Climate Notes
Extreme Weather Extreme weather has always been a part of Utah Floods Severe storms Wind 1920 Lehi hail storm killed birds and chickens 1971 Farmington wind storm
Climate vs. Weather Climate: the weather pattern at a specific location over a period of years. Weather: the conditions at a specific time and place. Temperature Precipitation Wind Sunshine Humidity
This Week s Weather vs. Climate Climate: Weather: https://weather.co m/weather/monthly /l/usut0078:1:us
What Determines a Climate? Climate is mainly temperature and precipitation Latitude Wind Elevation Topography (physical features)
World Climate Zones There are three major climate zones Tropical Temperate Polar The three major zones split into 15-20 subzones
U.S. Climate Zones The climate zones of the U.S. range from tropical to desert This map shows nine climate zones
Utah Climate Zones Utah has three climate zones: Highland (mountain) Desert Steppe (about 50% of state) Most people in Utah live in Steppe climate
How Much Water Does Utah Get? Nevada is the driest state (9.5 ) Utah is the second driest (12.2 ) Wettest state: Hawaii (63.7 ) Louisiana (60.1 )
Our Water Supply Most of our water comes from the Pacific Ocean traveling more than 600 miles across California and Nevada The Wasatch Front receives about 12.75 inches of rain per year Deserts get less than 10 Farmington is not a desert, but it s close it is a steppe climate.
How Do Mountains Affect Orographic Lift: an air mass is forced up which causes the mass to cool. A cooler air mass can hold less water, causing precipitation. Precipitation?
Why is Utah Dry Storms form over the Pacific Ocean As they lift over the Sierra-Nevada Mountains most of the moisture precipitates in California This leaves little water for Utah
Orographic Lift Something similar happens in Utah as storms approach the Wasatch Mountains The Western side of the mountains gets most of the water
How Does Weather Radar Work Radar sends waves out and receives them back about every 5-10 minutes Can cover about 140 miles from the station
U.S. Radar Coverage
Location of Weather Radar- Northern Utah
Northern Utah Station
Southern Utah Station
Lake Effect Sometimes moisture is added to storms by a Lake Effect from the Great Salt Lake It does not always happen, but when it does it adds moisture to storms
Great Salt Lake Lake Effect A-Lake effect storm with no other precipitation B-Lake effect happening at the same time as other precipitation
A lake effect occurs when a strong, cold, northwesterly wind blows across a relatively warm lake. Lake Effect
Lake Effect Radar loop from Buffalo, NY October, 2006 Notice the continual formation of lake effect snow over Lake Erie as the storm moves in on the city of Buffalo
Buffalo October 2006
Lake Effect Great Lakes Area November 2014
November 2014
Lake Effect The salt in the Great Salt Lake reduces its lake effect It can still add a couple of feet of snow to storms that reach the Wasatch Mountains
Temperature Utah s average temperature is 48.6 (ranked 32 nd ) Hottest states are Florida (70.7 ) and Hawaii (70.0 ) Coldest states are Alaska (26.6 ) and N. Dakota (40.4 )
Average Annual Temperature Map
Utah is Getting Warmer Over the last 120 years, Utah s average has risen about 3 1895-2015 Annual (46-49 ) Winter (26-28 ) Summer (67-70 )
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen (state tree)
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir Rocky Mtn. Juniper
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir Rocky Mtn. Juniper Box Elder
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir Rocky Mtn. Juniper Box Elder Canyon Maple
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir Rocky Mtn. Juniper Box Elder Canyon Maple Scrub Oak
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous plants to Northern Utah Quaking Aspen Douglas Fir Rocky Mtn. Juniper Box Elder Canyon Maple Scrub Oak Peachleaf Willow
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood Hoptree
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood Hoptree Wavyleaf Oak
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood Hoptree Wavyleaf Oak Ponderosa Pine
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood Hoptree Wavyleaf Oak Ponderosa Pine Pinyon Pine
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous trees to Southern Utah Dwarf Ash Freemont Cottonwood Hoptree Wavyleaf Oak Ponderosa Pine Pinyon Pine California Redbud
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk Coyote
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk Coyote Raccoon
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk Coyote Raccoon Mountain Lion
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk Coyote Raccoon Mountain Lion Moose
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Northern Utah Big Brown Bat White-tailed Jackrabbit Uinta Chipmunk Coyote Raccoon Mountain Lion Moose Mule Deer
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog Bald Eagle
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog Bald Eagle Golden Eagle
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog Bald Eagle Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog Bald Eagle Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon Harris Hawk
Climate Determines the Plants and Animals of an Area Indigenous animals to Southern Utah Mule Deer Prairie Dog Bald Eagle Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon Harris Hawk Antelope
Where do people live in Utah? Why? Climate Rivers Jobs Transportation Salt Lake City First settled areas Biggest reason: WATER
Where do people live in Utah? Cons of living on Wasatch Front: Earthquakes Floods/Mudslides Poor air quality Drought Wildfires Severe weather