Climatology and Climatic

Regions by Pmfias.com
Latitudes and Longitudes ........................................................... 1
Motions of the earth: Rotation and Revolution ................ 6 Page
Atmosphere ....................................................................................... 9 |1
Temperature Distribution on Earth ................................... 14
Lapse Rate ....................................................................................... 20
Latent Heat of Condensation ................................................. 24 Latitude
Vertical Distribution of Temperature ................................ 25
• Latitude is the angular distance of a point
Pressure Systems .......................................................................... 27 on the earth’s surface, measured in
Factors affecting Wind Movement ...................................... 33 degrees from the center of the earth.
General Circulation of the Atmosphere ............................. 37 • As the earth is slightly flattened at the
poles, the linear distance of a degree of
Classification of Winds .............................................................. 39 latitude at the pole is a little longer than
Water Cycle - Hydrological Cycle ......................................... 43 that at the equator.
Smog .................................................................................................. 50 • For example at the equator (0°) it is 68.704
miles, at 45° it is 69.054 miles and at the
Precipitation .................................................................................. 52 poles it is 69.407 miles. The average is
Thunderstorm ............................................................................... 55 taken as 69 miles (111km).
• 1 mile = 1.607 km.
Lightning and thunder .............................................................. 58
Tornado............................................................................................ 60 Important parallels of latitudes

• Besides the equator (0°), the north pole

(90°N) and the south pole (90° S), there are
Latitudes and Longitudes
four important parallels of latitudes–
• Latitudes and Longitudes are imaginary
lines used to determine the location of a
place on earth.
• The shape of the earth is ‘Geoid’. And the
location of a place on the earth can be
mentioned in terms of latitudes and
longitudes.
• Example: The location of New Delhi is 28°
N, 77° E.
1) Tropic of Cancer (23½° N) in the
northern hemisphere.
2) Tropic of Capricorn (23½° S) in the
southern hemisphere.
3) Arctic circle at 66½° north of the
equator.
4) Antarctic circle at 66½° south of
the equator.

Latitudinal Heat zones of the earth

 decided in 1884, by international
agreement, to choose as the zero meridian
the one which passes through the Royal
Astronomical Observatory at Greenwich,
near London.
• This is the Prime Meridian (0°) from
which all other meridians radiate Page
eastwards and westwards up to 180°. |2
• As the parallels of latitude become shorter
poleward, so the meridians of longitude,
which converge at the poles, enclose a
narrower space.
• They have one very important function,
• The mid-day sun is exactly overhead at
they determine local time in relation to
least once a year on all latitudes in
G.M.T. or Greenwich Mean Time, which
between the Tropic of Cancer and the
is sometimes referred to as World Time.
Tropic of Capricorn. This area, therefore,
receives the maximum heat and is called Longitude and Time
the torrid zone.
• The mid-day sun never shines overhead on • Since the earth makes one complete
any latitude beyond the Tropic of Cancer revolution of 360° in one day or 24 hours,
and the Tropic of Capricorn. The angle of it passes through 15° in one hour or 1° in
the sun’s rays goes on decreasing towards 4 minutes.
the poles. As such, the areas bounded by • The earth rotates from west to east, so
the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic circle every 15° we go eastwards, local time is
in the northern hemisphere, and the Tropic advanced by 1 hour. Conversely, if we go
of Capricorn and the Antarctic circle in the westwards, local time is retarded by 1
southern hemisphere, have moderate hour.
temperatures. These are, therefore, called
• We may thus conclude that places east of
temperate zones.
Greenwich see the sun earlier and gain
• Areas lying between the Arctic circle and time, whereas places west of Greenwich
the north pole in the northern hemisphere see the sun later and lose time.
and the Antarctic circle and the south pole
• If we know G.M.T., to find local time, we
in the southern hemisphere, are very cold.
merely have to add or subtract the
It is because here the sun does not raise
difference in the number of hours from the
much above the horizon. Therefore, its rays
given longitude.
are always slanting. These are, therefore,
called frigid zones.

Longitude

• Longitude is an angular distance,

measured in degrees along the equator
east or west of the Prime (or First)
Meridian.
• On the globe longitude is shown as a series
of semi-circles that run from pole to pole
passing through the equator. Such lines
are also called meridians.
• Unlike the equator which is centrally
placed between the poles, any meridian
could have been taken to begin the
numbering of longitude. It was finally
 Page
|3

Standard Time and Time Zones • Travelers going from one end of the
country to the other would have to keep
• If each town were to keep the time of its changing their watches if they wanted to
own meridian, there would be much keep their appointments. This is
difference in local time between one town impractical and very inconvenient.
and the other.
• To avoid all these difficulties, a system of
standard time is observed by all countries.
• Most countries adopt their standard time
from the central meridian of their
countries.
• In larger countries such as Canada,
U.S.A., China, and U.S.S.R, it would be Page
inconvenient to have single time zone. So |4
these countries have multiple time zones.
• Both Canada and U.S.A. have five time
zones—the Atlantic, Eastern, Central,
Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. The
difference between the local time of the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts is nearly five
hours.
• U.S.S.R had eleven time zones before its
disintegration. Russia now has nine time
zones.

day and date in some of the island groups

that are cut through by the meridian.
• Some of them keep Asiatic or New Zealand
standard time, others follow the American
date and time.

Why is the international dateline

drawn in a zigzag manner?

• The International Date Line (IDL) passes

through the Pacific Ocean. It is an
The International Date Line
imaginary line, like longitudes and
latitudes.
• A traveler going eastwards gains time from
• The time difference on either side of this
Greenwich until he reaches the meridian
line is 24 hours. So, the date changes as
180°E, when he will be 12 hours ahead of
soon as one crosses this line.
G.M.T.
• Some groups of Islands (Polynesia,
• Similarly in going westwards, he loses 12
Melanesia, Micronesia) fall on either of
hours when he reaches 180°W. There is
the dateline. So if the dateline was
thus a total difference of 24 hours or a
straight, then two regions of the same
whole day between the two sides of the
Island Country or Island group would fall
180° meridian.
under different date zones. Thus to avoid
• This is the International Date Line where
any confusion of date, this line is drawn
the date changes by exactly one day when
through where the sea lies and not land.
it is crossed. A traveler crossing the date
Hence, the IDL is drawn in a zig-zag
line from east to west loses a day (because
manner.
of the loss in time he has made); and while
crossing the dateline from west to east he Indian Standard Time
gains a day (because of the gain in time he
encountered). • The Indian Government has accepted the
• The International Date Line in the mid- meridian of 82*5° east for the standard
Pacific curves from the normal 180° time which is 5hrs. 30 mins, ahead of
meridian at the Bering Strait, Fiji, Tonga Greenwich Mean Time.
and other islands to prevent confusion of
 Page
|5

Chaibagaan Time
• 150 years ago British colonialists
introduced “chaibagaan time” or “bagaan
time”, a time schedule observed by tea
planters, which was one hour ahead of IST.
• This was done to improve productivity by
optimizing the usage of daytime.
• After Independence, Assam, along with the
rest of India, has been following IST for the
past 66 years.
• The administration of the Indian state of
Assam now wants to change it’s time zone
back to Chaibagaan time to conserve
energy and improve productivity.
• Indian government didn’t accept to such a
proposal.
Latitude Longitude
• Parallels • Meridian
• Angular distance of a point from the center of • Angular distance along the equator
the earth • Prime meridian = longitude
• Equator = 0° Latitude • Longitudes are named east or west of prime
• Latitudes are named south and north of meridian
equator • All longitudes are equal in length
• Their length decreases from equator to poles • Prime meridian 0° and International Date
• Equator has the maximum length Line 180° E or 180° W are important
• Equator, Tropic of Cancer 23.5° N, Tropic of longitudes
Capricorn 23.5° S, Arctic circle 66.5° N, • Used to determine time and date at a
Antarctic circle 66.5° S, North Pole 90° N and location
South Pole 90° S are important latitudes
• They help in determining the intensity of
sunlight received at a point
• They divide earth into torrid, temperate and
frigid zones
Both are used to determine the location of a point on earth. The location is identified with Co-
ordinates
1. Statements Page
Motions of the earth: Rotation and | 6
1) The shape of the Earth is Geoid.
2) The region that lies between Tropic of
Revolution
Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn is
called Torrid Zone.
3) The temperature decreases from
equator to poles because of the shape of
the earth.
4) North Poles is a latitude.

Which of the above statements are true?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) All
2. Which of the following is false?
a) Longitudes and Latitudes are useful to
determine time at a location. • Primarily two motions: Rotation and
b) Longitudes and Latitudes are useful to Revolution.
determine a location.
c) GMT is a reference time zone. All other
time zones make use of GMT to specify
time at a location.
d) Places to the east of Greenwich gain
time while those to the west lose.
3. Statements
1) A person travelling from Japan to USA
across International Date Line will gain
a day.
2) A person travelling from Hawaii to New
Zealand across International Date Line
will lose a day.
3) It is not continent for a country of
greater latitudinal extent but smaller
longitudinal extent to have multiple
time zones.
4) On a 24 hour clock, the time is 00:00 in Rotation of Earth
London. Then the time in Mumbai on a
12 hour clock will be 05:30 AM. • Earth rotates along its axis from west to
east.
Which of the above statements are false? • It takes approximately 24 hrs to complete
on rotation.
a) None
• Days and nights occur due to rotation of
b) 2 and 4 only
the earth.
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
• The circle that divides the day from night
d) 3 only
on the globe is called the circle of
illumination.
 Page
|7

• But due to atmosphere, the sun’s rays gets

refracted (bending of light). Refraction is
particularly stronger during the morning
and the evening time when the sun’s rays
are slant.
• Even though the actual sun is below the
horizon, its apparent image would appear
above the horizon due to refraction. This
makes the days longer than nights at the
equator.

Why temperature falls with increasing

latitude (as we move from equator
towards poles)?

• Earth rotates on a tilted axis. Earth’s

rotational axis makes an angle of 23.5°
with the normal i.e. it makes an angle of
66.5° with the orbital plane. Orbital plane
is the plane of earth’s orbit around the
Sun.

Why are days always longer than • Because of the spherical (Geoid) shape of
nights at the equator? the earth and the position of the sun.
• Because the energy received per unit area
• If there was no atmosphere, there would be decreases from equator to poles.
no refraction and the daytime and • Because Equator receives direct sunlight
nighttime would be near equal at the while Poles receive slant or oblique rays of
equator, at least during equinoxes. the Sun.
 Revolution

• The second motion of the earth around the

sun in its orbit is called revolution. It takes
365¼ days (one year) to revolve around
the sun.
• Six hours saved every year are added to Page
make one day (24 hours) over a span of | 8
four years. This surplus day is added to
the month of February. Thus every fourth
year, February is of 29 days instead of 28
days. Such a year with 366 days is called
a leap year.

Solstice the days. This position of the earth is

called the summer solstice.
• On 21st June, the northern hemisphere is • On 22nd December, the Tropic of
tilted towards the sun. The rays of the sun Capricorn receives direct rays of the sun as
fall directly on the Tropic of Cancer. As a the south pole tilts towards it. As the sun’s
result, these areas receive more heat. rays fall vertically at the Tropic of
• The areas near the poles receive less heat Capricorn (23½° s), a larger portion of the
as the rays of the sun are slanting. southern hemisphere gets light. Therefore,
• The north pole is inclined towards the sun it is summer in the southern hemisphere
and the places beyond the Arctic Circle with longer days and shorter nights. The
experience continuous daylight for about reverse happens in the northern
six months. hemisphere. This position of the earth is
• Since a large portion of the northern called the winter solstice.
hemisphere is getting light from the sun, it
is summer in the regions north of the Equinox
equator. The longest day and the
shortest night at these places occur on • On 21st March and September 23rd,
21st June. direct rays of the sun fall on the equator.
• At this time in the southern hemisphere all At this position, neither of the poles is
these conditions are reversed. It is winter tilted towards the sun; so, the whole earth
season there. The nights are longer than experiences equal days and equal nights.
This is called an equinox.
• On 23rd September, it is autumn season • Problems: DST clock shifts sometimes
[season after summer and before the complicate timekeeping and can disrupt
beginning of winter] in the northern travel, billing, record keeping, medical
hemisphere and spring season [season devices, heavy equipment, and sleep
after winter and before the beginning of patterns.
summer] in the southern hemisphere. The
opposite is the case on 21st March, when it 1. Variations in the length of daytime and Page
is spring in the northern hemisphere and night time from season to season are | 9
autumn in the southern hemisphere. due to
• Thus, you find that there are days and
a) the earth’s rotation on its axis
nights and changes in the seasons because
b) the earth’s revolution round the sun in
of the rotation and revolution of the earth
an elliptical manner
respectively.
c) latitudinal position of the place
• Rotation === Days and Nights.
d) revolution of the earth on a tilted axis
• Revolution === Seasons.
Hint: Revolution + Rotation on a Tilted Axis =
= Variation in seasons = = Variation in Day
Why regions beyond the Arctic circle
receive sunlight all day long in
summer?

• This is because of the tilt of the earth.

• Earth’s axis at the north pole is tilted
towards the sun in summer.
• So the whole of Arctic region falls within
the ‘zone of illumination’ all day long in
summer.
time and Night time
Daylight saving in some temperate
regions This is 3rd post in Climatology. In this post:
Atmosphere – Structure: Troposphere,
• Daylight saving time (DST) or summer Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere and
time is the practice of advancing clocks Exosphere; Composition: Major gasses and
during summer months by one hour. other constituents of atmosphere.
• In DST, evening time is increased by
sacrificing the morning hours. Atmosphere
[Normal days = Start office at 10 AM and close • Our planet earth is enveloped by a deep
at 5 PM blanket of gases extending several
In DST = Advance clock by one hour (can be thousands of kilometres above its surface.
more) = Start office at 9 AM and Close at 4 This gaseous cover of the earth is known
PM] as the atmosphere.
• Like land (lithosphere) and water
• Typically, users in regions with summer (hydrosphere), the atmosphere is an
time (Some countries in extreme north and integral part of the earth.
south) adjust clocks forward one hour • Compared to the earth’s radius, the
close to the start of spring and adjust them atmosphere appears to be only a very thin
backward in the autumn to standard time. layer of gases. However, because of the
• Advantage: Putting clocks forward benefits force of gravity, it is inseparable from the
retailing, sports, and other activities that earth.
exploit sunlight after working hours. • Atmospheric pressure: The air exerts
Reduces evening use of incandescent pressure on earth’s surface by virtue of its
lighting, which was formerly a primary use weight. This pressure is called atmospheric
of electricity. pressure. Atmospheric pressure is the
 most important climatic element. The suspended particles, water vapour and
atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1034 other variable gases were excluded from
gm per square centimeter. the atmosphere, then the dry air is very
stable all over the earth up to an altitude
Role of Earth’s Atmosphere of about 80 kilometres.

