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Minnamurra River; Atmospheric Systems
Minnamurra River; Atmospheric Systems
Lesson goals
Lesson goals
Understand the influence of global atmospheric circulations upon the Minnamurra River.
Examine the interactions between atmosphere-ocean circulations and weather systems impacting Minnamurra River.
Lesson description
Lesson description
The resources and supplied googleslide presentation provided in the lesson will aid in the explanation and description of the Hadley and Ferrel cells, ENSO cycle, East Coast Lows and their impacts upon the Minnamurra River system, while the preparation of a sample weather forecast for a significant storm event will apply and develop geographic skills, including the use of synoptic charts and predictive weather models.
Estimated time
Estimated time
2 lessons (~100 minutes)
Supporting materials
Supporting materials
Outcomes
Outcomes
Content
Content
Examines places, environments and natural and human phenomena, for their characteristics, spatial patterns, interactions and changes over time.
Explains geographical processes and influences, at a range of scales, that form and transform places and environments.
Geographic Skills and Tools
Geographic Skills and Tools
Analyses and synthesises relevant geographical information from a variety of sources.
Applies geographical inquiry skills and tools, including spatial technologies, fieldwork, and ethical practices, to investigate places and environments.
Focus Area - Earth's natural systems
Focus Area - Earth's natural systems
Examples relating to atmospheric systems
- global atmospheric circulations
- weather systems
- atmosphere-ocean circulations
Supporting Materials Access
Supporting Materials Access
Follow the link (or image below) to access the ENS student presentation template - Atmospheric System. Once opened, save to your individual google drive or download your own copy to share via google classroom etc, or print a hard copy.
Follow the link (or image below) to access the ENS student presentation template - Atmospheric System. Once opened, save to your individual google drive or download your own copy to share via google classroom etc, or print a hard copy.
Once saved, use the resources below to complete the lesson.
Once saved, use the resources below to complete the lesson.
Lesson activity #1
Lesson activity #1
Atmospheric Circulations
Atmospheric Circulations
Polar, Hadley and Ferrel Cells
Polar, Hadley and Ferrel Cells
These cells determine the weather patterns of the Minnamurra region, situated at 34 degrees South. Descending air forms dominant high pressure systems along the 30th parallel, leading to typically mild, stable weather patterns.
Lesson activity #2
Lesson activity #2
ENSO - El Niño Southern Oscillation
ENSO - El Niño Southern Oscillation
El Niño and La Niña have perhaps the strongest influence on year-to-year climate variability in Australia. They are a part of a natural cycle known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and are associated with a sustained period (many months) of warming (El Niño) or cooling (La Niña) in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. The ENSO cycle loosely operates over timescales from one to eight years, and are driven by the 'Walker Circulation'.
The Walker Circulation is an east-west circulation of the atmosphere above the tropical Pacific ocean. Air rises above the warmer regions of the ocean (typically western) and descends above the cooler regions (typically eastern). Fluctuations to it's strength drives the Southern Oscillation, and patterns of El Niño and LA Niña.
Follow this link to learn more, or view a PDF here.
La Niña is the positive phase of the ENSO cycle, where a stronger Walker Cycle causes warmer water to move to the northeast of Australia, and cooler water upwells at the east of the Pacific ocean. This pattern is associated with higher than average rainfall (often flooding) across eastern Australia.
El Niño is the negative phase of the ENSO cycle, where a weaker (or reverse) Walker Cycle causes warmer water to move to the central or eastern parts of the Pacific ocean, and cooler water upwells to the northeast of Australia. This pattern is associated with lower than average rainfall (often drought) across eastern Australia.
Lesson Activity #3
Lesson Activity #3
East Coast Lows
East Coast Lows
East Coast Lows (ECL) are intense low pressure systems which occur, on average, several times each year off the eastern coast of Australia, in particular southern Queensland, NSW and eastern Victoria. Although they can occur at any time of the year, they are more common during autumn and winter with a maximum frequency in June. East Coast Lows will often intensify rapidly over a period of 12-24 hours making them one of the more dangerous weather systems to affect the eastern coast.
Activity #4
Activity #4
Sample Weather Forecast- March 2022
Sample Weather Forecast- March 2022
Use the following information to develop a 3 day weather forecast for the Illawarra, from the 8th-11th of March, 2022.
Click here to check your answer
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