Omer Babiker
Mr. Flint
Physics/Period 6
2 March 2017
Weather Assignment Weather can be classified as the state of a specific area on a day-to-day basis. Weather can vary in different places because of many factors. These many factors play a role in why Hawthorne, CA has warmer winters and cooler summers than a city in Tennessee sitting at the same latitude. Geographical factors play a major role in the weather difference between the two cities. One big geographical factor that plays a role in Hawthorne’s summers and winters is the Pacific Ocean. Since Tennessee is a state completely surrounded by land they lack this particular feature. Another factor can be seen in the Santa Ana Winds. Lastly, the Urban Heat Island effect plays a role…show more content… Hawthorne’s cool summers can be traced to the Pacific Ocean. Since water has a high heat capacity, it will take more energy to heat up the water, causing it to stay cool and “act as an effective coolant” (“How Does Specific Heat of Water Affect Climate” 2014). This is how the sea breeze is created to make the air cooler. One can see why it doesn’t affect the city in Tennessee in the same way due to the fact that they lack an ocean. Without an ocean around, the city in Tennessee will be unable to have the same experience, therefore keeping their summer hot because land and soil have a low heat capacity. An ocean is a major geographical factor that the city in Tennessee lacks, so it will not experience the same…show more content… The Urban Heat Island can be attributed as the temperature caused by humans. As the land surface decreases and is lost to buildings, asphalt and concrete, heat can no longer escape and becomes trapped in the city (“What is the Heat Island Effect” n.d.). This can best be displayed in the summer as that is when the Earth is the most subjected to the sun. As the energy from the sun hits the cities, it becomes trapped within the asphalt, concrete and buildings. This causes an increase in temperature. But in Hawthorne’s case, the ocean’s importance is shown again as the sea breeze produced by it makes the air cooler. Tennessee, a state completely surrounded by land and lacking an ocean, cannot have the same experience and therefore has the hotter