• The atmosphere contains various gases Page

like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen etc. | 10
• Plants require carbon dioxide to survive
while animals and many other organisms
need oxygen for their survival. The
atmosphere supplies these life giving
gases.
• All life forms need a particular range of
temperature and a specific range of
frequencies of solar radiation to carry out
their biophysical processes. The
atmosphere absorbs certain frequencies
and lets through some other frequencies of
solar radiation. In other words, the
atmosphere regulates the entry of solar
radiation.
• The atmosphere also keeps the
temperature over the earth’s surface within
certain limits. In the absence of the
atmosphere extremes of temperature would
exist between day and night over the
earth’s surface. • The proportion of gases changes in the
• Harmful ultraviolet radiation would find its higher layers of the atmosphere in such a
way through, if the atmosphere (ozone in way that oxygen will be almost in negligible
stratosphere to be specific) were absent. quantity at the height of 120 km. Similarly,
• The atmosphere also takes care of extra- carbon dioxide and water vapour are found
terrestrial objects like meteors which get only up to 90 km from the surface of the
burnt up while passing through the earth.
atmosphere (mesosphere to be precise) due • Nitrogen and oxygen make up nearly
to friction. 99% of the clean, dry air. The remaining
• Weather is another important phenomenon gases are mostly inert and constitute
which dictates the direction of a number of about 1% of the atmosphere.
natural and man-made processes like • Besides these gases, large quantities of
plant growth, agriculture, soil-formation, water vapour and dust particles are also
human settlements, etc. Various climatic present in the atmosphere. These solid and
factors join together to create weather. liquid particles are of great climatic
significance.
Composition of Atmosphere • Different constituents of the atmosphere,
with their individual characteristics, are
• The atmosphere is a mixture of many discussed below.
gases. In addition, it contains huge
numbers of solid and liquid particles, Oxygen
collectively called ‘aerosols’.
• Some of the gases may be regarded as • Oxygen, although constituting only 21% of
permanent atmospheric components total volume of atmosphere, is the most
which remain in fixed proportion to the important component among gases. All
total gas volume. living organisms inhale oxygen. Besides,
• Other constituents vary in quantity from oxygen can combine with other elements to
place to place and from time to time. If the form important compounds, such as,
 oxides. Also, combustion is not possible neon, helium, hydrogen, xenon,
without oxygen. krypton, methane etc.

Nitrogen Water Vapour

• Nitrogen accounts for 78% of total • Water Vapour is one of the most variable
atmospheric volume. It is a relatively gaseous substances present in atmosphere Page
inert gas, and is an important constituent – constituting between 0.02% and 4% of | 11
of all organic compounds. The main the total volume (in cold dry and humid
function of nitrogen is to control tropical climates respectively). 90% of
combustion by diluting oxygen. It also moisture content in the atmosphere exists
indirectly helps in oxidation of different within 6 km of the surface of the earth.
kinds. Like carbon dioxide, water vapour plays a
significant role in the insulating action, of
Carbon Dioxide the atmosphere.
• It absorbs not only the long-wave
• The third important gas is Carbon Dioxide terrestrial radiation (infrared or heat
which constitutes only about 0.03% of the emitted by earth during nights), but also a
dry air and is a product of combustion. part of the incoming solar radiation.
Green plants, through photosynthesis, • Water vapour is the source of precipitation
absorb carbon dioxide from the and clouds. On condensation, it releases
atmosphere and use it to manufacture food latent heat of condensation —the
and keep other bio-physical processes ultimate driving force behind all storms.
going.
• Being an efficient absorber of heat, The moisture – carrying capacity of air is
carbon dioxide is considered to be of great directly proportional to the air temperature.
climatic significance. Carbon dioxide is
considered to be a very important factor in Solid Particles
the heat energy budget.
• With increased burning of fossil fuels – oil, • The Solid Particles present in the
coal and natural gas – the carbon dioxide atmosphere consist of sand particles (from
percentage in the atmosphere has been weathered rocks and also derived from
increasing at an alarming rate. volcanic ash), pollen grains, small
• More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere organisms, soot, ocean salts; the upper
means more heat absorption. This could layers of the atmosphere may even have
significantly raise the temperature at lower fragments of meteors which got burnt up
levels of the atmosphere thus inducing in the atmosphere. These solid particles
drastic climatic changes. perform the function of absorbing,
reflecting and scattering the radiation.
Ozone (03) • The solid particles are, consequently,
responsible for the orange and red
• Ozone (03) is another important gas in the colours at sunset and sunrise and for the
atmosphere, which is actually a type of length of dawn (the first appearance of light in
oxygen molecule consisting of three, the sky before sunrise) and twilight (the soft
instead of two, atoms. It forms less than glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the
0.00005% by volume of the atmosphere horizon, caused by the reflection of the sun's rays by
and is unevenly distributed. It is between the atmosphere. Dusk: the darker stage of twilight.).
20 km and 25 km altitude that the The blue colour of the sky is also due to
greatest concentrations of ozone are found. selective scattering by dust particles.
It is formed at higher altitudes and • Some of the dust particles are hygroscopic
transported downwards. (i.e. readily absorbing moisture from air) in
• Ozone plays a crucial role in blocking the character, and as such, act as nuclei of
harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. condensation. Thus, dust particles are an
• Other gases found in almost negligible important contributory factor in the
quantities in the atmosphere are argon, formation of clouds, fog and hailstones.
Major Greenhouse Gases • The thickness is greater at the equator,
because the heated air rises to greater
Carbon dioxide heights.
• The troposphere ends with the
• Carbon dioxide is meteorologically a very Tropopause.
important gas as it is transparent to the • The temperature in this layer, as one goes
incoming solar radiation but opaque to upwards, falls at the rate of 6.5°C per Page
the outgoing terrestrial radiation. It kilometer, and reaches -45°C at the poles | 12
absorbs a part of terrestrial radiation and and -80°C over the equator at Tropopause
reflects back some part of it towards the (greater fall in temperature above equator
earth’s surface. It is largely responsible for is because of the greater thickness of
the greenhouse effect. troposphere – 18 km).
• The fall in temperature is called ‘lapse
Ozone rate’. (more about this in future posts)
• The troposphere is marked by
• Ozone is another important greenhouse temperature inversion, turbulence and
gas. But it is very small proportions at the eddies.
surface. • It is also meteorologically the most
significant zone in the entire atmosphere
Water vapour
(Almost all the weather phenomena like
rainfall, fog and hailstorm etc. are confined
• Water vapour is also a variable gas in the
to this layer).
atmosphere, which decreases with altitude.
• It is also called the convective region, since
Water vapour also decreases from the
all convection stops at Tropopause.
equator towards the poles.
• In the warm and wet tropics, it may
account for four per cent of the air by
volume, while in the dry and cold areas of
desert and polar regions, it may be less
than one per cent of the air.
• It also absorbs parts of the insolation from
the sun and preserves the earth’s radiated
heat.
• It thus, acts like a blanket allowing the
earth neither to become too cold nor too
hot. Water vapour also contributes to the
stability and instability in the air.

Methane

• One of the most important greenhouse

gases. It is produced from decomposition
of animal wastes and biological matter.

Structure of Atmosphere

• The atmosphere can be studied as a

layered entity – each layer having its own
peculiar characteristics. These layers are
systematically discussed below.

Troposphere

• It is the atmospheric layer between the • The troposphere is the theatre for weather
earth’s surface and an altitude of 8 km at because all cyclones, anticyclones, storms
the poles and 18 km at the equator.
 and precipitation occur here, as all water
vapours and solid particles lie within this.
• The troposphere is influenced by seasons
and jet streams.

Tropopause
Page
• Top most layer of troposphere. | 13
• It acts as a boundary between troposphere
and stratosphere.
• This layer is marked by constant
temperatures.

Stratosphere

• It lies beyond troposphere, up to an

altitude of 50 km from the earth’s surface.
• The temperature in this layer remains
constant for some distance but then rises
to reach a level of 0°C at 50 km altitude.
• This rise is due to the presence of ozone
(harmful ultraviolet radiation is absorbed
by ozone).
• This layer is almost free from clouds and
associated weather phenomenon, making
conditions most ideal for flying Thermosphere
aeroplanes. So aeroplanes fly in lower
stratosphere, sometimes in upper • In thermosphere temperature rises very
troposphere where weather is calm. rapidly with increasing height.
• Sometimes, cirrus clouds are present at • Ionosphere is a part of this layer. It
lower levels in this layer. extends between 80-400 km.
• This layer helps in radio transmission. In
Ozonosphere fact, radio waves transmitted from the
earth are reflected back to the earth by this
• It lies at an altitude between 30 km and layer.
60 km from the earth’s surface and spans • Person would not feel warm because of the
the stratosphere and lower mesosphere. thermosphere's extremely low pressure.
• Because of the presence of ozone • The International Space Station and
molecules, this layer reflects the harmful satellites orbit in this layer. (Though
ultraviolet radiation. temperature is high, the atmosphere is
• The ozonosphere is also called extremely rarified – gas molecules are
chemosphere because, a lot of chemical spaced hundreds of kilometers apart.
activity goes on here. Hence a person or an object in this layer
• The temperature rises at a rate of 5°C per doesn’t feel the heat)
kilometer through the ozonosphere. • Aurora’s are observed in lower parts of
this layer.
Mesosphere
Ionosphere
• This is an intermediate layer beyond the
ozone layer and continues upto an altitude • This layer is located between 80 km and
of 80 km from the earth’s surface. 400 km and is an electrically charged
• The temperature gradually falls to -100°C layer.
at 80 km altitude. • This layer is characterized by ionization of
• Meteorites burn up in this layer on atoms.
entering from the space.
• Because of the electric charge,
radio waves transmitted from
the earth are reflected back to
the earth by this layer.
• Temperature again starts
increasing with height because
of radiation from the sun. Page
| 14
Exosphere

• This is the uppermost layer of

the atmosphere extending
beyond the ionosphere above a height of
about 400 km.
• The air is extremely rarefied and the
temperature gradually increases through
the layer.
• Light gases like helium and hydrogen
float into the space from here.
• Temperature gradually increases through
the layer. (As it is exposed to direct
sunlight)
• This layer coincides with space.

Speed of sound follows temperature

profile

• This is because speed of sound is directly

proportional to temperature as we move
away from earth.

Temperature Distribution on Earth

• Sun is the ultimate source of heat. And the
differential heat received from sun by
different regions on earth is the ultimate
reason behind all climatic features. So
understanding the patterns of distribution
of temperature in different seasons is
important for understanding various
climatic features like wind systems,
pressure systems, precipitation etc..

Insolation

• Earth intercepts only one in two billion

parts of solar radiation. This intercepted
radiation is called Insolation.
• Insolation == Proportion of Solar energy negligible
received or intercepted by earth. compared
• Some heat within the core and mantle is to that
transferred to the surface and ocean received
bottoms through volcanoes, springs and from sun.
geysers. But this heat received at the
surface form interiors of the earth is
• Earth receives Sun’s radiation (heat) in the • Absorption of solar radiation takes place if
form of short waves (visible light + the obstructing particles happen to be
wavelengths below visible light – most of water vapour, ozone molecules, carbon
it is ultraviolet radiation) which are of dioxide molecules or clouds.
electromagnetic nature. The earth absorbs • Most of the light received by earth is
short wave radiation during daytime and scattered light.
reflects back the heat received into space Page
as long-wave radiation (mostly infrared Land-Sea Differential | 15
radiation) during night.
• Albedo of land is much greater than albedo
Ways of Transfer of Heat Energy of oceans and water bodies. Especially
snow covered areas reflect up to 70%-90%
• The heat energy from the solar radiation is of insolation.
received by the earth through three • Average penetration of sunlight is more in
mechanisms— water – up to 20 metres, than in land –
• Radiation == Heat transfer from one body where it is up to 1 metre only. Therefore,
to another without actual contact or land cools or becomes hot more rapidly
movement. It is possible in relatively compared to oceans. In oceans, continuous
emptier space, for instance, from the sun convection cycle helps in heat exchange
to the earth through space. between layers keeping diurnal and annual
• Conduction == Heat transfer through temperature ranges low. (more while
matter by molecular activity. Heat studying salinity and temperature
transfer in iron and other metals is by distribution of oceans)
conduction. Generally, denser materials • The specific heat of water is 2.5 times
like water are good conductors and a higher than landmass, therefore water
lighter medium like air is a bad conductor takes longer to get heated up and to cool
of heat. down.
• Convection == Transfer of heat energy by
Prevailing Winds
actual transfer of matter or substance
from one place to another. (heat transfer • Winds transfer heat from one latitude to
by convection cycles in atmosphere as well another. They also help in exchange of
as oceans) heat between land and water bodies.
• The oceanic winds have the capacity to
Factors Affecting Temperature
take the moderating influence of the sea to
Distribution coastal areas – reflected in cool summers
and mild winters. This effect is pronounced
The Angle of Incidence or the Inclination of
only on the windward side (the side facing
the Sun’s Rays
the ocean).
Duration of Sunshine

• Heat received depends on day or night;

clear sky or overcast, summer or winter
etc..

Transparency of Atmosphere

• Aerosols (smoke, sooth), dust, water

vopour, clouds etc. effect transparency.
• If the wavelength (X) of the radiation is
more than the radius of the obstructing
particle (such as a gas), then scattering of
radiation takes place.
• If the wavelength is less than the
obstructing particle (such as a dust
particle), then total reflection takes place.
• The leeward side or the interiors do not get • On 3rd January, the earth is the nearest
the moderating effect of the sea, and to the sun (147 million km). This position
therefore experience extremes of is called perihelion.
temperature. • Therefore, the annual insolation received
by the earth on 3rd January is slightly
Aspects of Slope more than the amount received on 4th
July. Page
• However, the effect of this variation in the | 16
solar output is masked by other factors
like the distribution of land and sea and
the atmospheric circulation.
• Hence, this variation in the solar output
does not have great effect on daily weather
changes on the surface of the earth.

Latitudinal Heat Balance

• The amount of insolation received varies

from latitude to latitude.
• The direction of the slope and its angle • Regions within the equator and 40° N and
control the amount of solar radiation S latitudes receive abundant sunlight and
received locally. Slopes more exposed to hence more heat will be gained than lost.
the sun receive more solar radiation than Hence they are energy surplus regions.
those away from the sun’s direct rays. • Regions beyond 40° N and S latitudes lose
• Slopes that receive direct Sun’s rays are more heat than that gained from sunlight.
dry due to loss of moisture through excess Hence they are energy deficit regions
evaporation. These slopes remain barren if (This is because of slant sunlight and
irrigational facilities are absent. But slopes high albedo of polar regions).
with good irrigational facilities are good for • Going by this logic, the tropics should have
agriculture due to abundant sunlight been getting progressively hotter and the
available. They are occupied by dense poles getting progressively cooler. And the
human settlements. planet would have been inhospitable
• Slopes that are devoid of direct sunlight except for few regions near mid-latitudes.
are usually well forested. But, in reality, this does not happen.
• The atmosphere (planetary winds) and the
Ocean Currents oceans (ocean currents) transfer excess
heat from the tropics (energy surplus
• Ocean currents influence the temperature region) towards the poles (energy deficit
of adjacent land areas considerably. (more regions) making up for heat loss at higher
while studying ocean currents). latitudes.
• And most of the heat transfer takes place
Altitude
across the mid-latitudes (30° to 50°)[more
• With increase in height, pressure falls, the while studding jet streams and cyclones],
effect of greenhouse gases decreases and and hence much of the stormy weather is
hence temperature decreases (applicable associated with this region.
only to troposphere). • Thus, the transfer of surplus energy from
• The normal lapse rate is roughly 1⁰ C for the lower latitudes to the deficit energy
every 165 metres of ascent. zone of the higher latitudes, maintains an
overall balance over the earth’s surface.
Earth’s Distance form Sun • The earth receives a certain amount of
Insolation (short waves) and gives back
• During its revolution around the sun, the heat into space by terrestrial radiation
earth is farthest from the sun (152 million (longwave radiation). Through this give
km on 4th July). This position of the and take, or the heat budget, the earth
earth is called aphelion. maintains a constant temperature.
 The Mean Annual Temperature
Distribution

• Isotherm == An imaginary line joining

places having equal temperatures.
• The horizontal or latitudinal distribution of
temperature is shown with the help of a Page
map with isotherms. | 17
• Effects of altitude is not considered while
drawing an isotherm. All the temperatures
are reduced to sea levels.

