lesson 3 climate graphs and pressure
TRANSCRIPT
13 April 2023
Climate graphs and pressure systems
Starter:
1. What type of pressure is affecting the UK?
2. Draw wind arrows on the map.
3. Which airmass is affecting southern Britain?
4. What weather would we expect with this airmass?
Explain the pattern shown on each map. Which factors affecting climate are visible? A LAD.
AB
C D
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly Rainfall (mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4
The average temperature in March is 6°C
The average rainfall in September is 51 mm
1. Calculate the total annual rainfall?
2. Calculate the average annual temperature?
3. Calculate the temperature range?
The table below shows the climate data for Leeds.
Climate Graphs
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly Rainfall (mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4
But how do you represent the data above in the form of a graph?
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Ave
rag
e m
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mm
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The blue bars show average
rainfall
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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(°C
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The red line is the average temperature
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
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Ave
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Av
era
ge
mo
nth
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rain
fall
(m
m)
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Av
era
ge
mo
nth
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tem
pe
ratu
re (
°C)The maximum
rainfall is 66 mm and the minimum is 41 mm – a range of 25 mm.
The driest month is February when an average of 41 mm of rain falls.
The wettest month is August when an average of 66 mm of rain falls
The maximum temperature is 16°C and the minimum is 3°C – a range of 13°C.
The coldest months are January and February with an average monthly temperature of 3°C.
The temperature peaks in July and August with an average of 16°C.
Interpreting a climate graphRemember to describe the TRENDS, then minimum and maximum values.
Question 4: Describe the CLIMATE of Leeds
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Av
era
ge
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rain
fall
(m
m)
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Av
era
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Examiners tips when describing climate graphs:• What is the total annual rainfall?• Describe any wet and dry seasons.• What is the annual temperature range?• Is there a distinctive annual temperature pattern?• State the maximum and minimum values of each• Describe the CHANGE throughout the year. Don’t list.• Use figures from the graph: months, temperature, rainfall• Use the units of measurement! – mm and oC• Describe the changes, don’t explain the reasons.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average monthly Rainfall (mm)
56 41 46 46 48 53 51 66 51 51 53 53
Average monthly Temperature (°C)
3 3 6 7 11 14 16 16 13 10 6 4
Task; Draw your own Climate Graph for London using the Data provided.
Remember- you need to have • twelve months along the
bottom • mm on the left
(precipitation)• degrees c on the right
(temperature)
RULES- • Choose one to do first –
either Precipitation OR Temperature
• Precipitation must be shown in a bar graph
• Temperature must be shown in a line graph – plot the points in the centre of the month.
Extension; what month could this
have been in?
Extension- When you have done the graph (including double checked it, and stuck in), answer in your book;
•What is the temperature range – the difference between the highest and lowest temperature.•What is the total annual rainfall – add the precipitation figures up.•What is the average temperature – add the temperature figures up and divide by 12.
Extension; what month could this
have been in? Extension; what month could this
have been in?
London Climate Graph
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Month
Pre
cip
mm
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Tem
p C Precipitation mm
Temp C
It should look something like this! Task- Describe the climate in London- what is it like there?In London the climate is…………..
Plenary ; How well can you read climate graphs? Work with your neighbour to match each graph to a place- On MWBs 1=? …
TOKYO; Here it rains a lot in the summer but not so much in winter. It is very humid in the summer months but winter is quite mild. I don’t normally get to build snowmen!
TORONTO; We have cold winters, it usually snows, but our summers are lovely and warm. You need to carry an umbrella all year round though! We have 4 distinct seasons.
MUMBAI; Here we enjoy a tropical climate, its always warm which is nice, but we do have a monsoon seasons every year which always causes problems with flooding!
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Savanna Climate
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Pre
cip
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Deg
rees mm
°C
Task- Can you describe the climate in the Savannah? Use full sentences, what does the climate graph tell us? Eg is it Hot/ Cold? Vary what months are the driest / wettest? Extension- how is it different to London?
Pressure systems
• The UK has been affected by High Pressure for the past 3 weeks.
• Known as an anticyclone
Effectssummer
Effects winter
What weather does high pressure bring?
An anticyclone is a weather system associated with ‘high pressure’ and are caused when cool air sinking to earth putting a lot of pressure or weight on the earths surface is high. Anticyclones bring different weather to the British Isles depending on whether it is Summer or Winter but is always fine and settled. When an anticyclone is established over our country it can remain in place for a long period of time—often affecting the whole country but unfortunately anticyclones are not that common!
Because the air is sinking it is unable to pick up moisture through evaporation so rain rarely happens during an anticyclone! Winds are very light and blow in an clockwise direction.
In the summer:Anticyclones are often responsible for heatwaves in the summer as they bring hot and sunny conditions to the country and then do not move for several days.
Because there are very few clouds the days are warm and sunny but the same clear skies make the nights very cold as the daytime heat escapes straight back into the atmosphere.
In the winter:Temperatures are very low because of the sun’s low angle in the sky but it is, however, very sunny and there are still no clouds. These cloudless skies allow any heat from the sun to escape back into the atmosphere during the evening making the nights very cold and often frosty. The difference between the temperatures during the day and night see condensation at ground level and fogs are also common.