GEOG 101 Physical Geography

 

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

GEOG 101 Physical Geography

 

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