General characteristics of isotherms.

• Generally follow the parallels: Isotherms

have close correspondence with the
latitude parallels mainly because the same
amount of insolation is received by all the
points located on the same latitude.
• Sudden bends at ocean – continent
boundaries: Due to differential heating of
land and water, temperatures above the
oceans and landmasses vary even on the
same latitude. (we have seen how land sea
differential effects temperature
distribution)
• Narrow spacing between isotherms
indicate rapid change in temperature
(high thermal gradient).
• Wide spacing between isotherms indicate
small or slow change in temperatures (low
thermal gradient).

General Temperature Distribution

• The highest temperatures occur over

tropics and sub-tropics (high insolation).
The lowest temperatures occur in polar
Heat Budget and sub polar regions. in continents due to
the effect of continentiality.
• Diurnal and annual range of temperatures
are highest in the interiors of continents
due to the effect of continentiality (in
continental interiors these will no
moderating effect of oceans).
• Diurnal and annual range of temperatures
are least in oceans. [high specific heat of
water and mixing of water keep the range
low]
• Low temperature gradients are observed
over tropics (sun is almost overhead the
entire year) and high temperature
gradients over middle and higher latitudes
Gif Image: Watch in power point in full screen (sun’s apparent path varies significantly
mode. from season to season).
• Temperature gradients are usually low over
the eastern margins of continents. (This is
because of warm ocean currents)
• Temperature gradients are usually high
over the western margins of continents.
(This is because of cold ocean currents)
• The isotherms are irregular over the Page
northern hemisphere due to an enhanced | 18
land-sea contrast. Because of
predominance of land over water in the
north, the northern hemisphere is
warmer. The thermal equator (ITCZ) lies
generally to the north of geographical
equator.
• While passing through an area with warm
ocean currents, the isotherms show a • During January, it is winter in the
poleward shift. (North Atlantic Drift and northern hemisphere and summer in the
Gulf Stream combined with westerlies in southern hemisphere.
Northern Atlantic; Kurishino Current and • The western margins of continents are
North Pacific current combined with warmer than their eastern counterparts,
westerlies in Northern Pacific) (we will see since the Westerlies are able to carry high
about ocean currents in detail later.) temperature into the landmasses.
• Mountains also affect the horizontal • The temperature gradient is close to the
distribution of temperature. For instance, eastern margins of continents. The
the Rockies and the Andes stop the isotherms exhibit a more regular behavior
oceanic influence from going inwards into in the southern hemisphere.
North and South America.
Northern Hemisphere
Seasonal Temperature Distribution
• The isotherms deviate to the north over the
• The global distribution of temperature can ocean and to the south over the continent.
well be understood by studying the This can be seen on the North Atlantic
temperature distribution in January and Ocean.
July. • The presence of warm ocean currents, Gulf
• The temperature distribution is generally Stream and North Atlantic drift, make the
shown on the map with the help of Northern Atlantic Ocean warmer and the
isotherms. The Isotherms are lines joining isotherms show a poleward shift indicating
places having equal temperature. that the oceans are warmer and are able to
• In general the effect of the latitude on carry high temperatures poleward.
temperature is well pronounced on the • An equator ward bend of the isotherms
map, as the isotherms are generally over the northern continents shows that
parallel to the latitude. The deviation from the landmasses are overcooled and that
this general trend is more pronounced in polar cold winds are able to penetrate
January than in July, especially in the southwards, even in the interiors. It is
northern hemisphere. much pronounced in the Siberian plain.
• In the northern hemisphere the land • Lowest temperatures are recorded over
surface area is much larger than in the northern Siberia and Greenland.
southern hemisphere. Hence, the effects of
land mass and the ocean currents are well Southern Hemisphere
pronounced.
• The effect of the ocean is well pronounced
Seasonal Temperature Distribution – in the southern hemisphere. Here the
January isotherms are more or less parallel to the
latitudes and the variation in temperature
 is more gradual than in the northern noticed in the subtropical continental
hemisphere. region of Asia, along the 30° N latitude.
• The high temperature belt runs in the
southern hemisphere, somewhere along Northern Hemisphere
30°S latitude.
• The highest range of temperature is more
• The thermal equator lies to the south of
than 60° C over the north-eastern part of Page
geographical equator (because the
Eurasian continent. This is due to | 19
Intertropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ
continentiality. The least range of
has shifted southwards with the apparent
temperature, 3°C, is found between 20° S
southward movement of the sun).
and 15° N.
Seasonal Temperature Distribution – • Over the northern continents, a poleward
July bend of the isotherms indicates that the
landmasses are overheated and the hot
tropical winds are able to go far into the
northern interiors.
• The isotherms over the northern oceans
show an equator ward shift indicating that
the oceans are cooler and are able to carry
the moderating effect into tropical
interiors. The lowest temperatures are
experienced over Greenland.
• The highest temperature belt runs through
northern Africa, west Asia, north-west
India arid southeastern USA. The
temperature gradient is irregular and
follows a zig-zag path over the northern
hemisphere.

Southern Hemisphere

• The gradient becomes regular over the

southern hemisphere but shows a slight
bend towards the equator at the edges of
continents. Thermal equator now lies to
the north of the geographical equator.

Questions from NCERT

1. The atmosphere is mainly heated by the:

(a) Short wave solar radiation
(b) Long wave terrestrial radiation
(c) Reflected solar radiation
(d) Scattered solar radiation
2. The main reason that the earth
experiences highest temperatures in the
subtropics in the northern hemisphere
• During July, it is summer in the northern rather than at the equator is:
hemisphere and winter in the southern (a) Subtropical areas tend to have less
hemisphere. The isothermal behavior is the cloud cover than equatorial areas.
opposite of what it is in January. (b) Subtropical areas have longer day
• In July the isotherms generally run parallel hours in the summer than the
to the latitudes. The equatorial oceans equatorial.
record warmer temperature, more than (c) Subtropical areas have an enhanced
27°C. Over the land more than 30°C is “greenhouse effect” compared to
equatorial areas.
 (d) Subtropical areas are nearer to the all will help immensely in understanding the
oceanic areas than the equatorial future posts on climatology.
locations.
• Lapse rate is rate of change in temperature
Match the following observed while moving upward through the
Earth’s atmosphere (troposphere to be
specific). Page
• The lapse rate is considered positive when | 20
the temperature decreases with elevation,
zero when the temperature is constant
with elevation, and negative when the
temperature increases with elevation
(temperature inversion).
30 words • The lapse rate of non-rising air –
commonly referred to as the normal, or
1) How does the unequal distribution of heat Environmental, Lapse Rate (ELR) – is
over the planet earth in space and time highly variable, being affected by
cause variations in weather and climate? radiation, convection, and
2) What are the factors that control condensation; it averages about 6.5 °C
temperature distribution on the surface of per kilometer in the lower atmosphere
the earth? (troposphere).
3) In India, why is the day temperature
maximum in May and why not after the Why does temperature fall with
summer solstice? elevation
4) Why is the annual range of temperature
high in the Siberian plains • When we move up a hill, we notice a fall in
temperature. This fall in temperature with
150 words elevation is primarily due to two reasons.
1) How do the latitude and the tilt in the axis 1. With increase in elevation, the
of rotation of the earth affect the amount of atmospheric pressure falls. Fall in
radiation received at the earth’s surface? pressure implies that the temperature also
2) Discuss the processes through which the falls [Pressure is directly proportional to
earth-atmosphere system maintains heat Temperature and vice versa]
balance. 2. With increase in elevation, the
3) Compare the global distribution of concentration of greenhouse gases
temperature in January over the northern decrease (Water vapor and carbon dioxide
and the southern hemisphere of the earth. fall sharply with elevation). Hence the heat
absorption capacity of atmosphere will also
Lapse Rate decrease.

This sort of fall in temperature with elevation

Condensation of water vapour, is called Temperature Lapse and the rate at
thunderstorms, cyclonic and anticyclonic which it happens is called Temperature Lapse
conditions etc. depend on Adiabatic Lapse Rate or simply Lapse rate.
Rate. Adiabatic Lapse Rate determines the
Rate Of Condensation and the rate of Adiabatic Lapse rate
condensation determines the amount of
Latent Heat of Condensation Released. • Lapse rate is the rate of fall in temperature
of atmosphere with elevation.
All the explanation below is meant to explain
• Adiabatic Lapse Rate is the rate of fall in
‘Adiabatic Lapse Rate’ and ‘Latent Heat of
temperature of a rising or a falling air
Condensation’. These two terms occur
parcel adiabatically.
frequently in almost all the future topics of
• Adiabatic or adiabatically: Heat doesn’t
climatology. They won’t be specifically asked
enter or leave the system. All temperature
in the exam. But understanding them once for
changes are internal.
• Adiabatic Lapse rate is governed by Gas • When an air parcel is subjected to
law. differential heating compared to the
surrounding air, it becomes lighter (less
Gas law denser) or heavier (more denser) depending
on whether the air parcel is heated or
• According to gas law Pressure ‘P’ is directly cooled.
proportional to Temperature ‘T’ when • When an air parcel receives more heat Page
Volume ‘V’ is a constant. than the surrounding air, its temperature | 21
increases leading to an increase in volume
Just for understanding (Increase in Volume == Fall in Density).
Example 1: A balloon The air parcel becomes lighter than the
surrounding air and it starts to rise. This
• When we blow air into a balloon, pressure process is non-adiabatic (there is heat
increases but temperature doesn’t increase exchange between the air parcel and the
due to proportionate increase in volume external environment).
(here V is not constant). When excess air is • But when the air parcel starts to rise, the
blown, balloon bursts as it cannot with ambient pressure on it starts to fall [The
stand the pressure. atmospheric pressure decreases with
height, so the pressure on the air parcel
Example 2: Vehicle tube decreases with height]. With the fall in
ambient pressure, the temperature falls
• In a vehicle tube, volume remains and the volume increases. This is
constant. When air is blown, pressure adiabatic [there is no heat exchange
increases and hence the temperature. between the air parcel and the external
• We are usually advised not to have full environment. All the temperature changes
blown tubes because when vehicle travels are internal. Temperature changes are only
on a road, the friction between the tire and due to change in pressure or volume or
the road increases the temperature of the both].
air in the tube. As temperature is directly • This fall in temperature with the rising of
proportional to pressure, increase in the air parcel is called Adiabatic
temperature leads to increase in pressure Temperature Lapse. And the rate at which
and at certain pressure threshold, the tire it happens is called Adiabatic Lapse Rate
bursts. [This is Positive Adiabatic Lapse Rate as
the Temperature is falling].
The above examples explain the relation
between Pressure, Temperature and Volume. [Lapse Rate == fall in temperature with height.
They are both non-adiabatic processes as Adiabatic Lapse Rate == Fall in temperature in
there is (will be) heat exchange between the a rising parcel of air without losing any
system and the external environment. internal heat]
Adiabatic Process: A Parcel of Rising Rising of a parcel of air (and associated
or Falling Air Positive Adiabatic Lapse Rate) is the first step
in the formation of Thunderstorms, Tornadoes
• An air bubble rises in water whereas stone and Cyclones. [We will see this in detail in
sinks. This is obvious. The stone is denser future posts]
(heavier than water) and it sinks whereas
the air bubble is less denser (lighter than A Parcel of Falling Air
water) and it rises.
• Similarly, a parcel of air rises when it is • An air parcels falls to the lower levels of
less denser than the surrounding troposphere when it is cooled sufficiently.
environment and it falls when its density • When an air parcel is in the upper levels, it
becomes greater than the surrounding gets cooled due to lower temperatures
environment. (Lapse Rate). It’s volume falls and it’s
density increases. When it becomes more
A Parcel of Rising Air denser than the surroundings, it starts to
fall.
• This also happens when an air parcel is in Unsaturated air == It’s stomach is not full. It
contact with cooler surfaces like mountain can accommodate some more moisture.]
slopes. We will see more about this in
temperature inversion. • When a rising air parcel has little
• The beginning of fall is a non-adiabatic moisture, condensation during upliftment
process as there is an exchange of heat is low, the latent heat of condensation
between the air parcel and the released is low [Less additional heat from Page
surrounding environment. inside]. As a result, the fall in temperature | 22
• When an air parcel is falling, the with height is greater compared to
atmospheric pressure acting on it will Adiabatic Lapse Rate (normal parcel of air).
increase and its internal temperature will [I have explained in detail in my videos]
increase adiabatically. [This is Negative • The dry adiabatic lapse rate for the Earth’s
Adiabatic Lapse Rate as the atmosphere equals 9.8° C per kilometre.
Temperature is rising]. • Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate is mainly
associated with stable conditions
Katabatic Wind is a hot dry wind that blows [because it has less moisture].
down a mountain slope. It is an example for a
falling parcel of air in which the temperature Wet Adiabatic Lapse rate
changes happen adiabatically.
• When an air parcel that is saturated
Adiabatic Lapse Rate in simple terms (stomach full) with water vapour rises,
some of the vapour will condense and
• Adiabatic change refers to the change in release latent heat [Additional Heat from
temperature with pressure. inside]. This process causes the parcel to
• On descent through atmosphere, the lower cool more slowly than it would if it were
layers are compressed under atmospheric not saturated.
pressure. As a result, the temperature • The moist adiabatic lapse rate varies
increases. considerably because the amount of water
• On ascent, the air expands as pressure vapour in the air is highly variable. The
‘decreases’. This expansion reduces the greater the amount of vapour, the smaller
temperature and aids condensation of the adiabatic lapse rate [because the
water vapour. Condensation of water condensation process keeps on adding
vapour releases the Latent Heat of more latent heat of condensation]. On an
Condensation in the process. average it is taken as 4° C per kilometre.
• This latent heat of condensation is the
major driving force behind tropical
cyclones, convectional rains.

Wet and Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate

• Adiabatic lapse rates are usually

differentiated as dry or wet (moist).

Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate

• The Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) is the

rate of fall in temperature with altitude for
a parcel of dry or unsaturated air (air with
less moisture, to keep it simple) rising
under adiabatic conditions.
• Unsaturated air has less than 100%
relative humidity (we will study about
Humidity in future posts).

