Geography – 2. The natural environment | e-Consult

The graph shows a clear diurnal cycle in temperature. Temperatures generally rise from the early morning, reaching a peak in the afternoon, and then fall again throughout the evening and night. This pattern is typical of solar heating and radiative cooling. The peak temperature indicates the warmest time of the day, and the lowest temperature indicates the coldest.

This data can be used to forecast the weather in several ways. For example, a rapid rise in temperature might indicate the approach of a warm front. A slow fall in temperature could suggest the passage of a cold front. The absence of a temperature rise during the day, combined with clear skies, might indicate a high-pressure system and settled weather. Conversely, a lack of temperature fall at night, coupled with cloud cover, could suggest a low-pressure system and potentially precipitation. The rate of temperature change is also important; a rapid drop suggests a quick change in weather conditions.