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CLIMATE
Climate
• Climate is the pattern of weather that occurs in an area over many
years.
• Determines:
• Types of plants
• Animals that can survive
• How people live
Water
• Water heats up[and cools down more slowly than land
• Large bodies of water influence the land that is nearby by
absorbing and giving off heat.
• Meaning:
• Warmer Winters
• Cooler Summers
• All together a
MODERATE climate
Ocean Currents
• Ocean currents affect coastal climates
• Warm water from the equator flows north, warming the regions
they pass
• When the currents cool and flow back towards the equator they
cool the air and climates of nearby land.
Mountains
• At the same LATITUDE, the climate is colder in the mountains than
at sea level.
• The high altitude in the mountains makes the air have fewer
molecules to absorb heat
Rain Shadows
• On the windward side of a mountain range, air rises, cools, then
drops moisture.
• On the leeward side of a mountain range air descends, heats, and
dries the land.
• Deserts are common on the leeward side of a mountain
Draw a
Rain
Shadow
Heat Island
• Large cities affect local climates
• Streets parking lots and buildings heat up- warming the air
• Air pollution traps all of the excess heat
• Cities can be up to 5 degrees warmer than surrounding rural areas
Wind
• Wind moves from areas of HIGH pressure to areas of LOW pressure.
• Generally, the warmer the air is the lower the air pressure is.
Sea Breeze
• A sea breeze is created during the day because radiation warms the
land more than the water (warm air= lower pressure)
• Cooler denser air over the water has higher pressure and flows
toward the warmer less dense air
Draw a
Sea
Breeze
Land Breeze
• At night when land cools more rapidly while the water maintains it’s
temperature a land breeze forms
• Air over the land becomes cooler than air over the ocean
• Cooler denser air above the land moves over the water.
Draw a
Land
Breeze