[Saturated air == The air that cannot hold any

more moisture. Its stomach is full
• Wet Adiabatic Lapse rate is mainly moist adiabatic lapse rates determines the
associated with unstable conditions vertical stability of the atmosphere.
[because it has more moisture]. • For this reason, the lapse rate is of prime
• As an air parcel rises and cools, it may importance to meteorologists in forecasting
eventually lose its moisture through certain types of cloud formations, the
condensation; its lapse rate then increases incidence of thunderstorms, and the
and approaches the dry adiabatic value. intensity of atmospheric turbulence. Page
| 23
Significance in meteorology Weather conditions at
different adiabatic lapse rates
• The difference between the normal lapse
rate in the atmosphere and the dry and

1. LR (Lapse Rate) = Average Adiabatic Conditional stability: WALR < ALR <
Lapse Rate of entire atmosphere = DALR == Normal moisture conditions == It
6 °C/km [ALR of a place may be may or may not rain
greater than or lesser than the Laspe
Rate of atmosphere, i.e, it may be less Absolute instability: ALR (at a place) <
than or greater than 6 °C/km] WALR == Excess moisture in the air parcel
2. If ALR at a place is greater == It will rain violently.
than 6 °C/km then it is called DALR =
Less moisture than normal = more Absolute stability: ALR (at a place) >
stable than normal. DALR
3. If ALR at a place is lesser
than 6 °C/km then it is called WALR = • The above condition simply means that
More moisture than normal = less there is little moisture in air.
stable than normal or instability. • When there is little moisture, condensation
of water vapour is low, so latent of
Absolute stability: ALR (at a place) > condensation released will be low, and the
DALR == Little moisture in the air parcel == rising parcel of air gets cold quickly, and it
It won’t rain falls to the ground once it becomes denser.
• So there will be no cloud formation and The latent heat is normally expressed as the
hence there will be no rain amount of heat (in units of joules or calories)
(thunderstorms). per mole or unit mass of the substance
• This simply means that the condition is undergoing a change of state.
stable.
• For example, when a pot of water is kept
Conditional stability: WALR < ALR < boiling, the temperature remains at 100 °C Page
DALR until the last drop evaporates, because all | 24
the heat being added to the liquid is
• The above condition simply means that absorbed as latent heat of vaporization and
there is enough moisture in air and there carried away by the escaping vapour
are chances of thunderstorms. molecules.
• When there is considerable moisture in the • Similarly, while ice melts, it remains at 0
air parcel, condensation of water vapour °C, and the liquid water that is formed with
will be reasonably high, so latent of the latent heat of fusion is also at 0 °C.
condensation released will be adequate to
drive a thunderstorm. The occurrence of Explanation
thunderstorm depends on external factors.
So the weather will be associated with
conditional stability (it may rain or it may
not rain)

Absolute instability: ALR (at a place) <

WALR

• The above condition simply means that

there is more moisture in air and there will
be thunderstorms.
• When there is unusually high moisture in
the air parcel, condensation of water
vapour will be very high, so latent of
condensation released will be great enough
to drive a violent thunderstorm. So the
weather will be associated with absolute
instability.

Latent Heat of Condensation

• Latent heat of condensation is the driving
force behind all tropical cyclones.

Latent Heat

• It is the heat released or absorbed during

phase change.
• Latent heat, characteristic amount of
energy absorbed or released by a
substance during a change in its physical
state that occurs without changing its
temperature.
• The latent heat associated with melting a
solid or freezing a liquid is called the heat
of fusion; that associated with vaporizing On X – axis: Heat supplied to the system.
a liquid or a solid or condensing a vapour On Y – Axis: Temperature change in the
is called the heat of vaporization. system.
• From the above graph, we can observe that What do you understand by phenomenon of
there is no change in temperature in the “temperature inversion” in meteorology? How
system during change of state or phase does it affect weather and habitants of the
change (solid to liquid, liquid to solid, place?
liquid to gas and gas to liquid). Then where
did the heat supplied go? Temperature Inversion
• Initially the heat supplied is used to raise Page
the temperature of the system (A – B & C – • Temperature inversion, is a reversal of the | 25
D) normal behavior of temperature in the
• During phase change, the heat supplied is troposphere, in which a layer of cool air at
consumed to turn water into liquid and the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer
then liquid into gas. So the heat supplied air. (Under normal conditions,
in used in phase change. Hence temperature usually decreases with
temperature of the system remains height)
constant during phase change process. (B
– C & D – E)
• But when gas turns into liquid or liquid
into solid, heat is released. (this heat is the
heat that was used during the phase
change process)

So latent heat of condensation is the heat

released when gases turn into liquid. Effects of Temperature Inversion
Vertical Distribution of • Inversions play an important role in
Temperature determining cloud forms, precipitation,
and visibility.
• The normal, lapse rate is uniform at a • An inversion acts as a cap on the upward
given level at all latitudes within the movement of air from the layers below. As
troposphere. a result, convection produced by the
• At the Tropopause, the lapse rate stops at heating of air from below is limited to
zero i.e. there is no change in temperature levels below the inversion. Diffusion of
there. dust, smoke, and other air pollutants is
• In the lower stratosphere, the lapse rate likewise limited.
remains constant for some height, while • In regions where a pronounced low-level
higher temperatures exist over the poles inversion is present, convective clouds
because this layer is closer to earth at the cannot grow high enough to produce
poles. showers.
• Visibility may be greatly reduced below the
Temperature Anomaly inversion due to the accumulation of dust
and smoke particles. Because air near the
• The difference between the mean base of an inversion tends to be cool, fog is
temperature of a place and the mean frequently present there.
temperature of its parallel (latitude) is • Inversions also
called the temperature anomaly or affect diurnal
thermal anomaly. variations in
• The largest anomalies occur in the temperature.
northern hemisphere and the smallest in Diurnal variations
the southern hemisphere. tend to be very
small.
Temperature Inversion – Types – Effect on
Weather. Ideal Conditions For Temperature
Inversion
UPSC mains 2013 question.
1. Long nights, so that the outgoing radiation • This condition, opposite to normal vertical
is greater than the incoming radiation. distribution of temperature, is known as
2. Clear skies, which allow unobstructed Temperature Inversion.
escape of radiation. • In other words, the vertical temperature
3. Calm and stable air, so that there is no gets inverted during temperature inversion.
vertical mixing at lower levels. • This kind of temperature inversion is very
strong in the middle and higher latitudes. Page
Types of Temperature Inversion It can be strong in regions with high | 26
mountains or deep valleys also.
Temperature Inversion in
Intermontane Valley (Air Drainage Ground Inversion (Surface
Type of Inversion) Temperature Inversion)

• A ground inversion develops when air is

cooled by contact with a colder surface
until it becomes cooler than the overlying
atmosphere; this occurs most often on
clear nights, when the ground cools off
rapidly by radiation. If the temperature of
surface air drops below its dew point, fog
may result.
• This kind of temperature inversion is very
common in the higher latitudes.
• Surface temperature inversion in lower and
middle latitudes occurs during cold nights
and gets destroyed during daytime.

• Sometimes, the temperature in the lower

layers of air increases instead of
decreasing with elevation. This happens
commonly along a sloping surface.
• Here, the surface radiates heat back to
space rapidly and cools down at a faster
rate than the upper layers. As a result the
lower cold layers get condensed and
become heavy.
• The sloping surface underneath makes
them move towards the bottom where the
cold layer settles down as a zone of low
temperature while the upper layers are
relatively warmer.
 Subsidence Inversion (Upper Surface horizontal. In addition, humidity may be
Temperature Inversion) high, and clouds may be present
immediately above it.
• This types of inversion is unstable and is
destroyed as the weather changes.

Economic Implications of Temperature Page

Inversion | 27

• Sometimes, the temperature of the air at

the valley bottom reaches below freezing
point, whereas the air at higher altitude
remains comparatively warm. As a result,
the trees along the lower slopes are bitten
by frost, whereas those at higher levels are
free from it.
• Due to inversion of temperature, air
pollutants such as dust particles and
smoke do not disperse in the valley
bottoms. Because of these factors, houses
and farms in intermontane valleys are
usually situated along the upper slopes,
A subsidence inversion develops when a avoiding the cold and foggy valley bottoms.
widespread layer of air descends. For instance, coffee growers of Brazil and
apple growers and hoteliers of mountain
• The layer is compressed and heated by the states of Himalayas in India avoid lower
resulting increase in atmospheric pressure, slopes.
and as a result the lapse rate of • Fog lowers visibility affecting vegetation
temperature is reduced. and human settlements.
• If the air mass sinks low enough, the air at • Less rainfall due to stable conditions.
higher altitudes becomes warmer than at
lower altitudes, producing a temperature Pressure Systems
inversion.
• Subsidence inversions are common over • Air expands when heated and gets
the northern continents in winter (dry compressed when cooled. This results in
atmosphere) and over the subtropical variations in the atmospheric pressure.
oceans; these regions generally have • The differences in atmospheric pressure
subsiding air because they are located causes the movement of air from high
under large high-pressure centers. pressure to low pressure, setting the air in
• This temperature inversion is called upper motion. Atmospheric pressure also
surface temperature inversion because it determines when the air will rise or sink.
takes place in the upper parts of the • Air in horizontal motion is wind. The wind
atmosphere. redistributes the heat and moisture across
latitudes, thereby, maintaining a constant
Frontal Inversion (Advectional type of
temperature for the planet as a whole.
Temperature Inversion ) • The vertical rising of moist air forms clouds
and bring precipitation.
• A frontal inversion occurs when a cold air
mass undercuts a warm air mass (Cold Air Pressure
and Warm Fronts: we will study in detail
later) and lifts it aloft; the front between • Since air has mass, it also has weight. The
the two air masses then has warm air pressure of air at a given place is defined
above and cold air below. as a force exerted in all directions by virtue
• This kind of inversion has considerable of the weight of all the air above it.
slope, whereas other inversions are nearly
• The weight of a column of air contained in • The pressure decreases with height. At any
a unit area from the mean sea level to the elevation it varies from place to place and
top of the atmosphere is called the its variation is the primary cause of air
atmospheric pressure. The atmospheric motion, i.e. wind which moves from high
pressure is expressed in various units. pressure areas to low pressure areas.
• A rising pressure indicates fine, settled
Measurement of Air Pressure weather, while a falling pressure indicates Page
unstable and cloudy weather. | 28
• Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the
column of air at any given place and time. Horizontal Distribution of Pressure
It is measured by means of an instrument
called barometer. • Small differences in pressure are highly
• The units used by meteorologists for this significant in terms of the wind direction
purpose are called millibars (mb). and velocity. Horizontal distribution of
• One millibar is equal to the force of one pressure is studied by drawing isobars at
gram on a square centimeter. A pressure of constant levels.
1000 millibars is equal to the weight of • Isobars are lines connecting places having
1.053 kilograms per square centimeter. equal pressure. In order to eliminate the
• In other words, it will be equal to the effect of altitude on pressure, it is
weight of a column of mercury 75 cm high. measured at any station after being
• The normal pressure at sea level is taken reduced to sea level for purposes of
to be about 76 centimeters (1013.25 comparison.
millibars). • The spacing of isobars expresses the rate
and direction of pressure changes and is
Vertical Variation of Pressure

• In the lower atmosphere the pressure

decreases rapidly with height.
• At the height of Mt. Everest, the air
pressure is about two-thirds less than
what it is at the sea level.
• The decrease in pressure with altitude,
however, is not constant. Since the factors
controlling air density – temperature, referred to as pressure gradient.
amount of water vapour and gravity are • Close spacing of isobars indicates a steep
variable, there is no simple relationship or strong pressure gradient, while wide
between altitude and pressure. spacing suggests weak gradient. The
• In general, the atmospheric pressure pressure gradient may thus be defined as
decreases on an average at the rate of the decrease in pressure per unit distance
about 34 millibars every 300 metres of in the direction in which the pressure
height. decreases most rapidly.
• The vertical pressure gradient force is • There are distinctly identifiable zones of
much larger than that of the horizontal homogeneous horizontal pressure regimes
pressure gradient. But, it is generally or ‘pressure belts’. On the earth’s surface,
balanced by a nearly equal but opposite there are in all seven pressure belts.
gravitational force. Hence, we do not • The seven pressure belts are :
experience strong upward winds. 1. equatorial low,
• Due to gravity the air at the surface is 2. the sub-tropical highs,
denser and hence has higher pressure. 3. the sub-polar lows, and
Since air pressure is proportional to 4. the polar highs.
density as well as temperature, it follows • Except the equatorial low, all others form
that a change in either temperature or matching pairs in the northern and
density will cause a corresponding change southern hemispheres.
in the pressure.
 Closed Isobars or Closed Pressure • Due to intense heating, air gets warmed up
centers and rises over the equatorial region
(convection).
• Low pressure system is enclosed by one or • Whenever there is vertically upward
more isobars with the lowest pressure in movement of air, the region at the surface
the centre. High-pressure system is also will be at low pressure. Thus the belt along
enclosed by one or more isobars with the the equator is called equatorial low Page
highest pressure in the centre. pressure belt. | 29

World Distribution of Sea Level

Pressure

• The atmosphere exerts a pressure of 1034

gm per square cm at sea level. This
amount of pressure is exerted by the
atmosphere at sea level on all animals,
plants, rocks, etc.
• Near the equator the sea level pressure is
low and the area is known as equatorial
low. Along 30° N and 30° S are found the
high-pressure areas known as the
subtropical highs. Further pole wards
along 60° N and 60° S, the low-pressure
belts are termed as the sub polar lows.
Near the poles the pressure is high and it
is known as the polar high.
• These pressure belts are not permanent
in nature. They oscillate with the apparent
movement of the sun. In the northern
hemisphere in winter they move Climate
southwards and in the summer
northwards. • This belt is characterized by extremely
low pressure with calm conditions.
Equatorial Low Pressure Belt or • This is because of the absence of Surface
‘Doldrums’ winds since winds approaching this belt
begin to rise near its margin. Thus, only
• Lies between 10°N and 10°S latitudes. vertical currents are found.
• Width may vary between 5°N and 5°S and • As the larger part of the low pressure belt
20°N and 20°S. passes along the oceans, the winds obtain
• This belt happens to be the zone of huge amount of moisture.
convergence of trade winds from two • Vertical winds (convection) carrying
hemispheres from sub-tropical high moisture form cumulonimbus clouds and
pressure belts. lead to thunderstorms (convectional
• This belt is also called the Doldrums, rainfall).
because of the extremely calm air • Inspite of high temperatures, cyclones are
movements. not formed at the equator because of ‘zero’
• The position of the belt varies with the coriolis force. (we will see more later)
apparent movement of the Sun.
Sub-Tropical High Pressure Belt or
Formation Horse Latitudes
• As this region lies along the equator, it • The sub-tropical highs extend from near
receives highest amount of insolation. the tropics to about 35°N and S.

