Chapter #15 Solutions - Understanding Weather and Climate - James E Burt, Edward Aguado - 7th Edition

1c. What is climate? Get solution

1ct. Although the Koeppen system is intended to create distinct climate classes, its boundaries are based on the boundaries between vegetation types. Is this really a problem? Can you think of any alternative methods for delineating climates? Get solution

1. Check Figure 15-4 and determine the type of climate you live in. Then log on to http://ggweather.com/normals/index.htm and find the climate information for the location nearest to where you live. Create a climograph for that location and compare it to the example given in the book for the type of climate in which you live, How closely do they match? Get solution

1rq. Describe what is meant by climate. Get solution

1va. Examine the satellite composite map of North American vegetation and answer the following questions:...How many types of Koeppen climates are likely expressed in this image? Get solution

2c. What considerations enter the decision regarding the length of period to use in a climatic average? Get solution

2ct. Do you anticipate that global warming, if it continues as expected, will substantially alter the location of the boundaries of the various Koeppen climates? Get solution

2. Go to the web page for the National Weather Service office nearest to where you live. Compare the monthly temperature and precipitation values observed there during the past year to the average for that location. Were they markedly different? How much variance do you expect to encounter between monthly observed values and climato- logical averages? Get solution

2rq. Describe the general criteria by which the Koeppen system delineates climates. Get solution

2va. Examine the satellite composite map of North American vegetation and answer the following questions:...Do the locations of the vegetation correspond well with those of the Koeppen climates (compare with Figure 15-4)? Explain. Get solution

3c. What are some of the factors that determine the climate of a location? Get solution

3ct. Western Kansas is located near the junction of B, C, and D climates. Do you suppose that a person driving around this region would notice substantial climatic differences as she crossed from one climate zone to another? What does this tell us about the applicability of largerscale classification schemes to smaller-scale analysis? Get solution

3rq. The first-order grouping of climates in the Koeppen system is based mainly on temperature. Which climate type departs from that rule? Get solution

3va. Examine the satellite composite map of North American vegetation and answer the following questions:...Where on the map would you expect to find the coldest and hottest conditions? Wettest and driest? Get solution

4c. What are some of the problems encountered when trying to divide the Earth into climatic zones? Get solution

4rq. Describe the geographical distribution of tropical climates. What features distinguish this particular group? Get solution

5c. What are the five main climate groups in the Koeppen system and what distinguishes them? Get solution

5rq. Briefly describe the fundamental differences between Af, Am, and Aw climates. Get solution

6c. What criteria are used to determine subclimates in each of the Koeppen groups? Get solution

6rq. Of the three types of tropical climates, which occupies the smallest portion of Earth’s land surface? Get solution

7c. What data are shown in a climograph? Get solution

7rq. Despite their low latitudes, tropical climates are not among the hottest on Earth. Why not? Get solution

8c. In what ways are tropical moist climates and tropical monsoons similar? How do they differ? Get solution

8rq. Where are the various dry climates located, and what geographical characteristics cause them to occur where they do? Get solution

9c. What is a savanna, and with what type of climate is it associated? Get solution

9rq. Describe the four types of dry climates and explain how they differ from each other. Get solution

10c. Explain why low rainfall is an inadequate indicator of dry climates. Get solution

10rq. What factor other than annual precipitation is involved in a climate being defined as dry? Get solution

11c. What accounts for the band of subtropical deserts found between the north and south latitudes of 10° and 30°? Get solution

11rq. Describe the various types of mild midlatitude climates and their distribution. Why is it that two of them locate mostly along the west coast of continents, while the other tends to be on the eastern side? Get solution

12c. What accounts for midlatitude deserts and steppes? Get solution

12rq. Are the mild midlatitude climates really mild? Explain. Get solution

13c. In the context of the Koeppen classification system, what does it mean to say that a midlatitude region has a mild climate? Get solution

13rq. What are the two types of severe midlatitude climates, and how do they differ? Get solution

14c. How are the Mediterranean and marine west coast climates similar? How are they different? Get solution

14rq. Why are severe midlatitude climates missing from the Southern Hemisphere? Get solution

15c. What differentiates the two kinds of severe midlatitude climates? Get solution

15rq. Describe the three types of polar climates and their distributions. Get solution

16c. Why don’t severe midlatitude climates exist over the oceans? Get solution

17c. What is permafrost and what climate conditions are responsible for its existence? Get solution

18c. What temperature criterion delimits ice cap climates? Get solution

19c. What are the characteristics of the subarctic climate such as that of Verkhoyansk, Russia? Get solution

20c. Why is there relatively little precipitation in polar climates? Get solution

21c. Why are highlands treated as a separate climate zone? Get solution