North Carolina Landforms, Weather, and Climate: North Carolina Landforms, Weather, and Climate Tom Shields NCST 2000 (Fall 2001)


Landforms: Landforms


Regions of North Carolina: Regions of North Carolina Coastal Plain Two main subregions: Outer Coastal Plain Inner Coastal Plain (includes Sandhills) Piedmont Mountains


Major Geographic Regions: Major Geographic Regions


Geographic View: Geographic View


Coastal Plains: Coastal Plains Features of the Coastal Plain Barrier Islands Coastal Plain Terraces Pocosins Carolina Bays


Barrier Islands: Barrier Islands


Coastal Plain Terraces: Coastal Plain Terraces


Oceanic Invasion of the South: Oceanic Invasion of the South


The Formation of a Pocosin: The Formation of a Pocosin


A Typical Pocosin Profile: A Typical Pocosin Profile


Carolina Bays: Carolina Bays


Piedmont: Piedmont Drained by a number of rivers, including the Dan, Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Catawba


Mountains: Mountains Main chains of mountain ranges running from northeast to southwest Other chains run between the main chains, creating coves, basins, and valleys.


Mountain Ranges: Mountain Ranges


Weather and Climate: Weather and Climate


Climatic Considerations: Climatic Considerations Geographic Considerations Air Masses Elevation Bodies of Water Climatic Concerns Temperature Precipitation Sunshine Frost


Air Masses Affecting North Carolina: Air Masses Affecting North Carolina


Types of Precipitation: Types of Precipitation Orographic Precipitation Convectional Precipitation Cyclonic Precipitation


Orographic Precipitation: Orographic Precipitation Occurs in the mountains and western piedmont Tropical air mass reaches the mountains and cools adiabatically as it rises along the mountains. When it reaches the dew point (100% humidity), it results in rain or snow.


Adiabatic: Adiabatic adiabatic: describing a process in which there is no transfer of heat into or out of the system in question. saturation-adiabatic process: an adiabatic process in which the air is maintained at saturation by the evaporation or condensation of water substance, the latent heat being supplied by or to the air respectively; the ascent of cloudy air, for example, is often assumed to be such a process.


Convectional Precipitation: Convectional Precipitation Primarily a warm weather phenomena—isolated summer thunderstorms. Most summer rain comes from convectional precipitation. The heat of day on the air and land heats an already warm maritime tropical air mass. As the heated and moist air rises, it cools and its water vapor turns into rain.


Cyclonic Precipitation: Cyclonic Precipitation Conventional low pressure storms. Generally move west to east across the United States. Generally fall, winter and spring in North Carolina. Warm fronts tend to provide light, prolonged precipitation. Cold fronts tend to provide brief, heavy showers.


Exceptional Weather: Exceptional Weather Tornados Hurricanes


Climatic Measures: Climatic Measures Average Temperatures Frost-Free Seasons Average Annual Rainfall


January Average Temperatures: January Average Temperatures


July Average Temperatures: July Average Temperatures


Average Frost Free Days: Average Frost Free Days


Average Annual Precipitation: Average Annual Precipitation


Geography and Climate: Geography and Climate Sample Situations


Human Effects on Geography: Human Effects on Geography In the 1800s (and earlier) eastern North Carolina's economy affected the landscape: Naval Stores—use of region’s longleaf pine for timber and tar: Some barrier island forests harvested to the point of deforestation. Parts of the coastal plains destroyed by insect infestations, burnings, windstorms, etc., once trees were cut with V’s to drain sap for tar. Draining of swamps: Drained for farming and rice growing. Draining lowered water levels in rivers and allowed for major forest fires.


Affects of Climate on History: Affects of Climate on History In 1998, scientists discovered by measuring tree rings in bald cypresses that in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, two major droughts occurred: 1587-89—the worst drought in the last 800 years. 1606-12—the driest seven-year period in the last 800 years. 1606-12 1587-89