The climate and weather in Yellowstone National Park
One of the most important physical features of Yellowstone that contributes to the climate is its
location. Continentality explains how a location's interior remoteness from the
sea can affect temperature and climate. Land surfaces heat faster and cool faster
than water. This is why locations near the coast have less temperature
variations then land locked locations. Yellowstone
is located inland, and also has a wide range of temperatures. The lowest
temperature recorded was -66 degrees Fahrenheit, while the summer average is
around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. (Wikipedia).
Another reason
for the drastic temperature differences in Yellowstone
is its altitude. Yellowstone ’s average
altitude is 8,000 feet (Wikipedia). Higher elevations tend to be colder because
there is less pressure from the atmosphere. Locations that are at sea level
have more pressure from the atmosphere, pressing on the air molecules making the
air more dense (Earth’s Temperature and Climate Lecture). The denser the air, is the
more heat is transferred between molecules, making the surrounding area warmer.
If a location is at a higher altitude the molecules are less compacted and less
heat gets transferred. These two phenomena are the same across the globe, but
there are other processes that affect climate on a local scale.
(This graph shows the temperature diffrence between a mountain top and the coast. Image courtesy of Google Images).
The Rocky Mountains cut across Yellowstone
and are largely responsible for the wind. As warm, moist air rises on the
windward side of the mountains, the moisture condenses and rains. Having lost
most of the moisture on one side of the mountain the air temperature rises and
flows down the leeward side (Weather Lecture). This is how the Chinook winds
are created, and is the reason why hikers who are unprepared with a wind
breaker can suffer hypothermia from the wind chill.
(This diagram shows how the Chinook winds form. Image courtsey of Google Images).
Sources
Earth's Tempture and Climate Lecture
Weather Lecture
(Picture showing cars on a road in the middle of a debris flow. Picture courtesy of the National Park Service)
(Diagram showing the effect of gravity on a slope. The gravity causes stress on the slope, which leads to a landslide. Picture courtesy of Google Images)
(Example of a permeable hillside. The hillside has a lot of vegetation; showing that the soil absorbs water. Picture courtesy of Google Images)
( An Example of an impermeable surface. The rock is unable to absorb the water. Picture courtesy of Google Images)
( A diagram of creep's effect on trees. Picture courtesy of Google Images)
( A real life example of creep. Picture courtesy of Google Images)
