Visit the links to find definitions and further studies. Refer to this glossary . We have weather and climate because of the uneven heating of the Earth's surface. The equatorial regions receive direct sunlight and receive more Watts per square meter than the temperate zones or the polar zones . This uneven heating combined with the Earth's rotation sets up a pattern to transport heat and momentum toward the north and south poles.
Heat is transferred toward the poles by eddies , cyclones , and anticyclones .
These transfer mechanisms are responsible for maintaining general circulation. Storms serve this purpose and allow the atmosphere to maintain its circulation. 1 Heat Transfer Convection is the most efficient method of heat transfer in the atmosphere. In a gas or liquid, currents transfer heat. Warm masses of molecules rise, expand and cool.