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    INTRODUCTION TO THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

A. INTRODUCTION   Link icon: textbook note   Link icon: global precipitation animation

Map: global precipitation
Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/trmm_rain/Events/trmm_climatology_3B43.html

Graph of latitudinal precipitation pattern
Source: NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/research/climate/highlights/GFDL_V1N5_gallery.html

Diagram: the hydrologic cycle
Hydrologic Cycle Image credit: National Weather Service (2005) Jetstream: An Online School for Weather http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/atmos/hydro.htm


B. EVAPORATION: TRANSFER MOISTURE INTO THE ATMOSPHEREGraph: saturation curve

Affected by:

Global Average Evaporation Rate 1988-2000 Based on NCEP-R2 Data Set
Map: global average evaporation rate
Image credit: NASA/GSFC (2007) Global Modeling and Assimilation Office http://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/research/merra/climate.php


C. HUMIDITY: MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Vapor pressure

Mixing ratio

Relative humidity

Relative humidity equation

Diagram: relative humidity

Graph: diurnal relative humidity patterns

Map: global pattern to total water vapor January
Map: global pattern to total water vapor July
Image credit: NASA/JPL (2006) New Global Maps Made from AIRS Data. http://airs.jpl.nasa.gov/News/Features/FeaturesNewGlobalMaps/

D. PRECIPITATION: TRANSFER MOISTURE OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE

Image credit: ©Michael Collier. Image source: Earth Science World Image Bank http://www.earthscienceworld.org/images Stratocumulous clouds, Monument Valley, Arizona photo: stratocumulous clouds

Condensation

Dew point temperature

Cooling mechanisms

Precipitation

Map: mean annual global precipitation
Image credit: National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center (2002) NOAA, Mean annual precipitation 1979-1995. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/wayne/annual.precip.html

Map: mean annual  USA precipitation
Image credit: National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center (2002) NOAA, Mean annual precipitation 1979-1995. http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/precip/realtime/clim/annual/monthly/annual.html


Photo: lake fog

 

E. SUMMARY

Image credit: Ralph F. Kresge, NOAA Photo Library, Historic NWS Collection http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/historic/nws/wea02054.htm


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©Karen A. Lemke: klemke@uwsp.edu
Last revised February 9, 2009