Formation
• After saturation (complete loss of moisture) Climate
at the ITCZ, the air moving away from
equatorial low pressure belt in the upper • The subsiding air is warm and dry,
troposphere becomes dry and cold. therefore, most of the deserts are present
• This dry and cold wind subsides at 30°N along this belt, in both hemispheres.
and S. • A calm condition (anticyclonic) with feeble
• So the high pressure along this belt is due winds is created in this high pressure belt. Page
to subsidence of air coming from the • The descending air currents feed the winds | 30
equatorial region which descends after blowing towards adjoining low pressure
becoming heavy. belts.
• The high pressure is also due to the • This belt is frequently invaded by tropical
blocking effect of air at upper levels and extra-tropical disturbances.
because of the Coriolis force.
Horse Latitudes

• The corresponding latitudes of sub-tropical

high pressure belt are called horse
latitudes.
• In early days, the sailing vessels with cargo
of horses found it difficult to sail under
calm conditions of this high pressure belt.
• They used to throw horses into the sea
when fodder ran out. Hence the name
horse latitudes.

Question mains 2013: Major hot

deserts in northern hemisphere are
located between 20-30 degree north
and on the western side of the
continents. Why?
 Page
| 31

Why between 20 – 30 degree? • Located between 45°N and S latitudes and

the Arctic and the Antarctic circles (66.5° N
• Answer: The subsiding air is warm and and S latitudes).
dry, therefore, most of the deserts are • Owning to low temperatures in these
present along this belt, in both latitudes the sub polar low pressure belts
hemispheres. are not very well pronounced year long.
• On long-term mean climatic maps, the sub
Why on western side of the continents?
polar low-pressure belts of the northern
• We will get answer for this while studying hemisphere are grouped into two centers of
ocean currents. atmospheric activity: the Iceland low and
the Aleutian depression (Aleutian low).
Sub-Polar Low Pressure Belt
• Such belts in the southern hemisphere • Due to a great contrast between the
surround the periphery of Antarctica and temperatures of the winds from sub-
are not as well differentiated. tropical and polar source regions, extra
tropical cyclonic storms or lows’ (temperate
cyclones or frontal cyclones) are produced
in this region.
Page
Polar High Pressure Belt | 32

• The polar highs are small in area and

extend around the poles.
• They lie around poles between 80 – 90° N
and S latitudes.

Formation

• The air from sub-polar low pressure belts

after saturation becomes dry. This dry air
becomes cold while moving towards poles
through upper troposphere.
• The cold air (heavy) on reaching poles
subsides creating a high pressure belt at
the surface of earth.

Climate

Formation • The lowest temperatures are found over

the poles.
• These are dynamically produced due to
1. Coriolis Force produced by rotation of Pressure belts in July
the earth on its axis, and.
2. Ascent of air as a result of convergence • In the northern hemisphere, during
of westerlies and polar easterlies (we summer, with the apparent northward
will more about these in next topic – shift of the sun, the thermal equator (belt
wind systems). of highest temperature) is located north of
• Sub polar low-pressure belts are mainly the geographical equator.
encountered above oceans. • The pressure belts shift slightly north of
their annual average locations.
Seasonal behavior

• During winter, because of a high contrast

between land and sea, this belt is broken
into two distinct low centers – one in the
vicinity of the Aleutian Islands and the
other between Iceland and Greenland.
• During summer, a lesser contrast results
in a more developed and regular belt.

Climate

• The area of contrast between cold and

warm air masses produces polar jet
streams which encircles the earth at 60
degrees latitudes and is focused in these
low pressure areas.
Pressure belts in January
 of pressure gradient forces and rotation
of the earth (Coriolis force).

Example

• After saturation (complete loss of mosture)

at the ITCZ, the air moving away from Page
equatorial low pressure belt in the upper | 33
troposphere becomes dry and cold. This
dry and cold wind subsides at 30°N and S.
• So the high pressure along this belt is due
to subsidence of air coming from the
equatorial region which descends after
becoming heavy.
• The rate of deflection increases with the
distance from the equator (Coriolis
• During winter, these conditions are
force). As a result, by the time the
completely reversed and the pressure belts
poleward directed winds reach 25° latitude,
shift south of their annual mean locations.
they are deflected into a nearly west-to-
Opposite conditions prevail in the southern
east flow. It produces a blocking effect
hemisphere. The amount of shift is,
and the air piles up. This causes a general
however, less in the southern hemisphere
subsidence in the areas between the
due to predominance of water.
tropics and 35°N and S, and they develop
• Similarly, distribution of continents and into high pressure belts.
oceans have a marked influence over the
• The location of pressure belts is further
distribution of pressure. In winter, the
affected by differences in net radiation
continents are cooler than the oceans and
resulting from apparent movement of the
tend to develop high pressure centres,
sun and from variations in heating of land
whereas in summer, they are relatively
and water surfaces.
warmer and develop low pressure. It is just
• Thus formation of sub-tropical high and
the reverse with the oceans.
sub-polar low pressure belts are due to
Factors Controlling Pressure Systems dynamic factors like pressure gradient
forces, apparent movement of sun and
• There are two main causes, thermal and rotation of the earth (Coriolis force)
dynamic, for the pressure differences
resulting in high and low pressure Factors affecting Wind Movement
systems.
• Wind == horizontal movement of air
Thermal Factors • Currents == vertical movement of air.
• Winds balance uneven distribution of
• When air is heated, it expands and, hence, pressure globally.
its density decreases. This naturally leads • Winds help in transfer of heat, moisture
to low pressure. On the contrary, cooling etc. from one place to another.
results in contraction. This increases the • Sun is the ultimate force that drives winds.
density and thus leads to high pressure. Pressure differences force winds to flow
• Formation of equatorial low and polar from high pressure are to low pressure
highs are examples of thermal lows and area. Pressure differences in turn are
thermal highs, respectively. caused by unequal heating of the earth’s
surface by solar radiation.
Dynamic Factors • The wind at the surface experiences
friction. In addition, rotation of the earth
• Apart from variations of temperature, the also affects the wind movement. The force
formation of pressure belts may be exerted by the rotation of the earth is
explained by dynamic controls arising out known as the Coriolis force.
• Thus, the horizontal winds near the earth
surface respond to the combined effect of
three forces – the pressure gradient force,
the frictional force and the Coriolis
force.
• In addition, the gravitational force acts
downwards. Centripetal acceleration Page
produces a circular pattern of flow around | 34
centers of high and low pressure.

Pressure Gradient Force and Wind

Movement

• The differences in atmospheric pressure

produces pressure gradient force.
• The rate of change of pressure with respect
to distance is the pressure gradient.
• Pressure Gradient Force operates from the
high pressure area to a low pressure area
and causes wind movement.
• The pressure gradient is strong where the
isobars are close to each other and is weak
where the isobars are apart.
• Since a closely spaced gradient implies a
steep pressure change, it also indicates a
strong wind speed.
• The wind direction follows the direction of
change of pressure, i.e. perpendicular to
the isobars.

Coriolis Force and Wind Movement

• This deflection force does not seem to exist
• The rotation of the earth about its axis until the air is set in motion and increases
affects the direction of the wind. This force with wind velocity, air mass and an
is called the Coriolis force. It has great increase in latitude.
impact on the direction of wind movement. • The Coriolis force acts perpendicular to the
• Due to the earth’s rotation, winds do not pressure gradient force (pressure gradient
cross the isobars at right angles as the force is perpendicular to an isobar)
pressure gradient force directs, but get • As a result of these two forces operating
deflected from their original path. perpendicular to each other, in the low-
• This deviation is the result of the earth’s pressure areas the wind blows around it
rotation and is called the Coriolis effect or
Coriolis force.
• Due to this effect, winds in the northern
hemisphere get deflected to the right of
their path and those in the southern
hemisphere to their left, following
Farrell’s Law (the law that wind is
deflected to the right in the Northern
Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern
Hemisphere, derived from the application
of the Coriolis effect to air masses).
 (cyclonic conditions). • This force produces a circular pattern of
flow around centers of high and low
Why are there no tropical cyclones at pressure.
the equator? • Centripetal acceleration is more important
for circulations smaller than the mid-
• The Coriolis force is directly proportional to latitude cyclone.
the angle of latitude. It is maximum at the Page
poles and is absent at the equator. Pressure and Wind: Geostrophic Wind | 35
• At the equator (Coriolis force is zero)
wind blows perpendicular to the isobars. • The velocity and direction of the wind are
The low pressure gets filled instead of the net result of the wind generating
getting intensified i.e., there is no spiraling forces.
of air due to zero Coriolis effect. The winds • The winds in the upper atmosphere, 2 - 3
directly gets uplifted vertically to form
thunderstorms.

km above the surface, are free from

frictional effect of the surface and are
controlled by the pressure gradient and
the Coriolis force.
Frictional Force and Wind Movement

• The irregularities of the earth’s surface

offer resistance to the wind movement in
the form of friction.
• It affects the speed of the wind. It is
greatest at the surface and its influence
generally extends up to an elevation of 1 -
3 km. Over the sea surface the friction is
minimal.
• Over uneven terrain, however, due to high
friction, the wind direction makes high
angles with, isobars and the speed gets
retarded.

Centripetal Acceleration
• When isobars are straight and when there
• It acts only on air that is flowing around is no friction, the pressure gradient force is
centers of circulation. balanced by the Coriolis force and the
• Centripetal acceleration creates a force resultant wind blows parallel to the isobar.
directed at right angles to the wind This wind is known as the geostrophic
movement and inwards towards the wind.
centers of rotation (e.g., low and high • The wind movement around a low is called
pressure centers). cyclonic circulation. Around a high it is
called anti cyclonic circulation. The
 direction of winds around such systems • The main cause of the Coriolis effect is the
changes according to their location in earth's rotation. As the earth spins in a
different hemispheres. counter-clockwise direction on its axis
anything flying or flowing over a long
distance above its surface appears to be
deflected.
• This occurs because as something moves Page
freely above the earth's surface, the earth | 36
is moving east under the object at a faster

• The wind movement or wind

circulation at the earth’s
surface around low and
high on many occasions is
closely related to the wind
circulation at higher level.
Generally, over low pressure
area the air will converge
and rise. Over high
pressure area the air will subside from speed.
above and diverge at the surface. • As latitude increases and the speed of the
• Apart from convergence, some eddies, earth's rotation decreases, Coriolis effect
convection currents, orographic uplift and increases.
uplift along fronts cause the rising of air, • A plane flying along the equator itself
which is essential for the formation of would be able to continue flying on the
clouds and precipitation. (more about this equator without any apparent deflection. A
later) little to the north or south of the equator,
the plane would be deflected.
More about Coriolis effect
• In addition to the speed of the earth’s
rotation and latitude, the faster the object
• The Coriolis effect is the apparent
itself is moving, the more deflection there
deflection of objects (such as airplanes,
will be.
wind, missiles, sniper gun bullets and
ocean currents) moving in a straight path Impacts of the Coriolis Effect
relative to the earth's surface.
• Its strength is proportional to the speed • Some of the most important impacts of the
of the earth's rotation at different Coriolis effect in terms of geography are
latitudes but it has an impact on moving the deflection of winds and currents in the
objects across the globe. ocean. It also has a significant effect on
• The "apparent" portion of the Coriolis man-made items like planes and missiles.
effect's definition is also important to take
into consideration. Myth about Coriolis Effect
• This means that from the object in the air
(i.e. an airplane) the earth can be seen • One of the biggest misconceptions
rotating slowly below it. From the earth's associated with the Coriolis effect is that it
surface that same object appears to curve causes the rotation of water down the
off of its course. The object is not actually drain of a sink or toilet. This is not truly
moving off of its course but this just the cause of the water's movement. The
appears to be happening because the water itself is simply moving too fast down
earth’s surface is rotating beneath the the drain to allow for the Coriolis effect to
object. have any significant impact.

Causes of the Coriolis Effect

 Hadley Cell

• The air at the Inter Tropical Convergence

Zone (ITCZ) rises because of the convection
currents caused by low pressure. Low
pressure in turn occurs due to high
insolation. The winds from the tropics Page
converge at this low pressure zone. | 37
• The converged air rises along with the
convective cell. It reaches the top of the
troposphere up to an altitude of 14 km,
and moves towards the poles. This causes
accumulation of air at about 30° N and S.
Part of the accumulated air sinks to the
ground and forms a subtropical high.
Another reason for sinking is the cooling of
air when it reaches 30° N and S latitudes.
• Down below near the land surface the air
flows towards the equator as the easterlies.
The easterlies from either side of the
equator converge in the Inter Tropical
Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Such
circulations from the surface upwards and
vice-versa are called cells. Such a cell in
the tropics is called Hadley Cell.

Ferrel Cell

• In the middle latitudes the circulation is

that of sinking cold air that comes from the
poles and the rising warm air that blows
from the subtropical high. At the surface
Gif Image: View in MS Powerpoint in these winds are called westerlies and the
Fullscreen mode. cell is known as the Ferrel cell.

