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Dive into the climate system's varying patterns over different timescales - millennial, centennial, daily, and more. Understand global temperature changes, England's climate, and explore Google Earth's weather overlays to grasp spatial and temporal scales.
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Weather: space & time differences Prof. Grant Bigg, Head, Department of Geography, University of Sheffield
(Naturally varying) The Climate System
(directly anthropogenically varying) The Climate System
Differences (or variability) over different timescales • Millennial • Centennial • Decadal • Interannual • Seasonal • Daily • Hourly
Centennial change Fig. 6.10 IPCC (2007)
Decadal change Global surface air temperature (IPCC Fig. 3.6)
Interannual change Central England Temperature (from www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs) oC
Seasonal change oC Central England Temperature 2009-2011 (from www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs)
Daily change Central England Temperature 2012 (from www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs)
Hourly change Let’s look at Google Earth’s weather overlays for hourly variation Then go to spatial scales
Stop slide show • Go to Google Earth (pre-set to Weather & Terrain only) • Expand weather layer • Comment on cloud patterns observed over eastern Atlantic • Click cloud animation in Temporary Places • Turn off weather layer
Drag play pointer slowly along describing time evolution and introducing spatial scales • Go to yesterday evening and zoom to UK or some other region where overnight variation • Point to reduced scale and zoom in to area • Move through sequence commenting on what it reveals about space and time scales
Go over UK if not there • Turn on weather layer • Draw attention to weather data and temperature • Zoom in to bring more stations • Click on station – note features (and that probably from analysis, not real data)
Click on hourly and details to give hour by hour step • Note forecast only, from US Weather Channel • Remove and note spatial limitations of this detailed data to major towns • Now switch to radar data and move to clear rainfall zone
Note 3 hour 30 minute delay between radar and cloud (radar ahead) – hence mismatch in patterns • Activate radar animation • Follow through, discussing spatial and temporal scales
Sources of data or ideas • Royal Meteorological Society MetLink site (www.metlink.org) • Meteorological Office Weather Observations Website (wow.metoffice.gov.uk/home)
Suggestions For Weather Space- Time Differences Questions That Can Be Explored With Student Observations • Variation over time at home (hourly, daily or longer) • Variation over school catchment at same time (synoptic view) • For those with solar panels – how does power generation relate to cloudiness?