescued from the roof of their houses.S

Thousands were moved onto trailer parks in other states.L

Large areas of farmland were damaged, with crops ruined and animals killed.S

Many businesses were ruined.L

Fighting broke out in places, and some people stole from abandoned shops.S

9.

(a)It is a More Developed Country – which means it has a high HDI (Human Development Index) which includes high income per capita, good healthcare and education systems.

(b)MDCs have more resources (money and expertise) than LDCs, so it can take preventative action such as warning systems and evacuation. They can mobilise a wide range of rescue services; repair damage/deal with the after-effects – and do so quickly.

10.

(i)Delays in evacuating parts of the city.

(ii)Lack of transport, especially for those who relied on the public transport system.

3.7 El Niño, pages 90–91

1.

(a)Fisherman off the coast of Peru and Ecuador.

(b)200 years ago.

(c)Warmer waters and greatly reduced catches.

(d)Every 3–7 years

(e)It usually happened around Christmas – El Niño is Spanish for Christ child/boy child.

2.

It is very wet in the east Pacific – for example, South America.

There is low pressure in the Western Pacific.

Water levels in the west Pacific are higher than in the east.

Winds blow from east to west across the Pacific.

Rain is common in Australia.

3.

(a)Because it completely changes weather patterns from one extreme to another, i.e. upsets the normal balance.

(b)El Niño Southern Oscillation.

4.

(a)A

(b)B

(c)Global climate change, because the number of El Niño events has increased since the mid-1980s. At the same time, there has been a steady rise in global temperatures.

5.

A range of possible additional answers including:

•Australia: forest fires, dust storms, damage to coral reefs.

•North America: warmer in the east – but can be colder and wetter in California.

•South America: warmer and wetter in spring; colder waters in the Pacific; extra springtime rain in the east (Brazil and Argentina); snow in normally arid areas (Bolivia and Peru).

6.

(a)A number to choose from, but may include:

•A record 2400mm of rain fell in one month in Peru and Ecuador.

•Large numbers of marine wildlife died.

•More hurricanes, including one off-track in Hawaii.

•Driest ‘wet season’ ever in Northern Australia.

(b)Falling sea levels resulted in damage to coral reefs around Western Pacific islands.
Eastern USA had the warmest winter ever recorded.
Australia and Southern Africa experienced severe drought.
A record 2400mm of rain fell in one month in Ecuador and Peru.
Western USA suffered heavy flooding and storms.
In the Eastern Pacific region, there were livestock deaths and crop failure.

3.8 Flooding in the Netherlands, pages 92–93

1.

(a)The climate is temperate – not extreme in terms of either temperature or precipitation.

(b)

(i)Coastal flooding because of low lying land at or below sea level.

(ii)Inland flooding from several major European rivers which enter the sea via the Netherlands.

2.

(a)It forms a funnel shape, gradually narrowing from north to south, so storm surges are made worse as there is less room for the water to spread out and so it is pushed upwards.

(b)The coastline on both sides of the southern North Sea is low-lying/flat.

3.

(a)

(i)A major storm developed from a depression in the northwest, south of Iceland, and moved south east down the North Sea.

(ii)This coincided with the high spring tide.

(b)30 January 1953

4.

See table:

Number
2550 / deaths
5000 / buildings destroyed
50 000 / buildings damaged
100 000 / people evacuated
10% / farmland flooded
30 000 / livestock lost

5.

(a)The dykes in Zeeland and Zuid Holland were not built to cope with such high levels of water.
Waves were 5 metres higher than usual
The storm lasted for 20 hours.

(b)A range of answers – location detail may depend on students’ own knowledge. An atlas may be useful.