Geography 310 Lecture 20 a Climates Needs: Köppen Map, Lect 310 20.Ppt Key Terms and Concepts: Tropical Rainforest Climate (Af)
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Geography 310 Lecture 20 A Climates Needs: Köppen Map, Lect_310_20.ppt Key Terms and Concepts: Tropical rainforest climate (Af) Tropical regions typical daily precipitation cycle Tropical monsoon climate (Am) Tropical savannah climate (Aw) Frictional divergence wind effect A. Introduction PP1 1. Tropical Humid climates--net water surplus and consistent warm temperatures a. day-night extremes often greater than “seasonal” changes 2. Usually unevenly distributed on a typical continent a. east side (wider) temperatures decrease into C climates poleward, unstable air, windward trades, warm ocean currents, subtropical high weaker b. west side (narrower) moisture decrease into B climates poleward, stable air, lee side trades, cold ocean currents, subtropical high stronger B. Precipitation 1. Heavy convective showers-ITCZ-high sun period, large amounts necessary to offset high ET losses due to high temps 2. Migration of ITCZ produces three zones a. Af-even precipitation, adequate for rainforest vegetation (at least 2.4” in all months) b. Am-brief dry season, may have “heavy” rain period (Köppen) c. Aw-soils dry out in dry season, grassland with scattered trees (savannah) C. Af “tropical rainforest climate” (Amazon, Congo, Indonesia) PP2-4 1. Temperature--monotonously warm, 80s-day, 70s-night a. little seasonal range (some as low as 1̊F range) b. moisture, clouds, RH, forest reduces temperature extremes 2. Precipitation-”ideal” zone, 70-100” or more per year a. mostly cumulus clouds, no “clear” days, but no “overcast” either b. usually pronounced daily cycle of clouds and precipitation i. early A.M. “clear”, mid-A.M. clouds form, afternoon T-storms, evening clearing ii. max. climate for thunderstorms with 75-150/year c. high number of rain days (243+/year) with little interannual variability 3. Winds--barotropic zone (weak winds) some land-sea breezes Geography 310 Lecture 20 2 4. Regional Af features PP5 a. S. Amer.--classic Amazon basin, topography of Andes, Brazilian highland, and Venezuelan highland “funnel” easterlies into the lowland, orographic precipitation along slope of the Andes, and B.H. “blocks” ITCZ movement southward b. Cent. Amer.--orographic enhancement of precipitation on windward side PP6 c. Africa--drier due to eastern highland blockage of Indian Ocean air, fewer moisture sources (Sahara to north), unusual as Af doesn't reach east coast d. other areas more “typical” 5. Vegetation--evergreen, adapted to warm, frost free, high RH, high soil moisture “ideal” a. great diversity, “stories”, dense canopy, some extract moisture directly from air b. soil development--few organics due to leaching and rapid decomposition--mostly metallic irons and aluminum left (red coarse texture) c. remove vegetation and soil is poor, most nutrients in the “cycle” D. Am “tropical monsoon climate”--brief dry spell, soil always wet (windward side of NE PP7&8 Brazil, tip of west central Africa, India, SE Asia) 1. like Af except short dry season, more poleward, and usually more total rain 2. drying effect from fringe of STH belt 3. rainfall enhanced by coastal location (Brazil), orography (Africa) or monsoon (SE Asia) 4. vegetation--deciduous, more open forests E. Aw “tropical savannah climate”-pronounced dry season, less rain 40-60” /year and less PP9-11 reliable, ground dries out completely 1. seasonal pattern a. summer (high sun) rainfall from ITCZ (hot, wet) b. winter (low sun) no rain (cool, dry, MaxT 80-90̊F) c. spring (before high sun) no rain (hot, dry, MaxT 90-100̊F) 2. Transitional to B climates on west coasts, and C climates on east coasts PP12 3. Vegetation--adapted to dry season, sparse deciduous forest with thorns to protect from animal foraging, grasslands 4. Regional features PP13 a. Frictional divergence (see diagrams below)--when wind flows parallel to coasts and high pressure is over ocean, friction caused air to move inland (water low friction, land high friction), creating an area of surface divergence which suppresses precipitation by encouraging subsidence b. frictional divergence results in some coastal areas being drier than “expected”—gold coast of Africa, N. Venezuela c. otherwise not as many regional differences as in Af type Geography 310 Lecture 20 3 H ITCZ Trade Winds AFRICA S. America Trade Winds ITCZ H .