Climatic conditions over the territory of the Pacific Ocean are due to its location in all climatic zones, except the polar ones. The most precipitation falls in the equator region - up to 2000 mm. Due to the fact that Pacific Ocean protected by land from the influence of the Arctic Ocean, its northern part is warmer than the southern part.
The Pacific Ocean, despite its name, is the most turbulent on the planet. In its central part trade winds dominate, and in the western part there is a monsoon circulation, known for its destructive tropical hurricanes - typhoons. IN temperate latitudes prevails Western transfer- movement air masses in a western direction. There are often storms in the north and south.
Pacific typhoons - natural phenomenon nature, leading to significant destruction and loss of life. They hit Japan every year. Philippine Islands, east coast of China and Vietnam. The diameter of the typhoon ranges from 200 to 1800 km. and in its center the weather is often calm and even clear. On the periphery of the typhoon, there are heavy rains, hurricane winds blow, and storm waves reach a height of 10-12 m. One of the peculiar features of the Pacific Ocean is giant waves - tsunami, resulting from underwater volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. These waves, unlike wind waves, cover the entire thickness of the water. Moving at enormous speeds (over 1000 km/h), they remain almost invisible, since they have a height of only 0.5-1.0 m, but in shallow water it increases to tens of meters.
To prevent danger, the International Tsunami Warning Service was created. Seismic stations determine the time and place of an earthquake, assess the possibility of a tsunami, and, in case of danger, notify about the approach of a wave.
The significant extent of the ocean from north to south causes changes in average annual surface water temperatures from -1 to +30 °C. Due to the significant amount of precipitation that exceeds the amount of evaporating water, the salinity of surface waters in it is somewhat lower than in other oceans.
In the northeastern part of the ocean, large fogs are observed, moving towards the mainland in the form of huge white waves. The real “land of fogs” is called the Bering Sea.
There is almost no floating ice in the North Pacific Ocean because the narrow Bering Strait limits communication with the Arctic Ocean, where it forms. Only the Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea are covered with ice in winter.
Currents in the Pacific Ocean correspond to general scheme their formation in the World Ocean (Fig. 15). Due to the fact that the ocean is very elongated from west to east, significant latitudinal movements of water prevail in it. Material from the site
| Rice. 15. Scheme of surface currents in the Pacific Ocean |
The ocean is most turbulent between 40-50° S. sh.: here the wave height sometimes reaches 15-20 m. The highest wind waves were recorded in the Pacific Ocean - up to 34 m.
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Deviations in location and local differences within their limits are caused by the characteristics of the underlying surface (warm and cold currents) and the degree of influence of adjacent continents with the circulation developing above them.
The main features over the Pacific Ocean are defined by five areas of high and low pressure. In the subtropical latitudes of both hemispheres, two dynamic areas of high pressure are constant over the Pacific Ocean - the North Pacific, or Hawaiian, and South Pacific highs, the centers of which are located in the eastern part of the ocean. In subequatorial latitudes, these areas are separated by a constant dynamic area of low pressure, developed more strongly in the west. To the north and south of the subtropical highs in higher latitudes there are two lows - the Aleutian, centered over the Aleutian Islands, and, extended from east to west, in the Antarctic zone. The first exists only in winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the second - throughout the year.
Subtropical highs determine the existence in the tropical and subtropical latitudes of the Pacific Ocean of a stable system of trade winds, consisting of the northeastern trade wind in the Northern Hemisphere and the southeastern one in the Southern Hemisphere. The trade wind zones are separated by an equatorial calm zone, in which weak and unstable winds predominate with a high frequency of calms.
The Northwest Pacific Ocean is a pronounced monsoon region. In winter, the northwestern monsoon dominates here, bringing cold and dry air from the Asian continent, in the summer - the southeastern monsoon, bringing warm and wet air from the ocean. Monsoons disrupt trade wind circulation and lead to the flow of air from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere in winter, and in the opposite direction in summer.
