Temática: Climate

Temperature

Temperature is the degree of heat the air possesses at a given time and place. It depends on factors such as sunlight, latitude, and altitude. Several records are of interest, both in terms of averages (absolute, minimum, and maximum) and extreme values (minimum and maximum), […]

Weather

The physical state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. It is defined by the values of elements such as temperature, humidity and precipitation, wind, pressure, and sunlight, among others. Meteorology is the science that studies the weather.

Atmospheric pressure

Pressure is the force exerted by atmospheric air per unit area on the Earth's surface. It is measured with a barometer in millibars (mbar) or hectopascals (hPa) and is represented on maps by isobars. Normal pressure at sea level is 1013 millibars and tends to decrease with increasing altitude.

Precipitation

The amount of water, in the form of rain, snow, or hail, that falls in a place. It is measured with a rain gauge, in liters per square meter or millimeters. Precipitation can be orographic (due to topography), convective (due to ground heating), and frontal (due to atmospheric fronts). The average annual precipitation in Spain is 650 mm, although […]

Thermal oscillation

The difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures over a period of time (day, month, year). Generally, we refer to the annual temperature range (the difference between the warmest and coldest months of the year) and the daily temperature range (the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures of the day). The annual temperature range, in certain areas […]

air mass

A large volume of air with properties and characteristics in terms of temperature, humidity, and pressure that are almost homogeneous throughout its entire surface. They may originate from maritime or continental sources, and in the Iberian Peninsula, they may be Arctic, polar, or tropical.

Isoyeta

An imaginary line drawn on a map that connects all points that have the same amount of precipitation over a period of time.

Jet stream

A high-altitude (between 9 and 11 km) tubular wind flow at high speed (between 200 and 400 km/h) is responsible for the distribution of pressure at altitude and on the surface. It separates air masses of polar and tropical origin. It can circulate rapidly with a relatively undefined zonal trajectory.

Insolation

The amount of solar radiation received by the Earth's surface. Depending on the orientation of the slopes, the greater or lesser incidence of sunlight leads us to distinguish between sunny and shady areas, with distinct biogeographic characteristics.

Isobar

An imaginary line on a map connecting all points with the same atmospheric pressure (measured in millibars -mbar- or hectopascals -hPa-). Normal pressure is 1013 millibars or hectopascals, although weather maps usually use the value of 1016. Areas with atmospheric pressure higher than normal are called anticyclones, […]