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What is Climate?
What is Climate?
 Climate
is the name for the general
conditions of temperature and
precipitation for an area over a long
period of time.
 The
climate of any region on the
Earth is determined by two basic
factors: temperature and
precipitation.
Factors that Affect Temperature
Latitude, elevation, and the presence of
oceans currents are three natural factors
that affect the temperature at a particular
location.
 Latitude is a measure of the distance
north and south of the equator.
 Elevation or altitude, is distance above sea
level. As elevation increases, the air
becomes less dense. As elevation
increases, the temperature decreases.

 Ocean
currents is a “river” of water
that flows in a definite path in the
ocean. Warm water warms the air
and cold water cools the air. So land
areas near warm water currents
have warm temperatures and areas
near cold water currents have cool
temperatures.
Factors That Affect Precipitation
 The
two natural factors that affect
the amount of precipitation at a
particular location are prevailing
winds and mountain ranges.
 Prevailing
Winds is a wind that blows
more often from one direction than
from any other direction. These
winds have a great influence on the
climate of regions in their path.
Different prevailing winds carry
different amounts of moisture. Warm
air can hold more moisture than cold
air.
 The
amount of precipitation at a
particular location is also affected by
mountain ranges. A mountain range
acts as a barrier to prevailing winds.
 The
windward side of a mountain, or
the side facing toward the wind, receives
a great deal of precipitation.
 The
leeward side of a mountain, or the
side facing away from the wind receives
little precipitation.
Climate Zones
The
three major climate
zones on the Earth are the
polar, temperate, and
tropical zones.
Polar Zones
 Polar
climates have the coldest
average temperatures. The average
yearly temperature remains below
freezing most of the time. There is
little precipitation in the polar zones.
Temperate Zone
 In
the areas of the temperate zones
farther from the equator, snow is
common in the winter. The closer to
the equator, rain normally falls all
year round.
Tropical Zones
 Tropical
zones have high
temperatures and high humidity.
Precipitation in the tropical zones is
usually very heavy during part of the
year. These zones have the warmest
average yearly temperature.
Marine and Continental Climates
 Within
each of the three major
climate zones there are marine
climates and continental
climates.
 Areas
with marine climate receive
more precipitation.
A
continental climate is drier.
The Four Seasons


Most places on the Earth have four distinct
seasons: winter, spring, summer, and
autumn.
The different seasons are caused by the
tilt of the Earth’s axis.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/su
bjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Seasons.s
html
Changes in Climate
 The
three natural factors responsible
for climate changes are:
1. The slow drifting of the continents
2. Changes in the sun’s energy output
3. Variations in the tilt of the Earth’s
axis and the shape of the Earth’s
orbit.
http://www.divulgence.net/
 Human
activities which include an
increased level of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere can also lead to
changes in climate.