Polar Cell
General Circulation of the
Atmosphere • At polar latitudes the cold dense air
subsides near the poles and blows towards
• The pattern of planetary winds depend on: middle latitudes as the polar easterlies.
(i) latitudinal variation of This cell is called the polar cell.
atmospheric heating; • These three cells set the pattern for the
(ii) emergence of pressure belts; general circulation of the atmosphere.
(iii) the migration of belts following The transfer of heat energy from lower
apparent path of the sun; latitudes to higher latitudes maintains the
(iv) the distribution of continents general circulation.
and oceans; • The general circulation of the atmosphere
(v) the rotation of earth. also affects the oceans. The large-scale
• The pattern of the movement of the winds of the atmosphere initiate large and
planetary winds is called the general slow moving currents of the ocean. Oceans
circulation of the atmosphere. The general in turn provide input of energy and water
circulation of the atmosphere also sets in vapour into the air. These interactions take
motion the ocean water circulation which place rather slowly over a large part of the
influences the earth’s climate. ocean.
Page
| 38
Walker Cell  Periodic winds: Land and sea breeze,
mountain and valley breeze etc..
• Warming and cooling of the Pacific Ocean
is most important in terms of general Local winds
atmospheric circulation.
 These blow only during a particular period
• The warm water of the central Pacific of the day or year in a small area.
Ocean slowly drifts towards South Page
 Winds like Loo, Mistral, Foehn, Bora etc.. | 39
American coast and replaces the cool
Peruvian current. Such appearance of Primary or Prevailing Winds
warm water off the coast of Peru is known
as the El Nino. • These are the planetary winds which blow
• The El Nino event is closely associated with extensively over continents and oceans.
the pressure changes in the Central Pacific • The two most well- understood and
and Australia. This change in pressure significant winds for climate and human
condition over Pacific is known as the activities are trade winds and westerly
southern oscillation. winds.
• The combined phenomenon of southern
oscillation and El Nino is known as ENSO. The Trade Winds
• In the years when the ENSO is strong,
large-scale variations in weather occur over • The trade winds are those blowing from the
the world. The arid west coast of South sub-tropical high pressure areas towards
America receives heavy rainfall, drought the equatorial low pressure belt.
occurs in Australia and sometimes in India • Therefore, these are confined to a region
and floods in China. This phenomenon is between 30°N and 30°S throughout the
closely monitored and is used for long earth’s surface.
range forecasting in major parts of the • They flow as the north-eastern trades in
world. (El-Nino in detail later) the northern hemisphere and the south-
eastern trades in the southern
hemisphere.
• This deflection in their ideally expected
north-south direction is explained on the
basis of Coriolis force and Farrel’s law.
• Trade winds are descending and stable in
areas of their origin (sub-tropical high
pressure belt), and as they reach the
equator, they become humid and warmer
after picking up moisture on their way.
• The trade winds from two hemispheres
meet at the equator, and due to
convergence they rise and cause heavy
Gif Image rainfall.
• The eastern parts of the trade winds
Classification of Winds associated with the cool ocean currents are
drier and more stable than the western
Permanent winds or Primary winds or parts of the ocean.
Prevailing winds or Planetary Winds
The Westerlies
 The trade winds, westerlies and easterlies.
• The westerlies are the winds blowing from
Secondary or Periodic Winds the sub-tropical high pressure belts
towards the sub polar low pressure belts.
 Seasonal winds: These winds change their
• They blow from southwest to north-east
direction in different seasons. For example
in the northern hemisphere and north-
monsoons in India.
west to south-east in the southern
hemisphere.
• The westerlies of the southern hemisphere • Other examples of periodic winds include
are stronger and persistent due to the vast land and sea breeze, mountain and valley
expanse of water, while those of the breeze, cyclones and anticyclones, and air
northern hemisphere are irregular masses.
because of uneven relief of vast land-
masses. Monsoons
• The westerlies are best developed between Page
40° and 65°S latitudes. These latitudes • Monsoons were traditionally explained as | 40
are often called Roaring Forties, Furious land and sea breezes on a large scale.
Fifties, and Shrieking Sixties – dreaded Thus, they were considered a convectional
terms for sailors. circulation on a giant scale.
• The poleward boundary of the westerlies is • The monsoons are characterized by
highly fluctuating. There are many seasonal reversal of wind direction.
seasonal and short-term fluctuations. • During summer, the trade winds of
These winds produce wet spells and southern hemisphere are pulled
variability in weather. northwards by an apparent northward
movement of the sun and by an intense
The Polar easterlies low pressure core in the north-west of the
Indian subcontinent.
• The Polar easterlies are dry, cold prevailing • While crossing the equator, these winds get
winds blowing from north-east to south- deflected to their right under the effect of
west direction in Northern Hemisphere Coriolis force.
and south-east to north-west in Southern • These winds now approach the Asian
Hemisphere. landmass as south-west monsoons. Since
• They blow from the polar high-pressure they travel a long distance over a vast
areas of the sub-polar lows. expanse of water, by the time they reach
the south-western coast of India, they are
over-saturated with moisture and cause
heavy rainfall in India and neighboring
countries.
• During winter, these conditions are
reversed and a high pressure core is
created to the north of the Indian
subcontinent. Divergent winds are
produced by this anticyclonic movement
which travels southwards towards the
equator. This movement is enhanced by
the apparent southward movement of the
sun. These are north-east or winter
monsoons which are responsible for some
precipitation along the east coast of India.
• The monsoon winds flow over India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma),
Sri Lanka, the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal,
southeastern Asia, northern Australia,

Secondary or Periodic Winds

• These winds change their direction with

change in season.
• Monsoons are the best example of large-
scale modification of the planetary wind
system.
 China and Japan. Loo
• Outside India, in the eastern Asiatic
countries, such as China and Japan, the • Harmful Wind
winter monsoon is stronger than the • In the plains of northern India and
summer monsoon. (we will study about Pakistan, sometimes a very hot and dry
monsoons in detail while studying Indian
Climate) Page
| 41
Land Breeze and Sea Breeze

• The land and sea absorb and transfer heat

differently. During the day the land heats
up faster and becomes warmer than the
sea. Therefore, over the land the air rises
giving rise to a low pressure area, whereas
the sea is relatively cool and the pressure
over sea is relatively high. Thus, pressure
gradient from sea to land is created and
the wind blows from the sea to the land as
the sea breeze. In the night the reversal of
condition takes place. The land loses heat
faster and is cooler than the sea. The
pressure gradient is from the land to the
sea and hence land breeze results.

Valley Breeze and Mountain Breeze

• In mountainous regions, during the day wind blows from the west in the months of
the slopes get heated up and air moves May and June, usually in the afternoons.
upslope and to fill the resulting gap the air It is known as loo. Its temperature
from the valley blows up the valley. This
wind is known as the valley breeze. During
the night the slopes get cooled and the
dense air descends into the valley as the
mountain wind. The cool air, of the high
plateaus and ice fields draining into the
valley is called katabatic wind.
• Another type of warm wind (katabatic
wind) occurs on the leeward side of the
mountain ranges. The moisture in these
winds, while crossing the mountain ranges
condense and precipitate. When it
descends down the leeward side of the
slope the dry air gets warmed up by
adiabatic process. This dry air may melt
the snow in a short time.

Tertiary or Local Winds

• Local differences of temperature and

pressure produce local winds.
• Such winds are local in extent and are invariably ranges between 45°C and 50°C.
confined to the lowest levels of the It may cause sunstroke to people.
troposphere. Some examples of local winds
are discussed below.
Foehn or Fohn
• Beneficial Wind orographic precipitation, the air that
• Foehn is a hot wind of local importance in descends on the leeward side is dry and
the Alps. It is a strong, gusty, dry and warm (Katabatic Wind).
warm wind which develops on the leeward • The temperature of the wind varies
side of a mountain range. As the windward between 15°C and 20°C. The wind helps
side takes away whatever moisture there is animal grazing by melting snow and aids
in the incoming wind in the form of the ripening of grapes. Page
| 42

Chinook

• Beneficial Wind
• Foehn like winds in USA and Canada move
down the west slopes of the Rockies and
are known as Chinooks.
• It is beneficial to ranchers east of the
Rockies as it keeps the grasslands clear of
snow during much of the winter.

Mistral

• Harmful Wind • Sirocco is a Mediterranean wind that

comes from the Sahara and reaches
• Mistral is one of the local names given to
hurricane speeds in North Africa and
such winds that blow from the Alps over
Southern Europe.
France towards the Mediterranean Sea.
• It arises from a warm, dry, tropical air
• It is channeled through the Rhine valley. It
mass that is pulled northward by low-
is very cold and dry with a high speed.
pressure cells moving eastward across the
• It brings blizzards into southern France.
Mediterranean Sea, with the wind
Sirocco originating in the Arabian or Sahara
deserts. The hotter, drier continental air
• Harmful Wind mixes with the cooler, wetter air of the
 maritime cyclone, and the counter- cyclone do torrential rains and high
clockwise circulation of the low propels the velocity winds blow and why?
mixed air across the southern coasts of
Europe. Water Cycle - Hydrological Cycle
• The Sirocco causes dusty dry conditions
along the northern coast of Africa, storms
in the Mediterranean Sea, and cool wet Page
weather in Europe. | 43

Questions

Multiple choice questions

1. Multiple choice questions. (i) If the

surface air pressure is 1,000 mb, the
air pressure at 1 km above the surface
will be: (a) 700 mb (c) 900 mb (b) 1,100
mb (d) 1,300 mb
2. The Inter Tropical Convergence Zone
normally occurs: (a) near the Equator
• There is a continuous exchange of water
(b) near the Tropic of Cancer (c) near
between the atmosphere, the oceans and
the Tropic of Capricorn (d) near the
the continents through the processes of
Arctic Circle
evaporation, transpiration,
3. The direction of wind around a low
condensation and precipitation.
pressure in northern hemisphere is: (a)
• The moisture in the atmosphere is derived
clockwise (c) anti-clock wise (b)
from water bodies through evaporation
perpendicular to isobars (d) parallel to
and from plants through transpiration
isobars
(evapotranspiration).
4. Which one of the following is the source
• Evaporated water undergoes condensation
region for the formation of air masses?
and forms clouds.
(a) the Equatorial forest (c) the Siberian
Plain (b) the Himalayas (d) the Deccan • When saturation is reached, clouds give
Plateau away water in the form of precipitation.
• Since the total amount of moisture in the
30 words entire system remains constant, a balance
is required between evapotranspiration
1. While the pressure gradient force is and precipitation. The hydrological cycle
from north to south, i.e. from the maintains this balance.
subtropical high pressure to the
equator in the northern hemisphere, Water Vapour in Atmosphere
why are the winds north easterlies in
the tropics. • Water vapour in air varies from zero to
2. What are the geostrophic winds? four per cent by volume of the atmosphere
3. Explain the land and sea breezes. (averaging around 2% in the atmosphere).
Amount of water vapour (Humidity) is
150 words measured by, an instrument called
hygrometer.
• Discuss the factors affecting the speed and
direction of wind. Significance of Atmospheric Moisture
• Draw a simplified diagram to show the
general circulation of the atmosphere over 1. Water vapour absorbs radiation—both
the globe. What are the possible reasons incoming and terrestrial. It thus plays a
for the formation of subtropical high crucial role in the earth’s heat budget.
pressure over 30° N and S latitudes? 2. The amount of water vapour present
• Why does tropical cyclone originate over decides the quantity of latent energy
the seas? In which part of the tropical stored up in the atmosphere for
development of storms and cyclones.
3. The atmospheric moisture affects the • Relative humidity can be changed in either
human body’s rate of cooling by of the two ways—
influencing the sensible temperature. 1. By adding moisture through
evaporation: if moisture is added by
Evaporation evaporation, the relative humidity will
increase and vice versa.
• The oceans covering 71% of the earth’s 2. By changing temperature of air: a Page
surface hold 97% of all the earth’s water decrease in temperature (hence, | 44
reserves. decrease in moisture-holding capacity)
• Evapotranspiration may be taken as the will cause a decrease in relative
starting point in the hydrological cycle. The humidity and vice versa.
oceans contribute 84% of the annual total • The relative humidity determines the
and the continents 16%. amount and rate of evaporation and hence
• The highest annual evaporation occur in it is an important climatic factor.
the sub-tropics of the western North • Air containing moisture to its full capacity
Atlantic and North Pacific because of the at a given temperature is said to be
influence of the Gulf Stream and the ‘saturated’. At this temperature, the air
Kurishino Current, and in the trade wind cannot hold any additional amount of
zone of the southern oceans. moisture. Thus, relative humidity of the
• The land maximum occurs in equatorial saturated air is 100%.
region because of high insolation and • If the air has half the amount of moisture
luxuriant vegetation. that it can carry, then it is unsaturated
and its relative humidity is only 50%.
Humidity
Consider 1 m3 of air at a temperature ‘T’.
• Water vapour present in the air is known
as humidity. Let us assume that saturation occurs when
0.5 kg of water vapor is present in 1 m3 of air
Absolute Humidity
i.e. relative humidity will be 100% if 1 m3 of
• The actual amount of the water vapour atmosphere contains 0.5 kg of water vapor at
present in the atmosphere is known as the temperature T.
absolute humidity.
Imagine that 1 m3 of atmosphere at a given
• It is the weight of water vapour per unit
time is made up of 0.2 kg of water vapor at a
volume of air and is expressed in terms of
temperature ‘T’.
grams per cubic metre.
• The absolute humidity differs from place Now the relative humidity = 40 % ===> 0.2 kg
to place on the surface of the earth. of water vapor per 1 m3 of atmosphere ===>
• The ability of the air to hold water vapour the atmosphere can still hold 0.3 kg of water
depends entirely on its TEMPERATURE. vapor since saturation occurs at 0.5 kg.
Warm air can hold more moisture than
cold air. Here,

Relative Humidity Absolute Humidity = 0.2 kg/ m3 and

• The percentage of moisture present in the Relative Humidity = 20 %

atmosphere as compared to its full
So, relative humidity is expressed as %
capacity at a given temperature is known
whereas absolute humidity is expressed in
as the relative humidity.
absolute terms.
• With the change of air temperature, the
capacity to retain moisture increases or Now to make the air saturated (100 % relative
decreases and the relative humidity is also humidity), we can add that additional 0.3 kg
affected. of water vapor by evaporation.
• It is greater over the oceans and least over
the continents. OR
We can decrease the temperature. condensation in haze); Clouds: Cirrus clouds,
Cumulus clouds, Stratus clouds, Nimbus
If we decrease the temperature, the saturation clouds; High clouds – cirrus, cirrostratus,
point will come down. cirrocumulus; Middle clouds – altostratus and
altocumulus; Low clouds – stratocumulus and
Let us image that the temperature of 1 m3 of
nimbostratus and Clouds with extensive
air is decreased by 2 °C. The water holding
vertical development – cumulus and Page
capacity will fall due to decrease in | 45
cumulonimbus.
temperature. Let us say it decreases by 0.1 kg
per 1 °C fall in temperature. Evaporation
Now for 2 °C, the fall in water holding capacity
• Evaporation is a process by which water is
is 0.1 kg x 2 = 0.2 kg.
transformed from liquid to gaseous state.
Now the new saturation point = 0.5 kg – 0.2 Heat is the main cause for evaporation.
kg = 0.3 kg. • Movement of air replaces the saturated
layer with the unsaturated layer. Hence,
Now “new saturation point (relative humidity = the greater the movement of air, the
100%)” occurs when the water vapor content greater is the evaporation.
is 0.3 kg for 1 kg of air.
Factors Affecting Rate of Evaporation
Now we can saturate 1 m3 of air by adding
just 0.1 kg instead of 0.3 kg as in the earlier • Amount of water available.
case. • Temperature.
• Relative humidity. [explained in previous
Dew point post]
• Area of evaporating surface.
• The air containing moisture to its full
• Wind speed: A high wind speed removes
capacity at a given temperature is said to
the saturated air from the evaporating
be saturated.
surface and replaces it with dry air which
• It means that the air at the given
favors more evaporation.
temperature is incapable of holding any
• Whenever there is a combination of high
additional amount of moisture at that
temperature, very low relative humidity
stage.
and strong winds, the rate of evaporation
• The temperature at which saturation
is exceptionally high. This leads to
occurs in a given sample of air is known as
dehydration of soil to a depth of several
dew point.
inches.
• Dew point occurs when Relative Humidity
• Air Pressure: Evaporation is also affected
= 100%.
by the atmospheric pressure exerted on
Specific Humidity the evaporating surface. Lower pressure
over open surface of the liquid results in a
• It is expressed as the weight of water higher rate of evaporation.
vapour per unit weight of air. • Composition of water: Evaporation is
• Since it is measured in units of weight inversely proportional to salinity of water.
(usually grams per kilogram), the specific • Rate of evaporation is always greater over
humidity is not affected by changes in fresh water than over salt water. [Because
pressure or temperature. of the reduction in the water vapor
pressure at the water surface due to
Absolute Humidity and Relative Humidity are salinity.]
Variable whereas Specific Humidity is a • Under similar conditions, ocean water
constant. evaporates about 5% more slowly than
fresh water.
In this post: Evaporation: Factors Affecting • More evaporation by plants: Water from
Rate of Evaporation; Condensation - Forms of plants generally evaporates at a faster rate
Condensation: Dew, White Frost, Fog, Mist, than from land.
Smog, Haze (similar to smog but there is no
Condensation • Condensation, therefore, depends upon the
amount of cooling and the relative
• The transformation of water vapour into humidity of the air.
water is called condensation. • Condensation takes place:
• Condensation is caused by the loss of heat 1. when the temperature of the air is
(latent heat of condensation, opposite of reduced to dew point with its volume
latent heat of vaporization). remaining constant (adiabatically), Page
• When moist air is cooled, it may reach a 2. when both the volume and the | 46
level when its capacity to hold water temperature are reduced,
vapour ceases (Saturation Point = 100% 3. when moisture is added to the air
Relative Humidity = Dew Point reached). through evaporation,
Then, the excess water vapour condenses • After condensation the water vapour or the
into liquid form. If it directly condenses moisture in the atmosphere takes one of
into solid form, it is known as the following forms — dew, frost, fog and
sublimation. clouds.
• Condensation takes place when the dew
point is lower than the freezing point as
well as higher than the freezing point.

