When winds suddenly change direction toward the west or southwest, Chinook winds pick up with rapidly rising speeds and wind gusts can be measured as high as 80 mph. The effect of fast-moving warm winds on snow is remarkable, with a foot of snow sometimes disappearing within hours. Some claim Chinook winds cause migraines, increased cases of sudden infant death syndrome, and strokes, but evidence to prove their effect on health is largely considered anecdotal and research continues to determine whether there is a direct correlation between human physiology and the Chinook wind.
Based on climate models, researchers have determined the impact the Rocky Mountains have on the world by removing them in simulation programs to see the effects. The Rocky Mountains force enormous air masses from the west in a more southward direction, where they absorb heat and moisture before continuing to the east. Moving the air in this direction creates dominant warm, moist southwesterly winds in places like Norway, keeping the country's average temperatures above freezing, and between 5 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than other countries along the same latitude.
The discovery was made by researchers at Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research in Bergen, Norway, who claim that while the Gulf Stream and the Norwegian Sea both impact the climate of the nordic country, the simulated removal of the North American Rocky Mountains proved the range plays a noteworthy role in bringing warmer air to the Norse. Moraine Lake, Rocky Mountains, Canada.
Most of the Rocky Mountain range is protected under National Park status. Krista Conrad June 1 in Environment. These changes in weather over a short distance can make forecasting the day-to-date weather very difficult, but they also presents challenges when calculating climate variables for the region as a whole. If you are a policy maker trying to decide where to build a reservoir or an entrepreneur trying to locate a new winery, understanding how geography and topography affect the local climate should be an important part of the decision making processing.
This edition of Beyond the Data will explore how topography—which is more than just elevation— the climate of a few locations across the country. We will also take a closer look at how scientists take topography into account when analyzing the climate system.
One of the most dramatic examples of how topography can impact precipitation patterns occurs in the Pacific Northwest. The Cascade Mountains run from north to south in western Washington and Oregon. The mountains create a barrier to air moving eastward off the Pacific Ocean. When the moist, oceanic air encounters the mountains it begins to rise.
The rising air cools as it moves up and over the mountains, and much of its moisture condenses, forming clouds and precipitation. As the air continues moving to the east, it plunges down the other side of the mountains, warms up, and dries out.
This phenomenon causes areas on the west side of the mountains to be much wetter than areas on the east side. Meteorologists call this contrast the orographic effect. The higher the elevation of a place, the cooler its temperature tends to be. Here in western North Carolina, Asheville is located in a broad valley surrounded by high mountain peaks.
The elevation of Asheville is about 2, feet above sea level. Twenty miles to the northeast, Mount Mitchell, at 6, feet above sea level, is the highest peak in the eastern United States. The sharp elevation change over such a short distance means the average temperature for the two seemingly nearby locations is very different.
As a result of the reduced air pressure, rising air expands and cools. Mountains can affect the climate of nearby lands. In some areas, mountains block rain, so that one side of a mountain range may be rainy and the other side may be a desert. Rain Shadow Much of airborne moisture falls as rain on the windward side of mountains. This often means that the land on the other side of the mountain the leeward side gets far less rain—an effect called a "rain shadow"—which often produces a desert.
The higher the mountain, the more pronounced the rain shadow effect is and the less likely rain will fall on the leeward side. The Windward is the side of a mountain that is facing into the direction that the wind is coming from. By the time the air gets to the leeward side of the mountain it has already lost some of its moisture. Many of the deserts of the world are formed because of the lack of moisture blocked by the mountains. The Gabi desert is located behind the Himalaya mountain range in Asia.
Follow me on Twitter mbarrow. This site uses cookies. See our Cookie Policy for information. You may not redistribute, sell or place the content of this page on any other website or blog without written permission from the author Mandy Barrow.
Homework Help. The main differences in climate of mountains are temperature and moisture.
0コメント