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6.4.8: Explain how convection affects weather patterns
and climate.
Essential Question
 How does convection affect weather patterns and
climate?
Convection
 In the atmosphere, the air is heated by land & water
(which absorbed solar energy and changed this to heat).
 The warm air rises, cools in the upper troposphere and
sinks back to Earth to be warmed again. This makes a
current.
How is a lava lamp an example of
convection?
The bulb in a lava lamp heats
up wax (this is like land &
water giving off heat). The
warm wax rises, then cools
as it moves away from the
heat. Then it sinks where it’s
warmed again.
Convection Areas
There are three convection areas in the northern
hemisphere:
 Tropical: Begins at the equator and extends to 30 degrees
north latitude.
 Temperate: Extends from 30 degrees to 60 degrees north
latitude. We live here!
 Polar: Extends from 60 degrees to the North Pole.
Convection areas
Polar
Temperate
Tropical
Convection Currents
 Convection happens on a
global scale in the
atmosphere and causes
global winds (6.4.9).
These winds then move
weather systems and
surface ocean currents in
particular directions.
Land and Sea Breezes
 On a smaller scale, convection currents near bodies of
water can cause local winds known as land and sea
breezes.
Ocean Surface Currents
 The surface currents of Earth’s oceans that circulate
warm and cold ocean waters in convection patterns also
influence the weather and climates of the landmasses
nearby.
How do ocean currents work?
What are the types of ocean
currents?
Gulf Stream Current
 This warms SC & even Great Britain.
 This is like sitting near a hot tub when it’s snowing. You
can get warm by just being near the warm water.
California Current
 This cools the west coast.
 This is like sitting near the lake when
it’s hot. You can get cool by just being
near the cool water.
Climate Zones
Because of the unequal heating of Earth, climate zones
(tropical, temperate, and polar) occur. Since
temperature is a major factor in climate zones, climate
is related
 To the convection regions at various latitudes;
 To temperature differences between the equator and
the poles;
 To warm and cold surface ocean currents.