Download Climate

Climate Change
UNIT
LOOKING AHEAD
D
UNIT D
Climate Change
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
Earth’s Climate
System and
Natural Changes
Earth’s Climate:
Out of Balance
Assessing and
Responding to
Climate Change
How Is Climate Different from Weather?
Weather - the conditions outside on a particular day,
can be determined by looking outside
Climate - the usual pattern of weather in a region over
a long period of time. To determine the climate in a
region, you would need to study the weather for about
30 years.
Describing Weather
Meteorologists – scientists who study weather provide
information about:
 temperature
 precipitation
 wind speed
 relative humidity (amount water vapour in air)
 atmospheric pressure (force exerted by weight of air above)
 cloud cover
 today’s weather?
 Current Weather - The Weather Network
Classifying Climate
1. Climate Zones – uses temp., percip., and plants to identify
climate zones
2. Ecoregions
Newer system of classifying climate based on:
 landforms, soil, plants and animals
 climate
 human factors (cities, farming practices…)
3. Bioclimate Profiles
 series of graphs that show temperature and moisture
conditions in a region
 only describe climate
 can make climate projections into future
 Canadian Climate Impacts and Scenarios
4. Climate Factors
 The following factors determine the climate for a location:
LOWER Near Water
Latitude:
 as you move away from the equator, the sun’s rays are less
direct. Therefore, the temperature decreases.
Ocean Currents:
 The temperature of the ocean current affects the air that
passes over it.
Winds:
 The prevailing winds are the established pattern of winds.
These winds move the air masses that effect our weather.
Elevation:
 It gets colder as the elevation increases. As air moves up, is
expands because air pressure is less. As expands, it loses heat.
1oC/100m
Relief:
 Windward side of a mountain range is warm and wet. The
leeward side of a mountain range is warm and dry.
Near Water:
 Water has a moderating effect on temperature. In the
summer, it keeps the air over it and nearby cooler. In the
winter, it causes the temperatures to be warmer.