Main question

What influence do air masses and the jet stream have on the UK’s weather?

• Resource A

  
  
  

  Air masses that influence the United Kingdom’s climate.

  
  
  
  
  

  Source - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_and_North_Atlantic_map.png - Created by NormanEinstein, August 2, 2005 - This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

• Resource B

  
  
  
  • - Originates in the Arctic.
  • - The commonest air mass in the UK.
  • - Travels from the South – leads to warm, dry weather.
  • - Travels from the South-west over the Atlantic Ocean.
  • - Originates in Siberia and Eastern Europe.
  • - Travels from the North over the sea, leading to cold, wet weather.
  • - Causes winter temperatures to rise in coastal areas.
  • - Travels over the North Sea, gaining moisture and leading to snow showers on the East coast
  • - Causes heat waves in summer.
  • - Most common in summer.
  • - Causes cold weather and snow in winter, especially in Northern Scotland.
  • - This air mass leads to the UK’s lowest temperatures.
  • - Originates in Greenland and Northern Canada.
  • - Occasionally carries dust from the desert.
  • - Causes wet, warm weather.
  • - Cold and dry weather throughout the year.

  
  
  

  Air mass	Features
  Polar Maritime
  Polar Continental
  Arctic Maritime
  Tropical Maritime
  Tropical Continental

• Resource C

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  

• Resource D

  
  
  

  Cardiff Rainfall

  
  
  

  Cardiff	Mean rainfall (mm)	Rainfall 2006 (mm)	Rainfall 2007 (mm)
  June	66.6	47.4	104.7
  July	78.4	65.6	173.8
  August	93.4	58.9	71.3
  Total	238.4	171.9	349.8