Weather and climate

Lecture 2

Weather and Climate

Md. Marufur Rahman

Dept. of Disaster Science and Management

University of Dhaka

Weather

Weather is the day to day state or condition of atmosphere, it generally range from minute to week

Atmospheric condition/state in weather is described by temperature, precipitation, humidity, air pressure, cloudiness, visibility, wind speed and direction etc

All this phenomenon is called elements of weather

Climate

Climate is average weather condition, measures calculating 30-40 years of data.

The elements of weather and climate are same: temperature, precipitation, humidity, air pressure, cloudiness, visibility, wind speed and direction etc

So, main difference between weather and climate is time. one describe short term atmospheric conditions other based on long term average of weather conditions

Paleoclimate

Relating to or being a climate distinctive to a past geological age first use of the word paleoclimate is in 1893. A science dealing with the Climate of past is called Paleoclimatology

-Merriam- Webster

Study of the past climate prior to the instrument records. Good weather records extend back only about 130-150 years. Natural records of climate is studied to reconstruct past climate which is called proxy data.

Paleoclimate

1. Tree Ring Record

2. Pollen Study

3. Fossil And Rocks

4. Ice Cores

5. Isotope Study

6. Coral Reefs

7. Sediment Cores

Tree Ring Study

Ice Cores study for Climate Research

Why we study paleoclimate?

Law’s of Uniformitarianism

“The Present is the Key to Past” -James Hutton (1726-1797)

The Past is the key to future

Paleoclimate

Study of paleoclimate give ideas about past climate and how past climate turn in to present.

Studying how the atmosphere has changed over the history help scientists to understand how our current climate may changed in future.

And

it also help to predict future change in the atmosphere/climate due to human activities

Weather and Climate

Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get

-Time Enough for Love – 1973 by Robert A.HeinleinA

Climate last all the time and weather only a few days -Mark TwainA A

Weather tell us what to wear on any given day, climate tell us what wardrobe to have

Robert A.Heinlein was a American science fiction writer and was most influential and controversial one and was sometimes called dean of science fiction writerA

Mark Twain (1835-1910) was a famous American author and humoristA A

Weather V Climate

Weather

1. Weather is day to day state or condition of atmosphere in a specific time in a specific place.

2. Weather consist of short term variations in the atmosphere (Minutes to days)

Climate

1. Climate is average condition of weather over a long period of time in a specific area

2. Climate consist of long term average weather condition generally 30-40 years (of data analysis)

Weather V Climate

Weather

3. Weather can change in between short time even in an hour or less

4. Weather consist of temperature, precipitation, humidity, atmospheric pressure, visibility, wind speed and direction etc.

Climate

3. Climate changes very slowly and take years

4. Climate also consist of similar elements including temperature, precipitation, humidity, visibility, wind speed and direction etc

Weather V Climate

Weather

5. Weather generally cover small area than Climate. In a given time weather of two area may different although having similar climate

6. Study of weather is called Meteorology

Climate

4. Climate cover larger area than weather. In monsoon season Dhaka may enjoy heavy rainfall but Comilla have sunny sky although both place have same climate but different weather.

5. Study of climate is called Climatology

Thank You

References1. Heinlein, R. A. (1973) Time Enough for Love ,G. P. Putnam’s Sons New York

2. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/csd/graphics/content/outreach/brochures/Weather&Climate_General_Public.pdf

3. http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/climatechange1/07_1.shtml

4. http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_2_1.htm

5. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/Image/lbf/photos/

6. http://climatekids.nasa.gov/climate-change-evidence/

7. http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2013/01/23/deep-ice-cores-show-past-greenland-warm-period-may-be-%E2%80%98road-map%E2%80%99-continued

8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_Station

9. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/climate/page-1

10. http://cses.washington.edu/cig/pnwc/weathervsclimate.shtml

11. http://www.diffen.com/difference/Climate_vs_Weather

12. http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/arctic-meteorology/climate_vs_weather.html

13. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/meteo469/node/141