What are the different ocean currents that carry warm water give at least three examples?
They carry warm water from the tropics poleward. Examples include the Gulf Stream, the Agulhas Current, and the Kuroshio. Cold currents flow toward the equator on the eastern side of ocean basins.
What is the purpose of prevailing winds?
Due to factors such as uneven heating from the Sun and the Earth’s rotation, these winds vary at different latitudes on Earth. Prevailing winds are important for determining locations of wind farms in order to generate electricity. Prevailing winds also determine the amount of rainfall that different regions get.
How do wind and air masses affect climate?
When winds move air masses, they carry their weather conditions (heat or cold, dry or moist) from the source region to a new region. When the air mass reaches a new region, it might clash with another air mass that has a different temperature and humidity. This can create a severe storm.
How is the movement of current influenced by prevailing winds?
The winds pull surface water with them, creating currents. As these currents flow westward, the Coriolis effect—a force that results from the rotation of the Earth—deflects them. The currents then bend to the right, heading north.
Do wind currents move from low to high pressure?
The Short Answer: Gases move from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas. And the bigger the difference between the pressures, the faster the air will move from the high to the low pressure. That rush of air is the wind we experience.
How does topography affect weather?
The topography of an area can influence the weather and climate. Topography is the relief of an area. If an area is close to a body of water it tends to make milder climates. Mountainous areas tend to have more extreme weather because it acts as a barrier to air movements and moisture.
How do hills affect weather?
During the day, high slopes heat up more quickly than the innards of valleys, creating low pressure; this draws breezes up from the valley (the valley breeze), as air moves from areas of high to low pressure.
Is it true that temperature increases as altitude increases?
Temperature increases as you gain altitude in the stratosphere and the thermosphere. Temperature decreases as you gain altitude in the troposphere and mesosphere. Air temperature varies in complicated ways with altitude.