Everyone knows that water occupies more than half of the globe. The largest ocean in the world in terms of area and depth is the Pacific Ocean. It stretches from North and South America to the continent of Eurasia, in the south it washes Antarctica. Therefore, the factors affecting 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 water basin of the Pacific Ocean is huge, it affects all climatic zones of the 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, an area of low pressure is observed at the equator. Further to the south and north, it is replaced by a high pressure area. As a result, there is an alternation of areas and under this influence of the atmosphere, winds (trade winds) and currents in the ocean arise.
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 with distance from the equator.
Let's consider the principle of storm occurrence. Due to the difference in pressure at the borders of 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. It is not only the economies of the Asia-Pacific countries that suffer, but there may also be human toll. Severe hurricanes are given names, for example:
- Dolphin (formed in May 2015);
- Muifa (April 2017);
- Talim (September 2017);
- Hanoun (October 2017);
- Damri (November 2017).
The Pacific Ocean generates between 30 and 80 typhoons a year. The most dangerous months when the number of hurricanes is maximum are from June to October.
Humanity has not yet learned how to stop the destructive power of typhoons, but their timely identification, with the help of meteorological satellites, helps to avoid numerous casualties, as people manage to leave the dangerous zone.
The Pacific Ocean owes its name to Magellan... During the three-month transition in the fall of 1520 from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands, he did not meet a single storm in the ocean.
This basin is considered the warmest among the ocean waters, and the Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic oceans are inferior to it, respectively. What is the temperature of the Pacific Ocean?
What is the Pacific Ocean like?
Name given by the Spaniard Vasco Nunez de Balboa to the Pacific Ocean "Great" fully corresponds to its scale. The area of the ocean exceeds the entire land area of the planet by the whole of Africa.
Despite its modern name, the Pacific Ocean is the most turbulent today.
For a long time, on the maps of pre-revolutionary Russia, the ocean was marked as Eastern. The most powerful hurricanes on the planet are born in its depths.
On all sides, the ocean is surrounded by a chain of underwater and surface volcanoes. The seismic instability created by them is the main reason for the appearance giant waves... They can reach speeds of 700-800 km / h.
Among foreign ports, the largest:
- Shanghai port... Located in the East China Sea. The depth of the water area at the berths is 11 meters;
- Port of Singapore... It is located at the junction of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. The depth of the water area at the berths is 16 meters;
- Port of Vancouver... Located on the shores of the Georgia Strait. The depth of the water area at the berths is 16.8 meters;
- Sydney Port... Located in Port Jackson Bay. The depth of the water area at the berths is 13.7 meters;
- Long Beach Port... One of the ports of the Air Force. The depth of the water area at the berths is 17 meters.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the ocean is striking in its diversity. It is still not fully understood. Every year, scientists discover in it species of vegetation and marine life unknown to science. Today there are more than 100 thousand species... About 20 of them are deep sea. They inhabit the region of the famous troughs: Mariana, Kermadec, Tonga and the Philippine Trench.
The Pacific Ocean is the main place of seafood extraction... Almost half of the world's catch is caught here. The largest fisheries in ocean waters are for anchovies, mackerel and sardines. Seals and various types of whales feel great in the waters of the ocean.
Are of particular value pearls of giant clams that they produce. The weight of the largest specimen known to date is over 7 kg. By its appearance, this pearl resembles a man dressed in a turban.
The bottom vegetation of the Pacific Ocean has more than 4 thousand species. The most common of these are kelp.
Pacific horror called the giant tridacnus clams that live off the coast. Their weight reaches half a ton. Despite the horror that their appearance causes in humans, they are of great benefit to the ocean. Passing through themselves huge masses of water, they saturate the sea water with plankton and oxygen.
Pacific waters
The ocean basin includes a large number of bays and seas. Among the significant straits is the Panama Straits. The most famous seas:
- Yellow;
- Beringovo;
- Japanese;
Characteristics and properties
The saltiest waters oceans are located off the coast of tropical islands and continents. This is due to the small amount of rainfall that falls in these areas. The density of the salt here is 35.5 ‰. The lowest ocean salinity is observed in the region of cold currents in the eastern part of the basin.
In the northern seas of the Pacific Ocean, the density of salt in water is completely close to 0.
