Exam 10: Wind - Global Systems

Jet streams can form near Earth's surface as well. One such jet develops just above the central plains of the United States, where it occasionally attains speeds exceeding 60 knots. This wind speed maximum, which usually flows from the south or southwest, is known as a(n) ____________________ jet.​

The Ekman Spiral describes​

As an air parcel aloft moves northward from the equator, it moves closer to Earth's axis of rotation. Because of the conservation of angular momentum, the air parcel's motion should​

In the Northern Hemisphere, air found to the north of the polar front is ____, while air further south is ____.​

The El Nino event features a(n) ____________________ of the typical east-to-west wind flow and ocean currents across the tropical Pacific. In contrast, La Nina features a(n) ____________________ of the same east-to-west wind flow and ocean currents.​

Ocean currents do not follow wind patterns exactly; rather, they spiral in semiclosed circular whirls called ____________________.​

Surface water temperatures along the northern California coast are ____________________ in winter than in summer.​

In terms of the three-cell general circulation model, the driest regions of Earth should be near​

Jet streams sometimes split into two branches.

On a large circle, show and describe where the major pressure and wind belts would be found according to the 3-cell model of Earth's general circulation.​

Upwelling is​

During the negative cold phase of the Arctic Oscillation, when Greenland is experiencing mild winters, northern Europe usually experiences ____ winters.​

Flowing northward along the east coast of the United States is a tremendous warm water current called the ____________________.​

Explain why the semipermanent lows in the Southern Hemisphere are weaker than those in the Northern Hemisphere.​

Ocean-atmosphere interactions, where warm or cold surface ocean temperatures can influence precipitation patterns in a distant part of the world, are called ____________________.​

Briefly describe where each of the following features is found in Earth's general circulation. What meteorological conditions might you find associated with each feature? horse latitudes trade winds ITCZ polar front doldrums ​

Explain why summers along the west coast of the United States tend to be dry, whereas along the east coast summers tend to be wet.​

​The ultimate cause of jet streams is

Each Pacific Decadal Oscillation phase tends to predominate for 20 to 30 years before switching to the other phase.

What occurs during a major El Niño event? How might this affect global wind and precipitation patterns?​