Weather and Hydrology

The hydrologic characteristics of a region are determined largely

by its geology and geography, climate playing a dominant part.
Climatic Factors:
a. Amount and distribution of precipitation
b. Occurence of snow and ice
c. Effects of the wind
d. Temperature and humidity on evapotranspiration and ice
melt
Solar and Earth Radiation
Solar Radiation
-earth’s main source of energy
- determines weather and climate
Solar Radiation at Earth’s surface
-mean weighted albedo on earth’s surface is estimated at
about 14%
- for a planet as whole, the albedo is estimated at about 30%
- less solar radiation reaches high altitudes than low altitudes
Measurement of Radiation
Actinometer and Radiometer – used to measure intensity of radiant energy
Types;
1. Pyrheliometer – measuring intensity of direct solar radiation
2. Pyranometer – Measuring hemispherical shortwave radiation
3. Pyrgeometer – measuring hemispherical longwave radiaton
4. Pyrradiometer(total hemispherical radiometer) – measuring all-wave radiation flux
- LONGWAVE RADIATION + GLOBAL RADIATION+REFLECTED RADIATION
5. Net Pyrradiometer – measuring net all-wave radiation flux

Greatest use of radiometer in hydrology is in studies of evaporation and snowmelt

The General Circulation
Thermal Circulation

Coriolis Force – apparent force that affects the movement of the air
from the earth’s rotation
Jet Streams
-prominent feature of the general thermal circulation
- Currents of air travelling near tropopause at speeds ranging
from 30 m/s to over 135 m/s.
- It provide mechanism for generating low-level pressure system
that determines the weather.
Effect of Land and Water Distribution
- Flow of air in any layer of the atmosphere always directed
toward lower pressure
- pressure distribution are greatly distorted by differences in the
specific heats, refeletivities and mixing properties of water and
land by the existence of barriers to airflow.
- Land surface temperature are more variable (lower specific
heat and higher albedo)
Fronts
Frontal surface – boundary
between two adjacent air
masses of different
temperature.
Temperature
Measurement
Thermometer – placed where air circulation is relatively
unobstructed yet must be protected from the direct rays of sun
and from precipitation.
Lapse rate – rate of change of temperature with the height of the
free atmosphere
General Temperature Distribution
• The highest temperatures occur over tropics and sub-tropics (high insolation). The lowest temperatures occur in polar 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 (sun’s apparent path varies significantly 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 northern hemisphere due to an enhanced 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 poleward shift. (North Atlantic Drift and Gulf
Stream combined with westerlies in Northern Atlantic; Kurishino Current and North Pacific current combined with westerlies
in Northern Pacific) (we will see about ocean currents in detail later.)
• Mountains also affect the horizontal distribution of temperature. For instance, the Rockies and the Andes stop the oceanic
influence from going inwards into North and South America.
Seasonal Temperature Distribution
• The global distribution of temperature can well be understood by studying the temperature
distribution in January and July.
• The temperature distribution is generally shown on the map with the help of isotherms. The
Isotherms are lines joining places having equal temperature.
• In general the effect of the latitude on temperature is well pronounced on the map, as the isotherms
are generally parallel to the latitude. The deviation from this general trend is more pronounced in
January than in July, especially in the northern hemisphere.
• In the northern hemisphere the land surface area is much larger than in the southern hemisphere.
Hence, the effects of land mass and the ocean currents are well pronounced.
• During January, it is winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere.
• The western margins of continents are warmer than their eastern counterparts, since the Westerlies
are able to carry high temperature into the landmasses.
• The temperature gradient is close to the eastern margins of continents. The isotherms exhibit a more
regular behavior in the southern hemisphere.
Humidity – inverse function of temperatire
• Properties of water vapor
– Kinetic energy and surface tension decreases as temperature rises,
the rate of evaporation increases.

Psychrometer – used to measure humidity in the surface layers of the

atmosphere
Global Geographical Distribution of Wind
Seasonal distribution of wind
end