Lab 3: Climographs; Midlatitude Cyclones on Maps; Satellites and Satellite Images

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 1
Lab 3: Climographs; Midlatitude Cyclones on Maps; Satellites and Satellite Images
Name
Course
Professor
University
City/state
Date

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 2
Part A: 3 Locations where deserts are found and why they are found there
1-5: Desert locations on earth
a) The three locations on earth where deserts are found are: subtropical highs (STH),
leeward sides of mountains, polar highs. STH lie approximately 30°N and 30°S of the
equator. Some of the regions under STH include: northern Mexico, central Asia and
northern Africa (in the northern hemisphere) and South America, southern Africa and
Australia (in the southern hemisphere).
b) Deserts are found in the 3 locations in part “a” above for various reasons. The deserts are
found in STH because dew point temperatures in these locations are below the air
masses. This makes it nearly impossible for precipitation to take place in these locations
since the likelihood of attaining 100% relative humidity is almost zero (because of
heating air). In mountains’ leeward sides, when air from the windward side rises and
crosses the mountain to the leeward side, it becomes very dry thus forming a rain shadow
that is an important ingredient for desert formation. In polar highs, air is very cold and
dense. The high density causes the air to sink thus creating a high pressure zone where
the likelihood of precipitation occurring is almost zero.
Part B: Climographs
6. On average, Whitewater receives the most precipitation in August. From the climograph
given, the average precipitation during the month of August is about 4.5 inches.
7. Whitewater has its coldest average annual temperature in the month of January. From the
climograph given, the average temperature during the month of January is about 24°F.

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 3
8. From the Whitewater climograph provided, it can be concluded that Whitewater is in the
northern hemisphere mainly because of its very low precipitation level and high average
temperature. Another key characteristic from the climograph that makes Whitewater to be in the
northern hemisphere is that the rain season of the area tends to occur during summer months and
its winter month tend to experience a dry season.
9. If same X axis labels as the Whitewater one above and the temperature line looks like a fat U
with the lowest point on the line in the middle of the graph and both ends of the line higher; the
location that the climograph represents would be found in southern hemisphere. This is because
in southern hemisphere, rain seasons occur during winter months and dry season occurs during
summer months. In other words, the hottest months in the southern hemisphere occurs during dry
season and the coldest months occur during rainy season.
10. The prevailing wind direction in the western Washington state is west to east i.e. from the
Pacific Ocean (high pressure zone) to the land (low pressure zone).
11. The specific name of the water body to the west of Forks is the Pacific Ocean.
12. The town on the windward side of the Olympic Mountains is Forks.
13. The town on the rain shadow side of the Olympic Mountains is Sequim. Other nearby towns
on the rain shadow of Olympic Mountains are: Port Townsend, Victoria and Coupeville.
14. The general name for the pattern where moist air is forced over the Olympic Mountains
creating abundant rainfall and snowfall in the mountains is called orographic lift. This
phenomenon takes place as a result of air mass being pushed from a low to high elevation when
moving over a rising terrain such as a mountain. When air gains altitude, it cools down very

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 4
quickly and the relative humidity can increase to almost 100%. This results to formation of
clouds (orographic clouds) and if the conditions are right, precipitation can also occur.
14. The town on the rain shadow side of the Olympic Mountains is Forks.
15. Climograph “A” must be for Sequim and climograph “B” must be for Forks.
16. Sequim or Forks do not get very much snow fall in a typical year. This is because the two
towns have relatively high average annual temperature ad they are near Olympic Mountain. This
mountain deflects the flow of cold or moist air making it unfavorable for the formation of snow.
Part C: Mid-Latitude Cyclones on Maps
Table 1: Mid-latitude cyclone
Air temperature
(warm, cool, cold)
Wind direction
(north, northeast,
east, southeast, south,
southwest, west,
northwest)
precipitation
(prolonged light
rain/snow, short-lived
strong storms, clearing
skies)
17. Location 1 Cool From Southeast to
Northwest
Prolonged light
rain/snow
18. Location 2 Cold From North and
Northwest to Southeast
Clearing skies
19. Location 3 Warm From Southwest to
North and Northeast
Short-lived strong storms
Table 2: Surface map

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 5
November 11, 2015
Location of center of cyclonic LOW Kansas
20
.
Direction of movement of the warm front
in Missouri
Toward the northeast
21
.
Direction of movement of the cold front in
Oklahoma
Toward the southeast
Direction of movement of the entire Low
pressure system
Toward the northeast
22
.
Is Illinois in the cold, cool or warm sector? Warm front
23
.
Is Arkansas in the cold, cool or warm
sector?
Cold sector
24
.
Is northern panhandle of Texas in the cold,
cool or warm sector?
Warm sector
Table 3: Surface wind map
November 11, 2015
25. Wind direction in eastern Kansas South southwest
Wind direction in western Nebraska North northwest
26. Wind direction in Missouri South
27. Wind direction in eastern Oklahoma West southwest
Wind direction in Illinois South
28. Wind direction in Arkansas South
Wind circulation pattern around the
entire Low pressure system
Counterclockwise....because it is a
northern hemisphere LOW.
29. Wind speeds in northern panhandle
of Texas in mph
15 mph
Table 4: Jetstream forecast (mph) for Wed 11-Nov-2015
November 11, 2015

Lab 3 and Question Set 3 6
30. Jet stream wind direction in the Texas panhandle West southwest
Jet stream wind direction in Illinois West southwest
31. Jet stream wind direction in southern Idaho North northwest
32. Jet stream wind direction in Vermont West southwest
33. Jet stream wind direction in southern Florida North northeast
Part D: Satellites and Satellite Images
34. The responsibility of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of
Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) is to maintain comprehensive data information and
scheduling for both Polar and Geostationary orbiting satellites (central ground facilities) and also
to provide products that are generated from the data gathered by the satellites to foreign and
domestic users. OSPO is responsible for the overall operation, maintenance and use of
environmental satellites. It ensures that civil sector users of environmental satellites can obtain
the data they need from the remote receiving stations easily and quickly.
35. The GOES spacecraft that are still operational are: GOES 13, GOES 14, GOES 15 and
GOES 16. The operational status of these spacecraft are as follows: GOES 13 – backup east,
GOES 14 – on-orbit storage, GOES 15 – operational west, and GOES 16 – operational east
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2017).
36. GOES 13 was launched in Florida on May 24, 2006 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
37. The location of GOES 13 is 75 west (75 °W). This spacecraft is located along 75 °W
longitude.
38. GOES 15 was launched in Florida on March 4, 2010 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.