The greatest strength constant winds have in temperate latitudes and especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The frequency of storms in the Northern Hemisphere ranges from 5% in summer to 30% in winter in temperate latitudes. In tropical latitudes, constant winds reach the strength of a storm extremely rarely, but from time to time tropical winds pass here. They most often occur during the warm half of the year in the western Pacific Ocean. In the Northern Hemisphere, typhoons are directed mainly from the area lying to the east and northwest, to, in the Southern Hemisphere - from the region of the New Hebrides and Samoa islands to. In the eastern part of the ocean, typhoons are rare and occur only in the Northern Hemisphere.
Air distribution is subject to the general latitude. The average February temperature decreases from + 26 -I- 28 “C at equatorial zone up to - 20 ° C in the strait. The average temperature in August varies from + 26 - + 28 °C in the equatorial zone to + 5 °C in the strait.
The pattern of temperature decrease from to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere is disrupted under the influence of warm and cold currents and winds. In this regard, there are large differences between temperatures in the east and west at the same latitudes. With the exception of the area adjacent to Asia (mainly the region of marginal seas), in almost the entire zone of the tropics and subtropics, that is, within most of the ocean, the west is several degrees warmer than the east. This difference is due to the fact that in this zone the western part of the Pacific Ocean is warmed by trade wind currents (and the East Australian current) and them, while the eastern part is cooled by the Californian and Peruvian currents. In the Northern Hemisphere, on the contrary, the west is colder than the east in all seasons. The difference reaches 10-12° and is mainly caused by the fact that here the western part of the Pacific Ocean is cooled by the cold, and the eastern part is heated by the warm Alaskan Current. In the moderate and high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, under the influence of westerly winds and the predominance in all seasons of winds with a westerly component, temperature changes occur naturally and there is no significant difference between east and west.
And precipitation throughout the year is greatest in areas with low temperatures and near mountain coasts, since in those and other areas there is a significant increase in air flows. In temperate latitudes, cloudiness is 70-90, in the equatorial zone 60-70%, in trade wind zones and in subtropical high pressure areas it decreases to 30-50, and in some areas in the Southern Hemisphere - up to 10%.
The greatest amount of precipitation occurs in the zone where trade winds meet, which lies north of the equator (between 2-4 and 9 ~ 18° N), where intense ascending currents of moisture-rich air develop. In this zone the precipitation amount is more than 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes, the amount of precipitation increases from 1000 mm in the west to 2000-3000 mm or more in the east.
The least amount of precipitation occurs on the eastern edges of subtropical high-pressure areas, where prevailing downdrafts and cold air currents are unfavorable for moisture condensation. In these areas, the amount of precipitation is: in the Northern Hemisphere to the west of the California Peninsula - less than 200, in the Southern Hemisphere to the west - less than 100, and in some places even less than 30 mm. In the western parts of the subtropical regions, precipitation increases to 1500-2000 mm. In the high latitudes of both hemispheres, due to weak evaporation at low temperatures, the amount of precipitation decreases to 500-300 mm or less.
In the Pacific Ocean, fogs form mainly in temperate latitudes. They are most common in the area adjacent to the Kuril and Aleutian, in summer season when the water is colder than the air. The frequency of occurrence here is 30-40 in summer, 5-10% or less in winter. In the Southern Hemisphere in temperate latitudes, the frequency of fogs throughout the year is 5-10%.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world. It stretches from the very north of the planet to its south, reaching the shores of Antarctica. It reaches its greatest width at the equator, in the tropical and subtropical zones. Therefore, the climate of the Pacific Ocean is more defined as warm, because most of it is in the tropics. This ocean contains both warm and warm waters. It depends on which continent the bay is adjacent to in one place or another and what atmospheric flows are formed above it.
Atmospheric circulation
The climate of the Pacific Ocean largely depends on atmospheric pressure, which is formed above it. In this section, geographers identify five main areas. Among them there are zones of both high and low pressure. In the subtropics in both hemispheres of the planet, two areas of high pressure form above the ocean. They are called the North Pacific or Hawaiian High and the South Pacific High. The closer to the equator, the lower the pressure becomes. We also note that the atmospheric dynamics are lower in the east than in the east. In the north and south of the ocean, dynamic lows are formed - the Aleutian and Antarctic, respectively. The northern one exists only in the winter season, while the southern one, in its atmospheric characteristics, is stable all year round.