No one can say for sure how many freshwater rivers and streams flow into the Pacific Ocean. Only large rivers can be seen on the map, of which there are about 40. The largest freshwater drainage into the ocean is considered Amur river... Unlike the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Pacific does not have particularly salty seas such as the Red or Mediterranean.
Currents
All currents of the Pacific Ocean are divided into various groups... The most common division:
- north and south;
- warm and cold.
Warm currents can be found in the Japan area. Here flows the current, which received the name Kuroshio... Another warm stream can be found off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. This group also includes the South Passat and Equatorial currents. The most famous cold currents of the Pacific Ocean are California and Peru.
All currents have a direct impact on the temperature distribution on the surface of the pool. This determines the climate of the territories adjacent to the ocean.
Climatic conditions
Quietest area the ocean is located in the interval from the Tuamotu Islands to South America. It was in it that the famous journey of Magellan took place. This is the area of light winds.
Natural phenomena
The strongest ebb and flow ocean waters can be observed off the Korean coast. In this area of the pool, the difference in level is up to 9 meters. On the opposite Korean side, the tide level difference is only 0.5 meters. It is very rare to see calm weather west of Tuamotu. Gusty winds and hurricanes blow in this part of the ocean.
Strongest oceanic winds walk in December off the coast of Australia. In the northern part of the Coral Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean basin, at the beginning of autumn, powerful tropical cyclones transform into warm westerly winds.
Why is this water area the warmest?
The average temperature of the Pacific Ocean waters is +19.4 degrees Celsius. it highest rate among all the oceans. Located in the southern latitudes, the Indian Ocean is colder than the Pacific Ocean by 2 degrees. The Atlantic Ocean is also inferior to it, the waters of which are located north of the Indian.
At first glance, this phenomenon seems inexplicable. After all, a significant part of the Pacific Ocean is in contact with the northern seas and Antarctica. According to scientists, largely on the water temperature in the Pacific such factors, how:
- large volume waters concentrated in the equator, tropics and subtropics;
- significant amount algae, shellfish and other ocean dwellers.
Range maximum temperature in the surface layer of water is in the range from +30 to + 3 ° С. The temperature of the ocean waters is controlled by atmospheric currents.
Highest temperature ocean surface waters are observed in the equator and tropics. It is + 25-29 ° С.
The western part of the ocean is warmer than the eastern one by 2-5 ° C on average. Coldest of all water in northern latitudes. Even in summer, the water temperature in the Bering Strait does not exceed + 5-6 ° C.
Ice formation in the Pacific Ocean is observed in the Antarctic zone, as well as in the northern seas.
What is the average temperature by month?
The temperature of the water in the ocean depends on the zone of its basin. The average annual temperature is determined by the state of surface waters in the basin as a whole. In winter it is:
- December- + 14.6 ° C;
- January- + 13.7 ° C;
- February- + 13.9 ° C.
Average ocean temperature in the spring:
- March- + 13.9 ° C;
- April- + 13.5 ° C;
- May- + 14.1 ° C.
Average ocean temperature summer:
- June- + 15.2 ° C;
- July- + 16.6 ° C;
- August- + 17.3 ° C.
Average ocean temperature in the fall:
- September- + 17.6 ° C;
- October- + 16.6 ° C;
- November- + 15.6 ° C.
But temperatures at the same time can significantly vary... For example, the water temperature in February varies from 27 ° C at the equator to -1 ° C closer to the Bering Sea. In August, the temperature is 25-29 ° С at the equator, 5-8 ° С in the Bering Strait.
In the interim between 40 ° S and 40 ° N the temperature off the coast of America is 3-5 ° C lower than that of New Zealand. North of 40 ° north latitude in the east is 5-7 ° C higher than in the west south of 40 ° south latitude.
Learn some more interesting facts about the Pacific Ocean from this video:
The Atlantic and Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, as well as continental bodies of water, make up the World Ocean. The hydrosphere plays an essential role in shaping the planet's climate. Under the influence of solar energy, some of the oceans' water evaporates and falls as precipitation on the continents. The circulation of surface waters humidifies the continental climate and brings heat or cold to the mainland. The water of the oceans changes its temperature more slowly, therefore it differs from the temperature regime of the earth. It should be noted that the climatic zones of the World Ocean are the same as on land.
