The Weather And Climate of Southeast Region of the United States - Term Paper Example

? The Weather and Climate of Southeast Region of the United s of Introduction Weather refers to the daily condition of the atmosphere as observed within the troposphere. It is determined from the daily temperature, humidity and precipitation as observed in an area. On the other hand, Climate refers to the average atmospheric condition of a region as observed over a long period, usually over 30 or 35 years. This paper investigates the weather and climate of the southeast region of the United States based on the study of the following aspects; seasonal and daily temperatures/atmospheric moisture, dew, stability and cloud development, condensation, clouds, fog, precipitation, winds, air pressure, air masses and front, tornadoes, thunderstorms , and hurricanes. The research also included other aspects of weather and climate such seasonal weather issues, Earth-Sun relationships and normal physical and chemical composition of the atmosphere. The Southeastern United States refers to the region to the eastern part of the Southern United States. It is one of the most densely populated areas of the USA. The zone consists of the following states; Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia , Tennessee, and Kentucky. In this region, the State of Florida has the highest population while Mississippi has the lowest. The climate of this region is majorly warm and humid, characterized by long hot summers and short intervals of winters. The area boasts of large cash crop plantations due to its climate and good soil. Data Collection The following sampled tables and images support the findings of the data collection exercise on various aspects of whether and climate in Southeastern US, which preceded the writing of the essay. Alabama State Averaged Precipitation Data (in inches) (Retrieved from www.sercc.com,) YEAR ANNUAL TOTAL 2009 75.05 2010 48.77 2011 47.56 2012 53.82 2013(AUGUST) 50.22 Delaware State Averaged Temperature Data (°F) (Retrieved from www.sercc.com,) YEAR ANNUAL AVERAGE 2009 55.4 2010 56.9 2011 58.1 2012 58.4 2013(AUGUST) 57.6 Photograph of Hurricane Wilma (2005) Typical afternoon summer shower in Florida Typical wind speeds in the southeast Discussion The weather in the southeast U.S. can be described as of the warm and humid subtropical climate type. The temperatures get hot during summers, with recorded high averages of 90 °F in cities like Charleston. Combined with moist tropical winds, summers here are hot and humid. Winters on the other hand register cooler temperatures, features of a tropical climate with wet summers and sunny dry winters. Due to the geographical location of this region, it experiences periods of alternating solar radiation giving rise to different seasons throughout the year, the major seasons of concern are thus summer and winter. The weather during summers is characterized by high temperatures averaging 90 °F and thunderstorms in the evenings. In addition, summers witness mid morning sea breezes that bring in a cooling effect. There are also occasional tropical cyclones. On the contrary, winters are cold with temperatures dipping as low as 39 °F in Tallahassee. Easterly winds blowing at this period help keep the temperatures moderate during winters and the Gulf Stream also modifies cooler air coming in from the east and the northeast. Despite its tropical location, freezes are often witnessed in the region during winters. The lowest recorded temperature during winter was -2°F in 1899 Wind, Fog, Precipitation, and Snowfall In the region, northerly winds generally blow across the Panhandle and from the west over Jacksonville. During summer, the wind pattern consists of easterly winds blowing southwards and southwest winds in the northern regions. The maximum wind speed recorded was at 100 knots during Hurricane Andrew (Wind Mapper, 2013). With regards to fog, the Southeastern USA experiences fogs in winter. The total number of dense fog days in any year, with visibility less that 0.25km, ranges from 1 in Key West to about 50 in Tallahassee, within the state of Florida alone. The two types of fog common in this region are radiational and advection On precipitation, the heaviest downpour occurs in summer while the driest months are in spring. Uncharacteristically heavy rainfall is also witnessed during El Nino. The heaviest rainfall witnessed in a period of 24 hours occurred during Hurricane Easy, with a measurement of 38.7 inches. The heavy rains occur due to stalled fronts over the southeast region, and occur between March to May and October to November. A dry spell is observed between winter and spring. This dry season is characterized by bush fires during late spring when temperatures rise. Droughts have been witnessed for example between November 20005 until 2009 just after the passage of Hurricane Wilma (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Hurricane Research Division, 2006). The driest period recorded was the drought of 2000 (Southeast USA weather, 2013). The rainy season then resumes around early June every year. Snowfall occurs when a cold front brings strewn snow flurries, widespread sleet and icy rain. Snowing is majorly witnessed in the central to northern parts of the southeast. The record for snowfall in this region is 5 inches; this was witnessed in northern Florida in January 1800. Snowfall occurs between November and April. Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Tropical Cyclones The southeast reports more thunderstorms than any other part of the US, with as much as 90 cases per year. This is deadly because it claims several deaths per year. Severe thunderstorms result in strong winds, hail and tornadoes, heavy rainfall from thunderstorms cause flash flooding. Major incidences of thunderstorms occur during summer (Paxton, 1998). The southeast reports more cases of tornadoes per square mile than any other part of the States. They result in destruction of property and loss of lives. Strong tornadoes normally occur alongside cold fronts in winter periods or even spring. The worst tornado ever witnessed in this region claimed 42 lives in central Florida in February 1998. Tropical cyclones coincide with hurricanes. They affect the region all year round, with a minimum appearance from January to March. The coastlines have a lower periodicity of return of cyclones as compared to areas further inland. Monroe County has experienced more cyclones since 1926 than any other county in the United States. African Dust Outbreaks Dust from the Sahara is normally brought in by trade winds from the south into this region. This dust has several effects in this region. First, it suppresses rainfall. Second, it makes the appearance of the sky white. Third, it causes red sunsets. Finally, this African dust lowers air quality over the southeast region by increasing airborne specks. Over the last four decades, dust outbursts have been on the rise due to periods of drought in Africa. In addition to the African dust outbreaks, other pollutants such as industrial emissions in form of gases that pollute the atmosphere have been noted. These emissions result in acid rain that is harmful to both plant and animal life. To reduce this problem, industries must conform to the internationally set standards that regulate the emission of these harmful gases into the atmosphere. Conclusion This report on the weather of the southeast region of the United States was compiled as a result of a series of activities. First, the region was identified and geographically introduced. Second, research was done and data collected form various sources as indicated in the references. Lastly, a detailed discussion of the elements of weather and climate in the region was done, both periodic aspects as well as those events that happen daily. This research will help in the understanding of the adverse elements of weather such as hurricanes and the duration around which they occur so that evacuation and other emergency strategies may be started in good time. It has also identified the negative influences of human activities on the environment, such as pollution, its effects on the weather, and climate of the southeast region of the United States, and possible solution to this problem. References Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Hurricane Research Division (2006). "Frequently Asked Questions: Are TC Tornadoes Weaker Than Mid-latitude Tornadoes?” NOAA. Davis, T. F. (1998). "Climatology of Jacksonville, Fla. and Vicinity" (PDF). U.S. Weather Bureau. Paxton, C. H., Colson, J., and Carlisle, N. (2008). Florida lightning deaths and injuries 2004-2007. American Meteorological Society. Rice, D. (2010). "Winter "Wild Card" In Play". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. Southeast Regional Climate Centre (2013). ‘Tropical Storms Impacting the Southeast.’ Retrieved on September 15, 2013 from http://www.sercc.com/past_tropical Southeast USA weather. (2013) ‘Weather Forecast- Regional Southeast Temperatures’ Retrieved on September 15, 2013 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/forecast/regional-southeast-temps.htm United States (USA) Weather Forecast from Weather Underground | Weather Underground http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/WindSpeed.html Wind Mapper.com. (2013). ‘Wind Observation Map - South East United States.’ Retrieved on September 15, 2013 from http://www.windmapper.com/ Read More