Weather

Basics

Worksheet: El Nino / La Nina

Sheet 4: Weather without El Nino influence

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What you have seen worksheet 1 was a flat map.

Can you imagine, what this system (under normal conditions) looks like in a cross cut?

Weather without El Nino influence, animation and design by Julia Heres

Can you answer the following questions?

1) Trade winds flow from the East into low pressure areas because ...

a) they flow from the low to the high pressure areas.
b) they flow from the high to the low pressure areas.
c) they flow from the cold to the warm areas.
d) they follow the ocean stream off the Chilean and Peruvian coast.

2) The Walker circulation shows that the trade winds turn ...

a) from dry to moist.
b) from moist to dry.
c) from cold to warm.
d) from warm to cold.

3) Why do the easterly trade winds carry rain to Indonesia?

a) They gather warm and dry air over the western pacific.
b) They gather cold and moist air over the western pacific.
c) They gather warm and moist air over the eastern pacific.
d) They gather warm and moist air over the western pacific.

4) After convection and rain, the trade winds rise into higher altitudes

a) and then return toward the South.
b) and then return toward the North.
c) and then return toward the East.
d) and then return toward the West.

5) The so called Walker circulation in the pacific consists of ...

a) easterly winds in the troposphere and westerly winds over the pacific.
b) easterly winds in higher altitudes and westerly winds on the ground.
c) westerly winds on the ground and easterly winds in higher altitudes.
d) easterly winds on the ground and westerly winds in higher altitudes.

6) When the wind of this circulation falls down off the South American coast ...

a) it deminishes the existing low pressure area.
b) it deminishes the existing high pressure area.
c) it adds to the existing high pressure area.
d) it adds to the existing low pressure area.

7) The water level in the western pacific is about 0.5 m higher that off the South American coast because ...

a) the trade winds push it from East to West.
b) the trade winds push it from West to East.
c) the trade winds push it from North to West.
d) the trade winds push it from South to West.

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In one sentence:
It is normal that Indonesia and South East Asia receive rain through the normal (Walker) circulation, and that the West Coast of South America remains dry.

About this page:

- Author: Dr. Schrettenbrunner - University of Nürnberg - Germany
- scientific reviewing:
- educational reviewing: Dr. Yvonne Schleicher , Julia Heres
- last update: 08.09.03

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