ARTICLE TITLE: The Ocean and the Weather AUTHOR/SOURCE: Peter J. Webster and Judith A.

Curry

MAIN POINTS: Rotation of earth deflects air masses into ribbons of air that spiral around the globe, westward in polar and equatorial regions and eastward in the mid altitudes. The sea is as important as the atmosphere in controlling the planets weather Weather is as inevitable as death and taxes. The atmosphere does not determine the weather by itself. It has a less obvious but essential partner: the ocean. Such connections between the ocean and the atmosphere can inuence, and often dominate, changes in the weather and longer-term climate everywhere. The ocean is the engine that drives seasonal shifts in weather. Solar heating at high latitudes is reduced even further in winter, when the axis of the planet tilts away from the sun. The ocean and atmosphere work together like a planetary thermostat, sharing equally the task of exporting heat from equatorial regions towards poles. The ocean also generates intense storms at lower latitudes, in or around certain tropical regions. Over 4 to 6 day period, the stormy boundary drifts from west to east, producing rain that falls at mid altitudes. In the western Atlantic and eastern Pacic off Mexico and California, these storms are called hurricanes after the Mayan god of winds, Hunraken. In the Indian Ocean and near northern Australia, hurricanes are known as cyclones, a variation of the Greek word for coiled serpent. In the northwestern Pacic, they are called typhoons, from the Chinese phrase for great wind, tai fung. You dont need a weather- man to know which way the wind blows. You need both a weatherman and an oceanographer. The pattern inhibits a clean transfer of heat between north and south. Cold and warm air masses collide in mid-altitudes causing powerful storms.

AUTHOR'S POINT: The author explains to the readers how the ocean plays an important role in our weather. Without our oceans our weather wouldnt be the same, because there is a connection between the ocean and the weather. Connections between the ocean and the atmosphere can inuence, and often dominate, changes in the weather and longer-term climate everywhere. MY THOUGHTS:

Ive always known that the ocean is involved with our weather, but never did I think they were connected in such a great way. I learned that I learned that the ocean generates intense storms at lower altitudes. I found it interested how in different places such as Australia hurricanes are known as cyclones, I wouldve thought that they would be named the same as they are here. You dont need a weather man to know from which direction the wind is blowing.

So What? The ocean is a key source to why our weather is the way it is. The ocean and our weather are well connected. What if..? What if they werent connected? What would I weather be like?

Says who? Peter J. Webster and Judith A. Curry

What does this remind you of? This reminds me of different living organisms that may have similar connections with each other.