Lab 4: Temperature, Climographs, and Large-Scale Temperature Processes
Name ___________________________________ Lab Section __________ Date __________
Materials and sources
· Color pencils
· Calculator
· Kestrel Weather Tracker
Introduction
Earth experiences an almost infinite variety of weather – conditions of the atmosphere at any given time and place. But if we consider the weather over many years, including its variability and extremes, a pattern emerges that constitutes climate . Think of climate patterns as dynamic rather than static. Climate is more than a consideration of simple averages of temperature and precipitation.
In this lab exercise we examine patterns of temperature that operate as a basis for climate. We also collect data at a micro scale (on campus) over a short period of time (during the lab period), and compare monthly climate data at two contrasting locations by the plotting of actual climate data for analysis of temperature and precipitation patterns. The last section will examine temperature mechanisms as they present themselves in California.
Key words:
Temperature
Climograph
Climatology
Section 1: Temperature Patterns
You will closely observe a temperature distribution over the Chico State campus core.
Form a small group of 4-5 people. Each group is assigned to take a specified route on campus (see map) and collect temperature data at designated locations (see map – stars) along the route using the Kestrel Weather Tracker. Review the contents of the last week’s lab. Notice how temperature values vary even within a small area like the Chico State campus.
Before your group starts walking on a designated route, one of the groups will be assigned to take temperature readings on different floors of the Butte Hall, while another group will take temperature readings around the Butte Hall.
Associate your temperature values for given locations to as the NET R equation, containing H (sensible heat) and LE (latent heat) as well as albedo and insolation values.
Butte Hall – vertical vs. positional
Campus Measures
7
Your route: __________
Location | Temperature (°C) | Albedo
(high, medium, or low) |
Daily Insolation Amount
(high, medium, or low) |
Predominant Energy Allocation
(H or LE) |
1.
2.
3. Data will vary based on group
4.
5.
6.
7. |
For route 3 ONLY
Floor | Temperature (°C) |
7th | |
5th | |
3rd | |
1st |
Section 2: Climographs – Creation and Interpretation (credit: Christopherson with modifications by D. Fairbanks)
A climograph is a graphical depiction of the monthly precipitation and temperature conditions for a selected place. Precipitation is shown by either a bar graph or a line. A line graph depicts temperature.
The following is a weather station in which you will graph its mean monthly temperature (TEMP; red line ), precipitation (PRECIP; blue bar ). Interpret the graph and data by answering the questions and then identify the place from the following two locations (only elevation and latitude/longitude coordinates are provided).
· Elevation: 61 m, Location: 32.7° N, l14.6° W
· Elevation: 134 m, Location: 56° N, 3.1° W
Place: Edinburgh, Scotland
Latitude: 56° N
Longitude: 3.1° W
Elevation: 134 meters
Annual temperature range: 11.7 degrees C
Distribution of temperature during the year: The warmest months are in June, July, August and September
Distribution of precipitation during the year: Year-round, highest in July and August
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual
TEMP (°C) 3.0 3.0 5.0 7.6 10.1 12.7 14.7 14.3 12.5 9.7 6.5 4.8 _____ take the average
PRECIP (cm) 4.8 3.6 3.3 3.3 4.8 4.6 8.9 9.1 4.8 5.1 6.1 7.4 _____ total
Precipitation (cm)
Mean Monthly Temperature (°C)
Months
Place: Sacramento, CA
Latitude: 38.6 N
Longitude: 121.5 W
Elevation: 9 meters
Annual temperature range: 16.4 degrees C
Distribution of temperature during the year: Hottest temperatures are July through September
Distribution of precipitation during the year: The wettest months are January and December
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual
TEMP (° C) 8.4 11.2 12.9 15.6 19.1 22.3 24.8 24.2 22.7 18.5 12.6 8.6 _16.75 take the average
PRECIP (cm) 10.7 7.4 5.6 3.6 1.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.8 2.3 5.8 7.6 __45.7_ total
Precipitation (cm)
Mean Monthly Temperature (°C)
Months
Section 3: Place, Temperature and Mechanisms
Location | Latitude | Elevation | Mean Temperature (°C) | |||
Degrees | Minutes | meters | Jan | July | Range | |
1. Eureka | 40 | 45 | 24.4 | 8.8 | 14.0 | 5.2 |
2. Redding | 40 | 34 | 152.4 | 7.6 | 27.9 | 20.3 |
3. Sacramento | 38 | 31 | 5.2 | 7.3 | 24.0 | 17.0 |
4. Stockton | 37 | 54 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 24.0 | 16.2 |
5. Fresno | 36 | 44 | 100.6 | 8.4 | 28.0 | 19.6 |
6. Bakersfield | 35 | 25 | 144.8 | 8.6 | 28.8 | 19.8 |
7. San Francisco | 37 | 37 | 2.4 | 9.1 | 16.9 | 4.1 |
8. San Diego | 32 | 44 | 3.9 | 12.9 | 20.9 | 18.4 |
9. Yosemite NP | 37 | 45 | 1210.0 | 2.5 | 22.1 | 19.2 |
10. Bishop | 37 | 22 | 1252.1 | 2.8 | 24.8 | 13.6 |
11. Needles | 34 | 51 | 278.9 | 11.2 | 36.2 | 36.2 |
12. Los Angeles | 34 | 03 | 82.3 | 14.0 | 22.6 | 8.6 |
1. What two locations are nearest to each other in latitude? Compare their mean winter temperature values (January). Read the chart carefully; look at both degrees and minutes.
City Latitude Mean Temperature (January) Elevation (meters)
Stockton 37 degrees, 54 minutes 7 degrees C 6.7 meters
Yosemite 37 degrees, 45 minutes 2.5 degrees C 1210 meters
Explain how elevation contributes to these differences in temperature.
Yosemite lies in the mountains, Stockton is in the valley below. The higher the elevation, the lower the temperature.
2. What two locations along the coast have the lowest and highest mean temperatures in the winter (January)?
City Mean Temperature Latitude
Eureka 8.8 degrees C (Lowest) 40 degrees, 45 minutes
Los Angeles 14.0 degrees C (Highest) 34 degrees, 3 minutes
Explain how latitude contributes to these differences in temperature.
The further you go from the equator, the cooler the temperatures. This is because there is less direct sunlight the further you go from the equator (=less insolation).
3. What two locations have the highest and lowest mean temperatures in the summer (July)?
City Mean Temperature
Eureka 14 degrees C (Lowest)
Needles 36.2 degrees C (Highest)
Explain how land-water relationships contribute to these differences in temperature.
The latent heat of the water in the ocean acts as a “heat sink”; insolation from the sun goes towards heating the sea rather than the land. Conversely, the ocean temperature is slow to decrease even when colder weather moves it. Thus coastal cities like Eureka tend to have both moderate year-round temperatures and daily temperature.
Section 4: Your city locations
Now finally let’s collect some temperature data for your cities that you used in lab 1, 2, & 3.
Your Locations | Latitude | Longitude | ||||
Degrees | Minutes | Seconds | Degrees | Minutes | Seconds | |
1 | See your information from Lab 1 | |||||
2 | ||||||
3 |
The average monthly temperature (°C) for the three city locations
Varies based on your cities. See “Weather and Climate Data” in the
Writing Assignments folder on BB Learn
Your Locations | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year
Avg. |
The annual range of temperature (°C) for the three city locations
Your Locations | Annual Temperature Range |
J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 12.0 15.0 J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 12.0 15.0
N