Download Climate

Climate
Factors that Affect Climate
Climate
□ Average weather conditions over a
long period of time
□ Defined by Many Factors
□ Temperature
□ Precipitation
□ Latitude
□ Heat Absorption
□ Topography
Temperature and Precipitation
□ Two Ways to Measure Temperature
□ Average Monthly Temperature
□ Yearly Temperature Range
□ Two Ways to Measure Temperature
□ Average Monthly Precipitation
□ Yearly Precipitation Range
Example – Mid Latitude
Example - Tundra
Latitude
□ Different Latitudes Receive Different
Amounts of Solar Energy
□ Determines Temperature and Wind
Patterns
Latitude – Solar Energy
Solar Energy
□ Higher Latitudes
Receive Smaller
Amounts of Solar
Energy
□ Lower Latitudes
Receive Larger
Amounts of Solar
Radiation
Latitude – Global Wind
Patterns
Global Wind Patterns
□ Results from the
uneven heating of
the Earth
□ Warm Air Creates
Low Pressure
(Equator)
□ Cold Air Creates
High Pressure (Poles)
□ Results in Wind
Heat Absorption and Release
□ Different areas differ in how they
absorb and release heat
□ Water Absorbs and Releases Heat at a
Slow Rate
□ Hence the reason for our late spring
□ Land Absorbs and Releases Heat at a
Faster Rate
□ Influences the amount of heat
available to heat the land
Heat Absorption and Release
Controlled by the Following
□ Specific Heat of Water and Land
□ Evaporation Rates
□ Ocean Currents
□ El Nino – Southern Oscillation
□ Seasonal Winds
Heat Absorption Specific Heat and Evaporation
□ Water has a high Specific Heat
□ The amount of energy required to raise
the temperature of water one degree
Celsius
□ Evaporation
□ Temperature Changes of Land and Sea
vary because of Evaporation
□ Evaporation affects Water more than it
does Land
Heat Absorption - Ocean Currents
□ If wind from the water is blown towards
shore it will greatly influence the
weather on the land
□ EX. Northwest Europe and Gulf Stream
□ El Nino – Southern Oscillation
□ El Nino – Warm Water Phase
□ La Nina – Cool Water Phase
□ Has Global Impact on Weather
□ 3 – 10 Year Cycle
Ocean Currents –
Ocean Conveyor Belt
El Nino – Southern Oscillation
1997-1999
Heat Absorption - Monsoons
□ Caused by the Differentiated Heating of
Land and Water
□ Summer
□ Land warms faster than water
□ Warm air rises over land and is replaced by cool
ocean air
□ Rain
□ Winter
□ Land cools faster than water
□ Cool air over land is flows away from land
□ Drought
It Just Started Raining and
Raining…
It Stopped.
Topography
□ Recall topography is the surface
features of the land
□ Such features like mountains can
control climate
□ Two Factors
□ Elevation
□ Rain Shadows
Topography - Elevation
□ As one rises in elevation, the average
temperature decreases
□ Even at the equator the peaks of
mountains can be capped with snow
Topography –
Elevation vs. Latitude
Topography – Mountains
□ Mountains cause air masses to rise
□ As air masses rise the cool and loose their
moisture
□ Results in lush vegetation on windward side
of the mountain, and desert on leeward side
of the mountain
□ Examples
□ Alps
□ Himalayans
□ Sierra Nevada
Topography – Rain Shadow
Topography – Rain Shadow
Topography – Tibetan Plateau
Types of Climates
□ Three Distinct Climate Regions
□ Tropical
□ Mid - latitude
□ Polar
Factors that Affect Biomes
Climates of the World
Global Climate Change
Potential Causes of Global Change
□ Plate Tectonics
□ Disrupt Ocean Currents
□ Disrupt Wind Patterns
□ Orbital Changes
□ Milankovitch Theory
□ 3 Motions on a 20,000 – 100,000 Year Cycles
□ Human Activity
□ Carbon Dioxide
□ Volcanic Activity
Milankovitch Theory
Proof is in the Data?
Proof is in the Data?
Potential Impacts
Potential Impacts of Climate Change
□ Global Warming
□ Sea – Level Changes