Weather and atmosphere (2024)

FAQs

Weather and atmosphere? ›

Weather is the state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover. It differs from climate, which is all weather conditions for a particular location averaged over about 30 years.

Large-scale atmospheric and water circulation patterns affect weather events, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and monsoon rains. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere over a short period of time—typically day-to-day activity in terms of precipitation and air temperature.

The term weather describes the state of the atmosphere at a given point in time and geographic location. Weather forecasts provide an estimate of the conditions we expect to experience in the near future and are based on statistical models of similar conditions from previous weather events.

The atmosphere protects life on earth by shielding it from incoming ultraviolet (UV) radiation, keeping the planet warm through insulation, and preventing extremes between day and night temperatures. The sun heats layers of the atmosphere causing it to convect driving air movement and weather patterns around the world.

As a basic definition, weather is the state of the atmosphere. Most weather occurs in the troposphere, or the lowest layer of the atmosphere.

Fifty percent of the total mass of the atmosphere is located in the lower 18,000 ft of the troposphere. Nearly all atmospheric water vapor or moisture is found in the troposphere, so it is the layer where most of Earth's weather takes place.

Within the troposphere are convection cells. Air that moves horizontally between high and low pressure zones makes wind. The greater the pressure difference between the pressure zones the faster the wind flow. Convection in the atmosphere creates the planet's weather.

These are temperature, atmospheric pressure, cloud formation, wind, humidity and rain. A small change to any of these conditions can create a different weather pattern.

Earth's atmosphere traps heat through the greenhouse effect while also protecting the surface of our planet from the Sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. The movement of Earth's air and water creates local weather. The temperature and precipitation in a region over long periods of time make up that region's climate.

Explanation: If the Earth had no atmosphere, there would be no weather. The Earth's atmosphere plays a crucial role in the formation of weather phenomena. Weather is the result of the interaction between the atmosphere, the Sun's energy, and the Earth's surface.

Is the atmosphere hot or cold? ›

The average temperature of the atmosphere at Earth's surface is 14 °C (57 °F; 287 K) or 15 °C (59 °F; 288 K), depending on the reference.

The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth. It helps make life possible by providing us with air to breathe, shielding us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the Sun, trapping heat to warm the planet, and preventing extreme temperature differences between day and night.

Not only does it contain the oxygen we need to live, but it also protects us from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation. It creates the pressure without which liquid water couldn't exist on our planet's surface.

Weather is made up of six main components. These are temperature, atmospheric pressure, cloud formation, wind, humidity and rain. A small change to any of these conditions can create a different weather pattern. Every weather pattern has a knock-on effect, creating a ripple effect around the world.

The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing UV radiation, keeps the planet warm through insulation, and prevents high temperatures between day and night.