The processes that shape our weather and climate

Atmospheric Processes

The Earth’s atmosphere consists of several layers, with the troposphere as the layer where most weather occurs.
The Sun’s energy heats the Earth and its atmosphere, causing heat exchange that facilitates weather processes.
This heating is often uneven due to factors such as latitude, altitude, proportion of land to water, leading to variances in atmospheric pressures.
Wind patterns are essentially the movement of air from high pressure to low-pressure areas, shaped by the rotation of the Earth, known as the Coriolis Effect.

The Hydrological Cycle

The hydrological cycle refers to the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth and its atmosphere.
It involves several crucial processes, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff and subsurface flow.
This cycle plays a crucial role in the distribution of Earth’s water resources and affects both weather and climate.

Cloud Formation and Precipitation

Clouds form when rising, moist air cools and condenses around condensation nuclei, like dust or smoke particles.
Different types of clouds, i.e., cumulus, stratus, and cirrus, can indicate different weather patterns.
Precipitation occurs when these particles become too heavy to remain airborne and fall due to gravity. Types of precipitation include rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

Climate Zones

Climate zones are areas with distinct climates, which are classified based on the average and range of weather variables like temperature and rainfall.
These include tropical, dry, temperate, continental and polar climate zones.
Each zone has associated atmospheric conditions, vegetation and human adaptations.

Human Influence on Weather and Climate

Human activities, especially burning fossil fuels, lead to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causing global warming and ultimately, climate change.
Deforestation reduces the Earth’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, contributing to atmospheric warming.
Our manipulation of landscapes, such as urbanisation and monoculture, also affects local weather and climate patterns, often exacerbating extreme weather events.

Case Studies

Deepening your understanding of these topics can be enhanced through case studies such as the impacts of climate change in the Sahel region of Africa or the influence of urban heat islands in cities like London.