Lesson 1 Page 4
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Discover: What are Weather Fronts?
Weather reporters often talk about areas of high pressure and low pressure on a weather map. Masses of hot and cold air move across the planet. As they move, they bring good and bad weather with them.
A front is a boundary between two distinct (hot and cold) air masses. When warm air and cold air collide, they form a front. Fronts are responsible for storms. To learn more about what is meant by the terms "warm front" and "cold front", watch the video below.
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The Coriolus effect is how air curves as it travels across the Earth's surface. This causes a storm to spin in a counter clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere.
As the Earth rotates, wind is pushed in east or west directions around the Earth.
The Sun's rays hit the equator (0° latitude in the middle of the Earth) with intense light, making the equator very hot. Hot air rises. The air spreads out and cools down in the upper atmosphere.
At about 30°N and S, the cool air drops to the earth and creates a high pressure area called the subtropical high. Meanwhile, cold air is rushing in toward the Equator creating a wind current. This movement of wind is known as a Hadley cell.
The trade winds at the Equator whether they are blowing north or south appear to move to the west because of the Coriolus effect and the rotation of the Earth.
Watch the video for a good explanation of Global Wind Belts.
The Sun's rays hit the equator (0° latitude in the middle of the Earth) with intense light, making the equator very hot. Hot air rises. The air spreads out and cools down in the upper atmosphere.
At about 30°N and S, the cool air drops to the earth and creates a high pressure area called the subtropical high. Meanwhile, cold air is rushing in toward the Equator creating a wind current. This movement of wind is known as a Hadley cell.
The trade winds at the Equator whether they are blowing north or south appear to move to the west because of the Coriolus effect and the rotation of the Earth.
Watch the video for a good explanation of Global Wind Belts.
For more information on wind, view these websites:
Video
Watch the video on Blaise Pascal and how he discovered and made use of air pressure.