Processes of Cooling for Producing

Condensation

• These processes can be studied under the"

headings, adiabatic and non-adiabatic.

Adiabatic Temperature Changes

• (Explained in detail in previous posts)

• When the air rises, it expands. Thus, heat
available per unit volume is reduced and,
therefore, the temperature is also reduced.
Such a temperature change which does not
involve any subtraction of heat, and
cooling of air takes place only by ascent
and expansion, is termed ‘adiabatic
change’.
• The vertical displacement of the air is the
major cause of adiabatic and katabatic
(cold, dense air flowing down a slope)
temperature changes.
• Near the earth’s surface, most processes of
change are non-adiabatic because
horizontal movements often produce
• In free air, condensation results from mixing of air and modify its characteristics.
cooling around very small particles termed
as hygroscopic condensation nuclei. Non-Adiabatic Temperature Changes
Particles of dust, smoke, pollen and salt
from the ocean are particularly good nuclei • Non-adiabatic processes include cooling by
because they absorb water. radiation, conduction or mixing with
• Condensation also takes place when the colder air. The air may be cooled due to
moist air comes in contact with some loss of heat by radiation.
colder object and it may also take place • In case there is direct radiation from moist
when the temperature is close to the dew air, the cooling produces fog or clouds,
point. subject to presence of hygroscopic nuclei
in the air.
• Cooling by contact with a cold surface • For the formation of dew, it is necessary
produces dew, frost or fog depending on that the dew point is above the freezing
other atmospheric conditions. point.
• But the effect of cooling produced by
radiation, conduction and mixing is White Frost
confined to a thin layer of the atmosphere.
• The non-adiabatic processes of cooling • Frost forms on cold surfaces when Page
produce only dew, fog or frost. They are condensation | 47
incapable of producing a substantial takes place
amount of precipitation. below freezing
point (0° C),
Forms of Condensation i.e. the dew
point is at or
• The forms of condensation can be below the
classified on the basis of temperature at freezing point.
which the dew point is reached. • The excess
• Condensation can take place when the dew moisture is
point is deposited in the form of minute ice
1. lower than the freezing point, crystals instead of water droplets.
2. higher than the freezing point. • The ideal conditions for the formation of
• White frost, snow and some clouds white frost are the same as those for the
(cirrus clouds) are produced when the formation of dew, except that the air
temperature is lower than the freezing temperature must be at or below the
point. freezing point.
• Dew, fog and clouds result even when the
temperature is higher than the freezing Fog
point.
• Forms of condensation may also be
classified on the basis of their location, i.e.
at or near the earth’s surface and in free
air.
• Dew, white frost, fog and mist come in
the first category, whereas clouds are in
the second category.

Dew
• When the temperature of an air mass
containing a large quantity of water vapour
falls all of a sudden, condensation takes
place within itself on fine dust particles.
• So, the fog is a cloud with its base at or
very near to the ground. Because of the
fog and mist, the visibility becomes poor
to zero.
• In urban and industrial centers smoke
provides plenty of nuclei which help the
formation of fog and mist. Such a condition
• When the moisture is deposited in the form when fog is mixed with smoke, is described
of water droplets on cooler surfaces of solid as smog (will be discussed in detail in
objects (rather than nuclei in air above the next post). [Related Question Asked in
surface) such as stones, grass blades and Mains 2015: Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata
plant leaves, it is known as dew. are the three mega cities of the country
• The ideal conditions for its formation are but the air pollution is much more
clear sky, calm air, high relative humidity, serious problem in Delhi as compared
and cold and long nights. to the other two. Why is this so?]
• Radiation fog results from radiation, • Sources for haze particles include farming
cooling of the ground and adjacent air. (ploughing in dry weather), traffic,
These fogs are not very thick. Usual in industry, and wildfires.
winters.
• Fogs formed by condensation of warm air Smog
when it moves horizontally over a cold
surface, are known as advectional fog. Page
These fogs are thick and persistent. | 48
Occurs over warm and cold water mixing
zones in oceans.
• Frontal or precipitation fog is produced
due to convergence of warm and cold air
masses where warm air mass is pushed
under by the heavier cold air mass.
• Precipitation in the warm air mass
condenses to produce fog at the boundary
of the two air masses. These are called
frontal or precipitation fog. • Smog = smoke + fog (smoky fog) caused by
• In fog visibility is less than one kilometer. the burning of large amounts of coal,
vehicular emission and industrial fumes
Mist (Primary pollutants).

We will study about smog in detail in the next

post.

Clouds

• Cloud is a mass of minute water droplets

or tiny crystals of ice formed by the
condensation of the water vapour in free
air at considerable elevations.
• Clouds are caused mainly by the adiabatic
• The difference between the mist and fog is
cooling of air below its dew point.
that mist contains more moisture than fog.
• As the clouds are formed at some height
• In mist each nuclei contains a thicker layer
over the surface of the earth, they take
of moisture.
various shapes.
• Mists are frequent over mountains as the
• According to their height, expanse, density
rising warm air up the slopes meets a cold
surface. and transparency or opaqueness clouds
are grouped under four types : (i) cirrus;
• Mist is also formed by water droplets, but
(ii) cumulus; (iii) stratus; (iv) nimbus.
with less merging or coalescing. This
means mist is less dense and quicker to Cirrus Clouds
dissipate.
• Fogs are drier than mist and they are • Cirrus clouds are formed at high altitudes
prevalent where warm currents of air come (8,000 - 12,000m). They are thin and
in contact with cold currents. detached clouds having a feathery
• In mist visibility is more than one appearance. They are always white in
kilometer but less than two kilometres. colour.

Haze Cumulus Clouds

• Haze is traditionally an atmospheric • Cumulus clouds look like cotton wool.

phenomenon where dust, smoke and other They are generally formed at a height of
dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky 4,000 -7,000 m. They exist in patches and
(No condensation. Smog is similar to haze can be seen scattered here and there. They
but there is condensation in smog). have a flat base.
 Page
| 49

Stratus Clouds • These clouds are generally formed either

due to loss of heat or the mixing of air
• As their name implies, these are layered masses with different temperatures.
clouds covering large portions of the sky.
Nimbus Clouds
• Nimbus clouds are black or dark gray. 1. hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides
They form at middle levels or very near to (NOx) combine in the presence of
the surface of the earth. sunlight;
• These are extremely dense and opaque to 2. NO combines with oxygen in the air;
the rays of the sun. and
• Sometimes, the clouds are so low that they 3. acid rain, which is formed when sulfur
seem to touch the ground. dioxide or nitrogen oxides react with Page
• Nimbus clouds are shapeless masses of water. | 50
thick vapour.
Sulfurous smog
A combination of these four basic types can
give rise to the following types of clouds:

1. High clouds – cirrus, cirrostratus,

cirrocumulus;
2. Middle clouds – altostratus and
altocumulus;
3. Low clouds – stratocumulus and
nimbostratus (long duration rainfall cloud)
and
4. Clouds with extensive vertical development
– cumulus and cumulonimbus
(thunderstorm cloud).
• Sulfurous smog is also called “London
Sun’s halo is produced by the refraction of smog,” (first formed in London).
light in: [2002] • Sulfurous smog results from a high
concentration of SULFUR OXIDES in the
(a) water vapour in Stratus clouds air and is caused by the use of sulfur-
(b) ice crystals in Cirro-Cumulus clouds bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal
(c) ice crystals in Cirrus clouds (Coal was the mains source of power in
(d) dust particles in Stratus clouds London during nineteenth century. The
effects of coal burning were observed in
Smog early twentieth century).
• This type of smog is aggravated by
• Smog = smoke + fog (smoky fog) caused dampness and a high concentration of
by the burning of large amounts of coal, suspended particulate matter in the air.
vehicular emission and industrial fumes
(Primary pollutants). Photochemical smog
• Smog contains soot particulates like
smoke, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide and other components.
• At least two distinct types of smog are
recognized: sulfurous smog and
photochemical smog.

Primary and secondary pollutants

• A primary pollutant is an air pollutant

emitted directly from a source.
• Photochemical smog is also known as “Los
• A secondary pollutant is not directly
Angeles smog”.
emitted as such, but forms when other
• Photochemical smog occurs most
pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the
prominently in urban areas that have large
atmosphere.
numbers of automobiles (Nitrogen oxides
• Examples of a secondary pollutant include
are the primary emissions).
ozone, which is formed when
• Photochemical (summer smog) forms Effects of Smog
when pollutants such as nitrogen oxides
(primary pollutant) and organic • The atmospheric pollution levels of Los
compounds (primary pollutants) react Angeles, Beijing, Delhi, Mexico City and
together in the presence of SUNLIGHT. A other cities are increased by inversion that
gas called OZONE (Secondary pollutant) is traps pollution close to the ground.
formed. • It is usually highly toxic to humans and Page
can cause severe sickness, shortened life | 51
Nitrogen Dioxide + Sunlight + or death.
Hydrocarbons = Ozone (Ozone in • Smog is a combination of airborne
stratosphere it is beneficial, but near the particulate matter, like soot, and invisible
earth’s surface it results in global warming as toxic gases including ozone (O3), carbon
it is a greenhouse gas) monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2),
which are carcinogens (cancer causing
• The resulting smog causes a light brownish
agents).
coloration of the atmosphere, reduced
visibility, plant damage, irritation of the • Temperature inversions are accentuated
eyes, and respiratory distress. and precipitation is reduced.
• Smog related Haze lowers visibility.
Reactions involved
Question UPSC Mains 2015: Mumbai,
Delhi and Kolkata are the three
mega cities of the country but the
air pollution is much more serious
problem in Delhi as compared to the
other two. Why is this so?] [200
words]

• In spite of similar urbanization, air

pollution is much more severe in Delhi
compared to that in Mumbai and Kolkata.
This is because of

Polluting Industry in close vicinity in

Haze Delhi.

• Delhi and its immediate neighborhood is

the hot bed of polluting industries which
are primarily coal fueled. Burning coal
releases Oxides of sulphur which forms
sulphurous smog. This type of smog is
more pronounced in Delhi than in the
other two cities due to geography and
climate.

Vehicular Emissions

• All the three cities contribute nearly equal

• Haze is traditionally an atmospheric vehicular emissions rich in CO2 and NO2.
phenomenon where dust, smoke and other NO2 results in phochemical smog. Here
dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky again, Delhi is worst hit due to its
(No condensation. Smog is similar to haze geography and climate.
but there is condensation in smog).
• Sources for haze particles include farming Geography and Climate
(ploughing in dry weather), traffic,
• This the most detrimental factor. Delhi is
industry, and wildfires.
a continental city while the other two are
 coastal. Land and See Breezes in Mumbai Farm Straw Burning
and Kolkata carry pollutants away from
the city. There is no such advantage to • Delhi is at the heart of major agricultural
Delhi as it is land locked. region. Burning of farm straw in the
• Also, the duration of monsoon winds is surrounding regions also adds to Delhi’s
short in Delhi compared to the other two. pollution levels.
• Delhi faces severe cold wave in winter Page
226 words. | 52
compared to the other two. Cold climate
here creates temperature inversion which
traps the pollutants, mainly smog, for a
longer duration.

Precipitation • When the temperature is lower than the 0°

C, precipitation takes place in the form of
• The process of continuous condensation in fine flakes of snow and is called snowfall.
free air helps the condensed particles to Moisture is released in the form of
grow in size. When the resistance of the air hexagonal crystals. These crystals form
fails to hold them against the force of flakes of snow. Besides rain and snow,
gravity, they fall on to the earth’s surface. other forms of precipitation are sleet and
So after the condensation of water vapour, hail (more about hail while studying
the release of moisture is known as thunderstorms), though the latter are
precipitation. This may take place in liquid limited in occurrence and are sporadic in
or solid form. both time and space.
• Precipitation in the form of drops of water • Sleet is frozen raindrops and refrozen
is called rainfall, when the drop size is melted snow-water. When a layer of air
more than 0.5 mm. with the temperature above freezing point
• It is called virage when raindrops overlies a subfreezing layer near the
evaporate before reaching the earth while ground, precipitation takes place in the
passing through dry air. form of sleet.
• Drizzle is light rainfall with drop size being • Raindrops, which leave the warmer air,
less than 0.5 mm, and when evaporation encounter the colder air below. As a result,
occurs before reaching the ground, it is they solidify and reach the ground as small
referred to as mist. pellets of ice not bigger than the raindrops
from which they are formed. Sometimes,
 drops of rain after being released by the
clouds become solidified into small
rounded solid pieces of ice and which
reach the surface of the earth are called
hailstones. These are formed by the
rainwater passing through the colder
layers. Hailstones have several concentric Page
layers of ice one over the other. | 53
• Rainfall: drop size more than 0.5 mm
• Virage: raindrops evaporate before
reaching the earth
• Drizzle: light rainfall; drop size less than
0.5 mm
• Convectional precipitation is heavy but of
• Mist: evaporation occurs before reaching
short duration, highly localised and is
the ground leading to foggy weather
associated with minimum amount of
• Snowfall: fine flakes of snow fall when the cloudiness. It occurs mainly during
temperature is less than 0°C summer and is common over equatorial
• Sleet: frozen raindrops and refrozen doldrums in the Congo basin, the Amazon
melted snow; mixture of snow and rain or basin and the islands of south-east Asia.
merely partially melted snow
• Hail: precipitation in the form of hard Orographic Rainfall
rounded pellets is known as hail; 5 mm
and 50 mm

Types of Rainfall

• On the basis of origin, rainfall may be

classified into three main types – the
convectional, orographic or relief and
the cyclonic or frontal.

