Lesson 3. Climate of Great Britain.

Before describing the climate of a country we should revise the difference between WEATHER and CLIMATE, study FACTORS which determine climate and all the necessary terms from the Glossary.

When we say WEATHER, we refer to daily changes in temperatures, winds, clouds and rains, etc. CLIMATE expresses the average of the atmospheric conditions of a given place, as recorded over a great many years.

There are several factors which determine climate. They are:

1. Latitude – the angle at which the sun’s rays strike the earth. It influences the amount of heat received by different parts of the earth. The general rule says: the higher the latitude the colder the climate. It’s usual to divide the earth into five climatic zones: two frigid, two temperate and one torrid, or tropical. Generally speaking, places in the temperate zones have a cool climate, and those in the frigid zones – a cold climate.

2. Influence of seas and oceans. Water warms less fast than land, but it gives up its heat much more slowly than land, that’s why the proximity of the sea has a great effect on the climate of a place. Areas situated close to the sea are said to have an insular or a maritime climate, and those which are far inland are said to have a continental climate. The main difference between these climates is the range of temperatures (that is the difference between the warmest and the coldest months of the year). The seasonal range of temperatures in places with continental climates is much greater than in places with insular or maritime climates.

3. Influence of ocean currents. E.g. The Gulf-Stream flows across the north Atlantic and affects the climate of the British Isles and Europe, bringing warmth and moisture in winter. In summer it has a cooling effect.

4. Influence of relief. With increasing altitude, temperature decreases (it falls by 1 degree Centigrade every 165 metres of height). Relative humidity increases with height, and so mountainous areas are more cloudy and damper. They have heavier precipitation than lowlands. Mountain ranges often form climatic barriers protecting plains from cold north winds.

5. Prevailing winds. Different types of winds (trade winds, monsoons, westerly, easterly winds, etc.) affect climate moving air masses in different directions (from high pressure areas to low pressure areas), bringing all types of weather.

GLOSSARY:

affect воздействовать, влиять

air masses воздушные массы

altitude высота над уровнем моря

anticyclone [, ntisaikloun] антициклон, область

высокого давления

average, adj. [ v rid ] средний

average (mean) temperatures средние температуры

daily среднесуточные

monthly среднемесячные

annual or yearly среднегодовые

on average в среднем

average, v. находить, вычислять среднее

Centigrade scale шкала Цельсия

climate [klaimit] климат

maritime climate морской климат

continental climate континентальный климат

insular climate островной климат

mild climate мягкий климат

equable climate [ekw bl] ровный, равномерный климат

climatic zone климатический пояс, зона

frigid [frid id] арктический, холодный

temperate умеренный

torrid = tropical тропический, жаркий

cyclone [saikloun] = циклон, депрессия, область

depression = low pressure area пониженного давления

decrease уменьшать(ся), убывать

determine, be determined on определять(ся)

effect результат, следствие,

действие, эффект

humidity [hju(:)miditi] влажность

increase расти, увеличивать(ся),

повышать(ся)

influence, n (over, upon) влияние, воздействие на

influence, v влиять, воздействовать

isotherm [aiso(u) :m] изотерма

precipitation [pri,sipitei ( )n] осадки

rain дождь

snow снег

hail град

dew роса

rime иней, изморозь

sleet дождь со снегом

rainfall (snowfall) количество осадков в виде

дождя (в виде снега)

heavy rainfall высокое количество осадков

low rainfall низкое количество осадков

range амплитуда, диапазон, пределы,

зона, ряд

seasonal range of temperatures сезонный ход температур

wind ветер

trade wind пассат

monsoon муссон

westerly winds западные ветры

easterly winds восточные ветры

prevailing winds преобладающие ветры

ASSIGNMENTS AND EXERCISES:

1. Study the Glossary and the text above.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What is WEATHER and CLIMATE? Explain the difference between two terms.

2. List all the factors which determine climate. Enlarge upon each of them. Give your own examples.

3. What is altitude?

4. What types of precipitation do you know? Name them.

5. What types of prevailing winds do you know? Name them and give your examples. What winds determine the climate of Moscow?

6. What type of climate does Great Britain enjoy?

3. Explain in English the meanings of the following words and word combinations: средние температуры, циклон, антициклон, шкала Цельсия, осадки, количество осадков, сезонный ход температур, пассат, муссон, преобладающие ветры, изотерма.

4. Give some general characteristics of

• maritime climate

• continental climate

• insular climate

• frigid zone

• temperate zone

• torrid zone.

Use your knowledge of Geography. Give your own examples.

5. Study the text below. Make up questions on the text. Describe the climate of Great Britain.

Variability is the most striking feature of the British weather. The weather can change daily and long settled periods are rare. Over a long period of time, the weather can be averaged out to give the climate.

The climate of the British Isles is temperate. The western part of Britain enjoys maritime climate (humid and cloudy) and as for the eastern and south – eastern England – its climate has certain of Europe's climatic attributes, including biting cold wind and snow showers in winter.

In general, the summers are warm and the winters are mild. There is a lack of extremes and the climate is equable.

The prevailing winds are south-westerly, although during the winter months easterly winds may blow and bring a cold, dry, continental type of weather.

The location of the British Isles explains the climate. The North Atlantic Drift is a warm ocean current which starts as the Gulf Stream off the coast of Mexico. ln winter it keeps the temperatures higher than at many other places on the same latitude. Away from the influence of the current, winter temperatures are lower, that's why Eastern Britain is cooler in January than Western Britain. In summer the Atlantic ocean has a cooling effect. Temperatures are higher away from the Atlantic. Eastern Britain is affected more by easterly airstreams from Europe and even Asia.

Annual rainfall decreases from west to east and increases with height. On average, June is the driest month all over Britain. May is the next driest in Eastern and Central England, but April is drier in parts on the west and north. The wettest months are October and December. Most heavy snow comes with easterly or north-easterly winds.

January is normally the coldest month of the year and July is normally the warmest month inland, while on the coast August is equally warm and the sea temperature is at its maximum. In July and August the sea is warm enough to bathe on the south coast. July's temperatures fall from south to north and increase from the coast inland. Along the south coast temperatures don't fall substantionally until late September, and the summer sunshine totals are generally highest in this area. Summer and early autumn (Indian summer) are fine and bright.

As for famous English fogs, they are more frequent in autumn and winter, particularly over the low-lying parts of the Midlands, where cold air gathers in hollows and in the polluted parts of the cities.

Relief also influences the climate of the country. Its influence may be represented by different climates of Highland and Lowland Britain. That is not only the northern position of Highland Britain but the altitudes of the mountains that form the climate of the region.

6. Describe the climate of:

• England

• Scotland

• Wales

• Northern Ireland.

Use the text and add some information form Climate maps of your atlas (temperatures, rainfall, etc.)

7. Find any story, a joke, an interesting dialogue or poem about the English climate or weather. Be ready to perform it at the lesson.

8. Translate into English:

1. На климат Великобритании влияют следующие факторы: расположение в умеренном поясе, близость теплого Северо-Атлантического течения, преобладающие юго-западные ветры, близость Евразии, а также расположение областей повышенного и пониженного давления и рельеф местности.

2. При поднятии в горы температура воздуха понижается, а относительная влажность повышается.

3. Разница между зимними и летними температурами в континентальном климате гораздо больше, чем в морском.

4. Изотермы – это линии, соединяющие точки с одинаковой температурой воздуха.

5. На климатических картах, используемых в Европе, температура обозначена по шкале Цельсия.

6. Знаменитые английские туманы чаще всего можно наблюдать осенью и зимой, особенно в низменных частях Мидленда.