Climatic zones of the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is long and four atmospheric centers with different air masses - warm and cold - are formed in it. The temperature regime of water is influenced by water exchange with the Mediterranean Sea, the Antarctic seas and with the Arctic Ocean. All climatic zones of the planet pass in the Atlantic Ocean, therefore, in different parts of the ocean, there are completely different weather conditions.
Climatic zones of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is located in four climatic zones. The northern part of the ocean has a monsoon climate, which was formed under the influence of the continental one. The warm tropical zone has a high temperature of air masses. Sometimes there are storms with strong winds and even tropical hurricanes. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the equatorial zone. It can be cloudy here, especially in the area close to Antarctic waters. Clear and favorable weather occurs in the Arabian Sea region.
Climatic zones of the Pacific Ocean
The climate of the Pacific Ocean is influenced by the weather of the Asian continent. Solar energy is distributed zonal. The ocean is located in almost all climatic zones, except for the arctic. Depending on the belt, in different regions there is a difference in atmospheric pressure, and different air flows circulate. Strong winds prevail in winter, and south and weak ones in summer. Calm weather almost always prevails in the equatorial zone. The temperature regime is warmer in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, in the east it is cooler.
Climatic zones of the Arctic Ocean
The climate of this ocean was influenced by its polar location on the planet. The constant ice masses make the weather conditions harsh. In winter, solar energy is not supplied and the water is not heated. In summer, there is a long polar day and a sufficient amount of solar radiation arrives. Different parts of the ocean receive different amounts of precipitation. The climate is influenced by water exchange with neighboring water areas, Atlantic and Pacific air currents.
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 falls on the tropics. In this ocean there are both warm and It depends on which continent in one place or another the bay adjoins and what atmospheric currents are formed above it.
Atmospheric circulation
To a large extent, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on the atmospheric pressure that forms above it. In this section, geographers distinguish 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 are formed above the ocean. They are called the North Pacific or Hawaiian Highs and the South Pacific Highs. The closer to the equator, the lower the pressure becomes. Also note that the atmospheric dynamics is lower than in the east. In the north and south of the ocean, dynamic minima are formed - the Aleutian and Antarctic, respectively. The northern one exists only in the winter season, and the southern one, in terms of its atmospheric characteristics, is stable all year round.
Winds
A factor such as trade winds greatly affects the climate of the Pacific Ocean. In short, such wind currents form in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. A system of trade winds has been installed there for centuries, which also determine a stable hot air temperature. They are separated by a strip of equatorial calm. Calms prevail in this area, but light insignificant winds sometimes occur. In the northwestern part of the ocean, the monsoons are the most frequent guests. In winter, the wind blows from the Asian continent, bringing cold and dry air with it. In summer, the oceanic wind blows, which increases the humidity and air temperature. The temperate climatic 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 with 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 zoning and winds that bring hot or cold temperatures to certain regions. In equatorial latitudes, the thermometer shows from 20 to 28 degrees in August, approximately the same indicators 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 Pacific Ocean climate are that in the same latitudes at the same time, different weather can be observed. This is how everything develops because the ocean consists of various currents that bring warm or cold cyclones here from the continents. So, to begin with, consider In the tropics, the western part of the reservoir is always warmer than the eastern one. This is due to the fact that in the west the waters are warmed by the trade winds and the Kuroshio and East Australian currents. In the east, the waters are cooled by the Peruvian and California currents. In the temperate zone, 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 thanks to the Alaskan current. If we consider the Southern Hemisphere, then we will not find a significant difference between the West and the East. Here everything happens naturally, since the trade winds and winds of high latitudes distribute the temperature over the water surface in the same way.
Clouds and pressure
Also, the climate of the Pacific Ocean depends on atmospheric phenomena that form over a particular area. The rise in air flows is observed in low pressure zones, as well as in coastal areas where there is mountainous terrain. The closer to the equator, the less clouds accumulate above 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 is fraught with. belts shows that the highest humidity here falls on the tropical and subtropical zones, 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. Also note that the climate in the West is always drier than in the East. The most arid region of the ocean is considered to be the coastal zone near the California Peninsula and off the coast of Peru. Here, due to condensation problems, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 300-200 mm. In some areas, it is extremely low and is only 30 mm.
