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| Courtesy of Google Images |
This unpredictable weather is
extremely important to the many hikers that visit the park yearly. Yellowstone’s weather and climate are a
product of its location. First,
the Rocky Mountains cut across the park and have an orographic effect on precipitation,
winds and temperature. This occurs
when warm moist air collides with the Rockies and is forced up the windward
side of the mountains. When it
hits the lifting condensation level clouds and water droplets are formed. At this point the temperature will
begin dropping 3°F for every 1,000 feet of gained elevation. As it goes over the mountain and
descends on the leeward side it becomes a dry, warm down slope surge known as
the Chinook winds. The descending
altitude will have a warmer temperature of 5.5 ° F
for every 1,000 feet of descent.
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| Courtesy of Google Images |
Second, the altitude of the park has a lot to do with
the temperature as well. The average
elevation is 8,000 feet ranging from 5,282 to 11,358 feet. Atomospheric pressure decreases with
altitude. With the decreased
pressure, the air expands as it rises.
As it expands the molecules move slower and the air becomes cooler than
at sea level. This fact lead to
the Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR) which states that temperature will drop an
average of 3° F for every 1,000 feet above sea level. This means that on average, temperatures will be 24° F
colder than sea level.
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| Courtesy of Google Images |
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| Courtesy of Google Images |
References:
http://www.google.com/search
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