Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Give a geographical reason for the following:
Low atmospheric pressure prevails over the Circum-polar region.
Advertisements
Solution
Low atmospheric pressure prevails over the Circum-polar region because this area is a zone of convergence between two different air masses: the cold polar easterlies and the relatively warmer westerlies from the mid-latitudes.
When these air masses meet, the warmer and lighter westerlies are forced to rise over the denser polar air. As the air rises, it creates a region of low pressure at the surface. This rising air also leads to cloud formation and precipitation, which is typical of low-pressure zones.
This low-pressure belt that circles the Earth between roughly 60° and 70° latitudes in both hemispheres is called the Circum-polar Low Pressure Belt. It plays a key role in driving the temperate cyclones and influencing the weather patterns of mid-latitude regions.
