Climate and Landscape Plants of Spain
Item 2: Climate and Landscape Plants
Temperature and Precipitation
Temperature Range
The difference between maximum and minimum temperature is called the daily thermal amplitude if measured daily, and the annual temperature range if measured annually. This is calculated by finding the difference between the warmest and coldest months.
Average Temperature
The average temperature is calculated by adding the maximum and minimum temperatures and dividing by two. This can be done monthly or yearly.
Temperature Measurement
Temperature, representing the amount of heat in the atmosphere at a given location, is measured using a thermometer.
Precipitation
Precipitation is the amount of rain falling on a land area at a specific point, measured with a rain gauge.
Types of Rain
- Convective Rain: Produced by the heating of moist air at the surface, which rises, cools, and precipitates. Example: Summer storms.
- Orographic Precipitation: Occurs when moist air masses are forced to ascend a mountain barrier, causing the Fohn effect (south wind).
- Frontal Precipitation: Occurs when a warm air mass is forced to rise by a heavier, cold air mass.
Climate and Weather
Climate
Climate is the set of atmospheric conditions that characterize a particular area.
Weather
Weather indicates the atmospheric conditions at a particular time.
Climate Factors
Climate factors are mechanisms that cause climate variations.
Atmospheric Circulation
Atmospheric circulation is a mechanism that balances pressure and temperature between different air masses through winds (movement of air masses from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas).
Rainy Fronts
Rainy fronts are centers of action (cyclones and storms) that affect different areas of the Earth by sending air masses (warm or cold, depending on their origin). There are two types:
- Dynamic: Depend on the convergence and divergence of winds.
- Thermal: Depend on the heating or cooling of air masses in contact with the surface.
Note: Both dynamic and thermal fronts depend on winds and location on the planet.
Spanish Climate and Vegetation
Climate Factors
Latitude
The Iberian Peninsula’s latitude provides maximum sunshine, two interim periods, and at least one period of minimal sunshine. This places it within the temperate latitudes, characterized by moderate rainfall and temperatures.
Westerly Winds
The Iberian Peninsula lies within the domain of westerly surface winds, reinforced by the jet stream (a tubular wind flow circulating westward at nine to eleven miles high. This current separates polar storms to its left and tropical cyclones to its right. Its speed varies: when fast, it flows almost straight; when slow, it undulates, reaching cyclones in troughs and anticyclones in ridges. This phenomenon descends in winter, affecting Spain with polar storms, and rises in summer, allowing subtropical anticyclones to influence the peninsula).
Air Masses and Fronts
:
Spain is situated and the area of action of the polar front is an area with instability storms and disturbances. These air masses have specific characteristics of temperature, humidity and pressure, which are sent Arctic air mass, polar and tropical, the Arctic polar (cold mass) and tropical (warm bodies) in both cases can be sea (moist) and continental (dry) Depending on the season in which they give, there is a maritime tropical air mass warm and humid. You may also see the continental tropical air warm and dry from the Sahara.
From autumn to spring but the polar front drops south and opened the maritime polar air, cool and wet, from the North Atlantic (partner brings storms) air in winter is cold and dry continental polar and arctic air.
– The relief:
The relief works by the compact form of the peninsula and the situation in the mountains near the coast, which makes the influence of the sea penetrating inside.
· Elements that define the climate
The temperature is highest during the summer to winter so you are the lowest temperatures. The wetter areas are the northwest and the Cantabrian facade, the drier are situated to the southeast. Highest rainfall (Gredos and Grazalema)
·> Types of weather affecting the Iberian Peninsula.
– Winter:
– Time of great activity of the polar front
– Entry of fronts the Atlantic Ocean
– Low pressure = instability (heavy snow ..)
– Arctic air masses (dry)
– Waves of cold.
– Fall and Spring:
– Squalls of the polar front.
– As spring progresses, the Azores anticyclone is closer (and more stable time temperatures rise.
– Drop Cold cold pocket of air in an environment of warm, moist air over
– Summer:
– Impact of the Azores anticyclone.
– Heat waves caused by hot, dry air of the Sahara.
– Low pressure area, causing storms (summer)
2.LA VEGETATION.
In Spain there are many varieties of vegetation:
– The Pyrenees and the facade CANTABRICA belong to the Euro Siberian region.
– THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN Peninsula belong to the Mediterranean region.
– The CANARY macarronesica outside the region.