Winds
Factors such as trade winds largely influence the climate of the Pacific Ocean. Briefly speaking, such wind currents are formed in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. A system of trade winds has been installed there for centuries, which also determine stable hot air temperatures. They are separated by a strip of equatorial calm. This area is mostly calm, but there are occasional light winds. In the northwestern part of the ocean, the most frequent guests are the monsoons. In winter, the wind blows from the Asian continent, bringing with it cold and dry air. In summer, the oceanic wind blows, which increases the humidity and temperature of the air. The temperate climate zone, as well as the entire southern hemisphere, starting with the subtropical climate, is subject to strong winds. The climate of the Pacific Ocean in these areas is characterized by typhoons, hurricanes, and gusty winds.
Air temperature
In order to clearly understand what temperatures the Pacific Ocean is characterized by, the map will come to our aid. We see that this body of water is located in all climatic zones, starting from the northern, icy, passing through the equator and ending with the southern, also icy. Above the surface of the entire reservoir, the climate is subject to latitudinal zonality and winds, which bring hot or cold temperatures to certain regions. In equatorial latitudes, the thermometer shows from 20 to 28 degrees in August, approximately the same figures are observed in February. In temperate latitudes, February temperatures reach -25 Celsius, and in August the thermometer rises to +20.
Characteristics of currents, their influence on temperature
The peculiarities of the climate of the Pacific Ocean are that in the same latitudes at the same time different weather can be observed. This is how everything works out because the ocean consists of various currents that bring warm or cold cyclones here from the continents. So, first, let's look at In the tropics, the western part of the reservoir is always warmer than the eastern. This is due to the fact that in the west the waters are warmed by trade winds and the Kuroshio and East Australian currents. In the east, the waters are cooled by the Peruvian and California currents. In the strip temperate climate On the contrary, the east is warmer than the west. Here the western part is cooled by the Kuril Current, and the eastern part is heated by the Alaskan Current. If we consider the Southern Hemisphere, we will not find a significant difference between the West and the East. Here everything happens naturally, since trade winds and high latitude winds distribute the temperature over the surface of the water equally.
Clouds and pressure
Also, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on atmospheric phenomena, which are formed over one or another of its areas. Rising air flows are observed in low pressure areas, as well as in coastal areas where there is mountainous terrain. The closer to the equator, the fewer clouds gather over the waters. In temperate latitudes they are contained in 80-70 percent, in the subtropics - 60-70%, in the tropics - 40-50%, and at the equator only 10 percent.
Precipitation
Now let's look at what the Pacific Ocean contains. zones shows that the greatest humidity here falls on the tropical and subtropical zone, which are located north of the equator. Here the amount of precipitation is equal to 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes this figure is reduced to 1000-2000 mm. We also note that in the West the climate is always drier than in the East. The driest region of the ocean is considered to be the coastal zone near the California Peninsula and off the coast of Peru. Here, due to problems with condensation, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 300-200 mm. In some areas it is extremely low and is only 30 mm.
Climate of the Pacific seas
IN classic version It is generally accepted that this water reservoir has three seas - the Japanese, Bering and Okhotsk. These bodies of water are separated from the main reservoir by islands or peninsulas, they are adjacent to continents and belong to countries in in this case Russia. Their climate is determined by the interaction of ocean and land. On average, the temperature above the water surface in February is about 15-20 below zero, in the coastal zone - 4 below zero. The Sea of Japan is the warmest, so the temperature there remains within +5 degrees. The most severe winters occur in the north. Here the thermometer can show below -30 degrees. In summer, the seas heat up to an average of 16-20 above zero. Naturally, Okhotsk in this case will be cold - +13-16, and Japanese can heat up to +30 or more.
Conclusion
The Pacific Ocean, which is essentially the largest geographical feature on the planet, is characterized by a very diverse climate. Regardless of the time of year, a certain atmospheric influence, which generates low or high temperatures, strong winds or complete calms.
Everyone knows that water takes up most of the globe. The most big ocean In terms of area and depth, the world's largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean. It extends from Northern and South America to the continent of Eurasia, in the south it washes Antarctica. Therefore, the factors influencing the climate of the Pacific Ocean are very diverse.