Conventional Rainfall

• When the saturated air mass comes across

a mountain, it is forced to ascend and as it
rises, it expands (because of fall in
pressure); the temperature falls, and the
moisture is condensed.
• This type of precipitation occurs when
warm, humid air strikes an orographic
barrier (a mountain range) head on.
Because of the initial momentum, the air is
forced to rise. As the moisture laden air
gains height, condensation sets in, and
soon saturation is reached. The surplus
• The, air on being heated, becomes light
moisture falls down as orographic
and rises up in convection currents. As it precipitation along the windward slopes.
rises, it expands and loses heat and
• The chief characteristic of this sort of rain
consequently, condensation takes place
is that the windward slopes receive greater
and cumulous clouds are formed. This
rainfall. After giving rain on the windward
process releases latent heat of
side, when these winds reach the other
condensation which further heats the air
slope, they descend, and their temperature
and forces the air to go further up.
rises. Then their capacity to take in
 moisture increases and hence, these Monsoonal Rainfall
leeward slopes remain rainless and dry.
The area situated on the leeward side, • This type of precipitation is characterized
which gets less rainfall is known as the by seasonal reversal of winds which carry
rain-shadow area (Some arid and semi- oceanic moisture (especially the south-west
arid regions are a direct consequence of monsoon) with them and cause extensive
rain-shadow effect. Example: Patagonian rainfall in south and southeast Asia. (More Page
desert in Argentina, Eastern slopes of while studying Indian Monsoons). | 54
Western Ghats). It is also known as the
relief rain.
• Example: Mahabaleshwar, situated on the
Western Ghats, receives more than 600 cm
of rainfall, whereas Pune, lying in the rain
shadow area, has only about 70 cm.

Frontal Precipitation

World Distribution of Rainfall

• Different places on the earth’s surface

receive different amounts of rainfall in a
year and that too in different seasons. In
general, as we proceed from the equator
towards the poles, rainfall goes on
decreasing steadily.
• When two air masses with different • The coastal areas of the world receive
temperatures meet, turbulent conditions greater amounts of rainfall than the
are produced. Along the front convection interior of the continents. The rainfall is
occurs and causes precipitation (we more over the oceans than on the
studied this in Fronts). For instance, in landmasses of the world because of being
north-west Europe, cold continental air great sources of water.
and warm oceanic air converge to produce • Between the latitudes 35° and 40° N and S
heavy rainfall in adjacent areas. of the equator, the rain is heavier on the
eastern coasts and goes on decreasing
Cyclonic Rain towards the west. But, between 45° and
65° N and S of equator, due to the
• Cyclonic Rainfall is convectional rainfall westerlies, the rainfall is first received on
on a large scale. (we will see this in detail the western margins of the continents and
later) it goes on decreasing towards the east.
• The precipitation in a tropical cyclone is of • Wherever mountains run parallel to the
convectional type while that in a temperate coast, the rain is greater on the coastal
cyclone is because of frontal activity. plain, on the windward side and it
decreases towards the leeward side.
• On the basis of the total amount of annual
precipitation, major precipitation regimes
of the world are identified as follows.
• The equatorial belt, the windward slopes of
the mountains along the western coasts in
the cool temperate zone and the coastal
areas of the monsoon land receive heavy
rainfall of over 200 cm per annum.
• Interior continental areas receive moderate
rainfall varying from 100 - 200 cm per
 annum. The coastal areas of the continents temperate lands receive rainfall varying
receive moderate amount of rainfall. between 50 - 100 cm per annum.
• The central parts of the tropical land and
the eastern and interior parts of the

Page
| 55

• Areas lying in the rain shadow zone of the 30 words

interior of the continents and high
latitudes receive very low rainfall - less • Name the three types of precipitation.
than 50 cm per annum. • Explain relative humidity.
• Seasonal distribution of rainfall provides • Why does the amount of water vapour
an important aspect to judge its decreases rapidly with altitude?
effectiveness. In some regions rainfall is • How are clouds formed? Classify them
distributed evenly throughout the year
such as in the equatorial belt and in the 150 words
western parts of cool temperate regions.
• Discuss the salient features of the world
Questions distribution of precipitation.
• What are forms of condensation? Describe
Multiple choice questions the process of dew and frost formation.

1. Which one of the following process is In this post: Thunderstorm, Types of

responsible for transforming liquid into Thunderstorms, Lightning and Thunder,
vapour? (a) Condensation (c) Tornado and Waterspout.
Evaporation (b) Transpiration (d)
Precipitation Thunderstorm
2. The air that contains moisture to its full
capacity : (a) Relative humidity (c) • Thunderstorms and tornadoes are severe
Absolute humidity (b) Specific humidity local storms. They are of short duration,
(d) Saturated air occurring over a small area but are
3. Which one of the following is the violent.
highest cloud in the sky? (a) Cirrus (c)
Nimbus (b) Stratus (d) Cumulus
• Thunderstorm is a storm with thunder • Later, downdraft brings down to earth the
and lightning and typically also heavy cool air and rain.
rain or hail. • The incoming of thunderstorm is indicated
• Thunderstorms mostly occur on ground by violent gust of wind. This wind is due to
where the temperature is high. the intense downdraft.
Thunderstorms are less frequent on water • The updraft and downdraft determine the
bodies due to low temperature. path of the thunderstorm. Most of the Page
• Worldwide, there are an estimated 16 time, the path is erratic. | 56
million thunderstorms each year, and at
any given moment, there are roughly 2,000 Dissipating stage
thunderstorms in progress.
• When the clouds extend to heights where
sub-zero temperature prevails, hails are
formed and they come down as hailstorm.
Intense precipitation occurs.
• In a matter of few minutes, the storm
dissipates and clear weather starts to
prevail.

How does a thunderstorm form?

Cumulus stage

• Ground is significantly heated due to solar

insolation.
• A low pressure starts to establish due to
intense upliftment of an air parcel
(convention).
• Air from the surroundings start to rush in Motion of a thunderstorm
to fill the low pressure.
• Intense convection of moist hot air builds • Path of a thunderstorm is erratic. Motion is
up a towering cumulonimbus cloud. [I primarily due to interactions of its
have explained how condensation occurs updrafts and downdrafts.
in previous post] • The speed of isolated storms is typically
about 20 km (12 miles) per hour, but some
storms move much faster.
• In extreme circumstances, a supercell
storm may move 65 to 80 km (about 40 to
50 miles) per hour.

Downbursts

Mature stage

• Characterized by intense updraft of rising

warm air, which causes the clouds to grow
bigger and rise to greater height.
• Downdrafts are referred to as macrobursts causing heavy precipitation on the
or microbursts. windward side.
• Macroburst is more than 4 km in diameter
and can produce winds as high as 60
metres per second, or 215 km per hour.
• A microburst is smaller in dimension but
produces winds as high as 75 metres per Page
second, or 270 km per hour | 57
• They are seriously hazardous to
aircrafts, especially during takeoffs and
landings.

Types of Thunderstorms

• Orographic ‘Cloud bursts’ are common in

Jammu and Kashmir, Cherrapunji and
Mawsynram.

Frontal thunderstorm

• Thunderstorms occurring along cold

fronts.

• Convectional, Frontal, Orographic

Thunderstorms.
• Isolated Thunderstorms, Multiple-Cell
Thunderstorms, Supercell thunderstorms.

Thermal thunderstorm

Single-cell thunderstorm

• Single-cell thunderstorms are small, brief,

weak storms that grow and die within an
hour or so. They are typically driven by
heating on a summer afternoon.
• Single-cell storms may produce brief heavy
rain and lightning (Very common in India
during summers, mostly April, May. In
Kerala they are called ‘Mango Showers’
• Caused due to intense heating of ground and in Karnataka ‘Blossom showers’).
during summer.
A multi-cell thunderstorm
Orographic thunderstorm
• A multi-cell storm is a thunderstorm in
• Forceful upliftment of warm moist air which new updrafts form along the leading
parcel when it passes over a mountain edge of rain-cooled air (the gust front).
barrier creates cumulonimbus cloud
• Individual cells usually last 30 to 60 • Most large and violent tornadoes come
minutes, while the system as a whole may from supercells.
last for many hours.
• Multicell storms may produce hail, strong
winds, brief tornadoes, and/or flooding.

A supercell thunderstorm Page

| 58
• A supercell is a long-lived (greater than 1
hour) and highly organized storm feeding
off an updraft (a rising current of air) that
is tilted and rotating. Lightning and thunder

• As water vapour moves upward in the anion. Cation: A cation is an atom or a

cumulonimbus cloud, decreasing molecule which is positively charged, i.e.
temperatures causes it to condense. has more number of protons than
• The heat (latent heat of condensation) electrons. Anion: An anion is an atom or
generated in the process pushes the water molecule which is negatively charged, i.e.
molecules further up. has more number of electrons than
• As they move beyond zero degrees, water protons).
droplets change into small ice crystals. • The moving free electrons cause more
• As they continue to move up, they gather collisions and more electrons, as a chain
mass — until they are so heavy that they reaction ensues.
start to fall. • The process results in a situation in which
• This leads to a system where smaller ice the top layer of the cloud gets positively
crystals move up while bigger crystals charged (cations) while the middle layer is
come down. negatively (anions) charged.
• The resulting collisions trigger the release • The electrical potential difference between
of electrons, in a process very similar to the two layers is huge, of the order of 109
the generation of electric sparks (this is or 1010 volts.
called as ionization – an electron in the • In little time, a huge current, of the order
outer shell is pealed out of the atom and of 105 to 106 amperes, starts to flow
the atom become an ion. There are two between the layers.
types of ions based on charge – cation and
• It produces heat, leading to the heating of Prediction and precautions
the air column between the two layers of
cloud. • Predicting a thunderstorm over a very
• It is because of this heat that the air precise location is not possible. Nor is the
column looks red during lightning. exact time that it is likely to strike.
• The heated air column expands and • People are advised to move indoors in a
produces shock waves that result in storm. Page
thunder. • Moving under a tree or lying flat on the | 59
ground can increase risks.
Lightening from cloud to Earth • Even indoors, electrical fittings, wires,
metal and water must be avoided.
• Earth is a good conductor of electricity but
is electrically neutral.
• In comparison to the middle layer of the
cloud, however, it becomes positively
charged.
• As a result, a flow of current (about 20-
15%) gets directed towards the Earth as
well.
• It is this current flow that results in the
damage to life and property.
• There is a greater probability of lightning
striking tall objects such as trees, towers
or buildings.
• Once about 80-100 m from the surface,
lightning tends to change course to hit the
taller objects (guess why very tall buildings
have a vertical pole above). The world’s most electric place
• This is because travelling through air,
which is a bad conductor of electricity, • The most lightning activity on Earth is
electrons try to find a better conductor, seen on the shore of Lake Maracaibo in
and also the shortest route to the relatively Venezuela.
positively charged Earth’s surface.

Lightning deaths

• Several thousand thunderstorms occur

over India every year.
• Incidents of lightning have been showing
an increasing trend over the last 20 years,
especially near the foothills of the
Himalayas.
• People are rarely hit directly by lightning.
But such strikes are almost always fatal.
• The most common way in which people are
struck by lightning are by ‘ground • At the place where the Catatumbo river
currents’. falls into Lake Maracaibo, October sees 28
• The electrical energy, after hitting a tree or lightning flashes every minute — a
any other object, spreads laterally on the phenomenon referred to as the Beacon of
ground for some distance, and people in Maracaibo or the Everlasting Storm.
this area receive electrical shocks. • The reason probably lies in the topography
• It becomes more dangerous if the ground is of the spot: winds blow across Lake
wet, or there is conducting material like Maracaibo — the largest in South America
metal on it. (By volume of water, Titicaca is the largest
lake in South America. Lake Maracaibo
 has a larger surface area, though some • Lightning creates plasma (ionized gas
consider it to be a large brackish bay due medium) [30,000 °C].
to its direct connection with the sea.) — • The channel pressure greatly exceeds the
which is surrounded by swampy plains ambient (surrounding) pressure, and the
and connected to the Gulf of channel expands at a supersonic rate
Venezuela/Caribbean Sea by a very narrow (speed of sound).
strait. • The resultant shock wave decays rapidly Page
• The Maracaibo plain is enclosed on three with distance and is eventually heard as | 60
sides by high mountain sides into which thunder once it slows to the speed of
air masses crash. sound.
• The heat and moisture picked from the
swampy plains creates electrical charges Tornado
and, as the air is destabilized at the
mountain faces, thunderstorm activity —
characterised by almost non-stop lightning
activity within clouds — results.

Deadly Strikes

• Direct Strike: Occurs most often in open

areas.
• Side Flash (Or Side Splash): Occurs when
lightning strikes a taller object and some
current jumps on to the victim, who ends
up acting as a “short circuit” for the
energy.
• Generally occurs when the victim is within
a foot or two of the struck object. Most
victims are those sheltering under a tree in
a rainstorm.
• Ground Current: When an object is struck,
much of the energy travels outward in and
along the ground surface. This is ‘ground
current’, and anyone close can be a victim.
• Ground current affects a larger area than • From severe thunderstorms sometimes
other kinds of current and causes the most spiraling wind descends like a trunk of an
lightning deaths and injuries. elephant with great force, with very low
• Conduction: Lightning can travel long pressure at the center, causing massive
distances in wires or other metal surfaces. destruction on its way. Such a
phenomenon is called a tornado.
• Most indoor lightning casualties and some
outdoor casualties are due to conduction. • Tornadoes generally occur in middle
latitudes. The tornado over the sea is
Features of Lightning called water sprouts.
• These violent storms are the manifestation
• Positive charge accumulates at both higher of the atmosphere’s adjustments to varying
and lower altitudes. energy distribution. The potential and heat
• Larger and heavier cloud particles charge energies are converted into kinetic energy
with a negative polarity. in these storms and the restless
• Smaller and atmosphere again returns to its stable
• Roughly two-thirds of all discharges occur state.
within the cloud. The rest are between the • Tornado is a small-diameter column of
cloud and ground. violently rotating air developed within a
convective cloud and in contact with the
Thunder ground.
• Tornados occur most often in association • Waterspout is an intense columnar vortex
with thunderstorms during the spring and (usually appearing as a funnel-shaped
summer in the mid-latitudes of both the cloud) that occurs over a body of water.
Northern and Southern Hemispheres. • They are connected to a towering
• These whirling atmospheric vortices can cumuliform cloud or a cumulonimbus
generate the strongest winds known on cloud.
Earth: wind speeds in the range of 500 km • Weaker than most of its land counterparts Page
(300 miles) per hour. i.e. tornadoes. | 61
• They are often referred to as twisters or • Most waterspouts do not suck up water;
cyclones. they are small and weak rotating columns
of air over water.
Distribution of tornadoes • They are tornadoes in connection with
severe thunderstorms, but simply
occurring over water.

Damage caused by thunderstorms and

tornadoes

• Many hazardous weather events are

associated with thunderstorms.
• Under the right conditions, rainfall from
thunderstorms causes flash flooding,
killing more people each year than
hurricanes, tornadoes or lightning.
• Lightning is responsible for many fires
around the world each year, and causes
fatalities.
• Hail up to the size of softballs damages
cars and windows, and kills livestock
caught out in the open.
• Strong (up to more than 120 mph)
straight-line winds associated with
thunderstorms knock down trees, power
• Rare in polar regions and infrequent at lines and mobile homes.
latitudes higher than 50° N and 50° S. • Tornadoes (with winds up to about 300
• The temperate and tropical regions are the mph) can destroy all but the best-built
most prone to thunderstorms. man-made structures.
• Tornadoes have been reported on all
continents except Antarctica.
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