Page 242 - Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 4th Canadian Edition
P. 242
8
Weather
concepts
Key LeArNiNg
After reading the chapter, you should be able to:
• Describe air masses that affect North America, and relate their qualities to
On 17 June, 2013, this supercell thunder- storm developed in southern Chatham-Kent in southern Ontario. Although these severe thunderstorms can develop the counter- clockwise rotating circulation that forms
a tornado, this one did not. The storm produced clouds with some rotation, heavy
source regions.
• Identify and describe four types of atmospheric lifting mechanisms, and give an example of each.
• Explain the formation of orographic precipitation, and review an example of orographic effects in North America.
• Describe the life cycle of a midlatitude cyclonic storm system, and relate this to its portrayal on weather maps.
• List the measurable elements that contribute to modern weather forecasting, and describe the technology and methods employed.
• Identify various forms of violent weather by their characteristics, and review several examples of each.
rain, and small hail, all common thunder- storm by-products. The spreading clouds aloft indicate a large amount of convective circulation, characteristic of the cumulo- nimbus clouds discussed in Chapter 7. in this chapter, we explore weather systems, including the violent weather events that can cause damage and human casualties. [Tomislav Stefanac/Alamy.]