The influence of the Earth's climatic zones on the climate of the Pacific Ocean
Since the Pacific Ocean water basin is huge, it affects everything climatic zones Earth. For example:
- tropical;
- subequatorial;
- equatorial;
- subarctic;
- moderate;
- subtropical;
- subantarctic.
Climatic zones, due to the influence of continents and solar radiation, conditionally divide the ocean into zones with different atmospheric pressure. For example, there is an area of low pressure at the equator. Further to the south and north it changes to an area of high pressure. As a result, an alternation of regions occurs and under this influence of the atmosphere winds (trade winds) and ocean currents arise.
The influence of winds and precipitation on climate
Air masses passing over the surface of the ocean are saturated with moisture. It is interesting to note that the amount of precipitation that falls in the coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean also varies depending on the distance from the equator.
Let's consider the principle of storm formation. Due to the difference in pressure at the boundaries climatic zones, as well as under the influence of the Asian continent, from which dry and cold air blows, strong hurricanes and typhoons are formed in the southern hemisphere of the Earth. Sometimes they are destructive. Not only are the economies of Asia-Pacific countries suffering, but there may also be loss of life. Major hurricanes are given names such as:
- Dolphin (formed in May 2015);
- Muifa (April 2017);
- Talim (September 2017);
- Hanoun (October 2017);
- Damri (November 2017).
In the Pacific Ocean, from 30 to 80 typhoons are formed per year. The most dangerous months, when the number of hurricanes is maximum, are from June to October.
Humanity has not yet learned to stop the destructive power of typhoons, but their timely detection, with the help of meteorological satellites, allows us to avoid numerous casualties, since people have time to leave the danger zone.
Date of: 01.04.2017
Climatic conditions
Temperatures
- Average air temperature over the Pacific Ocean in winter from + 26 ° C at the equator to - 20 ° C over the Bering Strait; in summer according to +8 ° C... +27 ° C
- The average water temperature in the Pacific Ocean is 2 ° C higher than in the Indian and Atlantic, which is explained by the location of most of the ocean in a hot thermal zone;
- A smaller part is located in temperate and subarctic climate zones;
Precipitation
- Average precipitation at the equator is 3000 mm, in temperate zones - from 1000 mm in the west to 2000-3000 mm in the east;
Atmospheric circulation
- Areas of atmospheric pressure affecting atmospheric circulation: Aleutian minimum; North Pacific, South Pacific, Antarctic highs;
- Atmospheric circulation: trade wind (tropical, subtropical latitudes), which causes typhoons; western (temperate latitudes), in temperate latitudes in the northeast there is a pronounced monsoon circulation.
Properties of water masses
All types of water masses are represented in the Pacific Ocean.
So, according to latitude, they are divided into equatorial, tropical, temperate and polar.
By depth - bottom, deep, intermediate and surface.
The main properties of water masses are their temperature and salinity.
So, average temperature surface water in February is + 26 ° ... + 28 ° C at the equator and -0.5 ° ... - 1 ° C at the Kuril Islands; in August the water temperature is 25 ° ... + 29 ° C at the equator and + 5 ° ... +8 ° C in the Bering Strait.
The highest salinity of water is in subtropical latitudes (35.5-36.5%o), and in temperate latitudes it decreases (33.5-30%o).
Ice forms in the north and south of the ocean, along most of the coasts of Antarctica. In winter, icebergs reach 61°-64°S. latitude, in summer - up to 46 ° -48 ° S. w.
Ocean currents
Atmospheric circulation forms a powerful circulation of surface currents in the Pacific Ocean. So, in the tropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. And under the influence of an area of constant high atmospheric pressure over Hawaii, water masses (as well as air) move clockwise, bringing warm water from the equator. In the Southern Hemisphere, on the contrary, air and water circulate counterclockwise due to an area of constant high atmospheric pressure in the eastern tropical zone. The circulation of air and water masses in the Southern Hemisphere causes different water temperatures in the east and west of the ocean.
Formed in the Pacific Ocean greatest number surface currents.
Warm: Kuroshio, North Pacific, Alaskan, South Trade Wind, North Trade Wind, East Australian.
Cold; Peruvian, Californian, Kuril, Western winds.