Pacific Seas Climate
In the classical version, it is customary to assume that this water reservoir has three seas - the Japanese, Bering and Okhotsk. These reservoirs are separated from the main reservoir by islands or peninsulas, they are adjacent to the continents and belong to countries, 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 in it is kept within +5 degrees. The most severe winters are in the north. Here the thermometer can show below -30 degrees. In summer, the seas are heated to an average of 16-20 above zero. Naturally, the Okhotsk in this case will be cold - + 13-16, and the Japanese can heat up to +30 and more.
Conclusion
The Pacific Ocean, which is, in fact, the largest geographic feature of the planet, is characterized by a very diverse climate. Regardless of the season, a certain atmospheric influence is formed over its waters, which generates low or high temperatures, strong winds or complete calm.
Deviations in location and local differences within them are caused by the characteristics of the underlying surface (warm and cold currents) and the degree of influence of the 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 over the Pacific Ocean, two dynamic high pressure regions are constant - the North Pacific, or Hawaiian, and South Pacific maximums, the centers of which are located in the eastern part of the ocean. At near-equatorial latitudes, these areas are separated by a constant dynamic low-pressure area, developed more strongly in the west. To the north and south of the subtropical maxima in higher latitudes there are two minima - the Aleutian minima centered over the Aleutian Islands and, stretching 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 northeast trade wind in the Northern Hemisphere and the southeast in the South. The trade wind zones are separated by the equatorial calm belt, which is dominated by weak and unstable winds with a high frequency of calm.
The Northwest Pacific is a strong monsoon region. In winter, the northwest monsoon prevails here, bringing cold and dry air from the Asian mainland, in summer - the southeast monsoon, carrying warm and humid air from the ocean. Monsoons disrupt the trade wind circulation and lead to the overflow of air from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere in winter, and in the opposite direction in summer.
Constant winds are strongest in temperate latitudes and especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The recurrence of storms in the Northern Hemisphere in temperate latitudes ranges from 5% in summer to 30% in winter. In tropical latitudes, constant winds reach the strength of a storm very rarely, but at times tropical ones 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 South - from the area 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 latitudinal. The average temperature in February decreases from + 26 -I- 28 "С in the equatorial zone to -20 ° С in the strait. The average temperature in August varies from + 26 - + 28 "С in the equatorial zone to + 5 ° С in the strait.
The regularity of a decrease in temperature 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 the temperatures in the east and west at the same latitudes. With the exception of the region adjacent to Asia (mainly the region of the marginal seas), in almost the entire zone of the tropics and subtropics, that is, within most of the ocean, the west is warmer than the east by several degrees. This difference is due to the fact that in the indicated belt, the western part of the Pacific Ocean is warmed by the trade winds (and the East Australian) and theirs, while the eastern part is cooled by the California and Peruvian currents. In the belt of 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 Alaska current. In the temperate and high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, under the influence of westerly winds and the prevalence of winds with a westerly component in all seasons, temperature changes occur naturally and there is no significant difference between east and west.
And precipitation during the year is greatest in areas with low and near mountain coasts, since in those and other areas there is a significant rise in air currents. In temperate latitudes, cloudiness is 70-90, in the equatorial zone 60-70%, in trade wind zones and in high-pressure subtropical regions, it decreases to 30-50, and in some areas in the Southern Hemisphere - up to 10%.
The largest falls in the meeting zone of the trade winds, lying north of the equator (between 2-4 and 9 ~ 18 ° N), where intense ascending currents of moisture-rich air develop. In this zone, the amount of precipitation is more than 3000 mm. In temperate latitudes, the amount of precipitation increases from 1000 mm in the west to 2000-3000 mm and more in the east.
The smallest amount of precipitation falls on the eastern outskirts 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 South to the west of - less than 100, and at some points even less than 30 mm. In the western parts of the subtropical regions, the amount of precipitation increases to 1500-2000 mm. In 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 are formed mainly in temperate latitudes. They are most frequent in the area adjacent to the Kuril and Aleutian ones, in the summer season, when the water is colder than the air. The frequency of occurrence here is 30-40% in summer and 5-10% or less in winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, in temperate latitudes, the frequency of fog during the year is 5-10%.
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