Blog Post 3- Weather and Climate with Magic

Hello Again!

Welcome to Hogwarts Geography!

In this post, I'd like to focus on the climate and weather typically experienced at Hogwarts.

The weather in the wizarding world is much more temperamental and extreme.
 Whereas we experience the change of seasons in a progressive way, seasons are much
 more instantaneous on the Hogwarts grounds.
The weather also can easily be altered by changes in dark forces.
As Voldemort began to build up his army, the weather surrounding the school darkened into storms.
Wizards have also been known to make it snow unconsciously through their emotions.

The first leaf falls from the Whomping Willow tree...

Then, realising it is time for Fall, all other leaves fall immediately.

The climate of the western highlands does experience some extremes of their own regardless of the wizards. Prevailing Atlantic winds come into the highlands from the south-west bringing warm wet air and making it one of the windiest and wettest places in Europe. The Western Highlands can average 120 in. of rain per year. The climate is classified as a Cfc. Meaning it is a Mild-Midlatitude Climate that is wet all year and has cool summers.

 Temperatures throughout the winter typically reach a maximum of 5-7°c. Winters are known to be bitter cold because temperatures lower toward the poles creating greater snow cover, meaning a high albedo, causing less incoming solar radiation to warm the area. They're at a high altitude in the mountains as well so there are cooler temperatures overall. If ever you'd like to enjoy the winters without the bitter temperature, the Great Hall inside Hogwarts is bewitched to mirror the weather outside.  

The bewitched Great Hall reflecting the winter weather inside

Hogwarts is a cloudy area. The clouds are formed orographically. Warm wet air is forced to rise against the mountains where it begins to condense and cool, forming clouds. Being in the mountains, it is typically surrounded by low-level clouds such as stratus, cumulus, cumulonimbus, and other variations. Valley and Radiation fog also commonly occur being that the mountains are typically very cold and wet. 

Valley fog surrounding the school grounds

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Sources:

http://www.visitscotland.com/en-us/travel/weather
http://www.scotlandinfo.eu/weather-climate.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Scotland
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/formation_mountains.html
http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Climate/EarthTempClim/EarthTempClim.html

Blog Post 2- The soil and decay of the grounds

Hello!

Welcome back to Hogwarts geography!

In this post, I'd like to go into more detail about the other geographical features surrounding Hogwarts such as the differences in soil surrounding the area and also the weathering and rock decay forms surrounding the grounds.

The soil surrounding Hogwarts differentiates throughout the campus grounds.

On the mountain where the school is plotted, the soil is seen to be very stony and coarse. 

Most likely classified as Entisol soil. Some of the weathering seen in the rocks supporting the castle can easily be identified as joints, frost decay from the harsh winters, root pressure from the forest surrounding the grounds, as well as Epilithic organisms living on the rock. 

Here you can see joints in the rock 

Here you can see some of the chemical weathering from moss forming on the rocks

Picture depicting some of the rockier soil surrounding the grounds. Also shows some spheroidal weathering of rocks in the top right corner.


It's also safe to assume that the area sees a lot more physical decaying of rock just from the amount of students and people on the grounds alone.

As you make your way into the forbidden forest you'll find much more organic soil making the ground more smooth. It is most likely classified as Histosol or Spodosol soil since these are common in the Highland area.

The soil throughout the forbidden forest is prone to its own weathering and erosion. From centaurs, to Unicorns, to Thestrals, to spiders the size of a car, as well as many other dark and mysterious creatures it's safe to assume they put a lot of wear and tear on the forest.

Here you can see the beginnings forest from the outside

Here you can see some of the forest from inside

 It's also very risky to build such an enormous castle on a mountain slope that is very prone to slope slides, falls and topples. But as a stated in the previous post, it is safe to assume since the school as been in it's same physical form for thousands of years that some sort of enchantment has been places upon the school to assure no extreme mass wasting of the slopes occur.

Until next time, Thanks for reading!

sources

http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/livinglandscapes/soils/soillandscapes.asp

http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Forbidden_Forest

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Soils/Soils.html

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Battle/Destroy/MassWasting/MassWasting.htm

Blog Post 1- The Northwestern Scottish Highlands

Hello again! 

Welcome to my first geographical blog post surrounding the region of Hogwarts in Scotland. 

It is debated throughout the Potterverse where the exact location of Hogwarts is in Scotland. By analyzing different aspects of the area such as the climate and mountainous surroundings, as well as the amount of time it takes to travel by train(Hogwarts Express) from London to arrive, the majority believe that Hogwarts is plotted somewhere in the western Highland area; possibly around the
 Lochalsh and Kintail area.

Image comparing Highland mountains to mountains surround Hogwarts and the Blake Lake

Map plotting potential train route of the Hogwarts Express from London to Hogwarts
as well as the Lochalsh and Kintail regions

The mountains in the this region surrounding Hogwarts are formed on Lewisian Gneiss, which is the oldest form of rock in Scotland. The rocks are Precambrian metamorphic meaning that overtime igneous rocks morphed due to changes in climate and pressure.

Felsic Lewisian gneiss found in the Highlands

The region is filled with glacier-carved mountains, valleys, and plains. Elevations reached are commonly around 2500 feet. Scotland is known to some very large faults that have divided its highland ranges such as the Highland Boundary Fault which divides northern and southern Scotland with its dramatic mountains. The Great Glen fault which occurs closer to Hogwarts, is a left-lateral fault that bisects the northwestern highland area.

Fault lines in Scotland

Although no major faults have occurred in the northern Highlands for some time, Hogwarts has been plotted in them since 990 A.D which means that throughout that period the mountain ranges have definitely seen some minor faulting all around. Since Hogwarts is known to be in the same condition today as it was thousands of years ago, despite faulting, it leads me to believe that one of the many enchantments that surround and protect Hogwarts is one that prevents the mountain it resides on from any dramatic fault changes that would harm the school.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

And remember, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.

(No matter any faulting or earthquakes that may occur and collapse the school. It'll be fine. It totally protects itself.)

Sources

http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_whitehound/Fanfic/map_of_Hogwarts/location.htm
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/hazards/earthquakes/UK.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Highlands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewisian_complex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Scotland

Introduction

Hello! My name is McKenna Kirkpatrick and I am a freshman at UC Denver studying vocal performance. I will be spending this semester going over the geographical features that surround the magical school of Hogwarts. Located somewhere in northern Scotland (of course being muggles we can't know it's exact location), Hogwarts is built upon mountains that overlook a loch known as the Black Lake. It is also surrounded by enchanted forestation known as the Forbidden Forest filled with all sorts of mystical plants and creatures.

A photo overlooking Hogwarts from the Black Lake as well as the mountains in which it resides. 

The Forbidden Forest

I have chosen Hogwarts as my location simply because I am a complete Harry Potter nerd and believe it will be fun to learn even more about its magical landscape.