Download Notes: Climate

Notes: Climate
Name
______________ Block: _____
A. Climate is an area’s ______________________________________
It includes the 2 main characteristics: ______________________ & _______________________
B. Climate Controls: Climates depend on a set of conditions called Climate controls. These include:
1. _____________________ how much solar radiation a location receives
2. _________________________________ (Proximity= how close it is)
3. ____________________________
4. Proximity to __________________________
5. ________________________________ (help circulate heat around our globe)
6. _______________________________ (our prevailing westerly winds come from the west)
1. Latitude
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A location’s position relative to the ___________________
determines how much solar radiation it receives, and therefore
affects its temperature.
Remember as Earth revolves around the Sun, the tilt influences
how much solar radiation a location receives & seasons
change.
Also, the latitude relative to ____________________________
in our troposphere affects precipitation.
Dry at 30 N & S, Moist at equator (more heat=more evaporation)
2. Proximity to Water
A. Because water heats and cools __________________, it has a low temperature range.
Therefore land masses beside large bodies of water usually have _______________________.
B. Large bodies of water also add water vapor to the air, so _________________________ is more
likely downwind of water. (Ever heard of “lake effect” snow?)
3. Altitude/Elevation
A. As you go up in the ____________________ (bottom layer of the atmosphere) temperature ___________.
B. Therefore, the higher the elevation the land is, the ____________________ it is, generally.
4. Proximity to Mountains
A. Mountains can affect precipitation by making a ______________________________.
On the windward side of the mountain,
air is forced to ________________. As it
rises, it cools. As it cools, it loses its
ability to hold ____________________,
and ________________________ occurs
on the windward side. As the air travels to
the leeward side, it no longer contains
_________________, the air is arid, or
_______. This is why deserts are on the
east side of our Rocky Mountains.
5. Ocean Currents
A. The global circulation of _____________ in the oceans moves heat energy around the world.
Where do warm currents originate (start)?
Near the ___________________
Where do cold ocean currents originate?
Near the _________________
What direction do ocean currents flow in the
Northern hemisphere? _____________________
What direction do ocean currents flow in the
Southern hemisphere? _____________________
Why? ___________________________________
caused by Earth’s _________________________
6. Prevailing Winds
A. Global Wind Patterns cause there to be a predominant _______________________ in some
areas. This influences the type of weather that approaches you.
B. _______________________ cause weather patterns to move west to east across United States.
Review:
Low Pressure= _________________weather
Close isobars= ________________ winds
When a cold front catches up to a warm
front it forms an ___________________ front
Front symbols point in the direction it is
___________________________
A cyclone is a rotating __________________
Lesson Comprehension Questions
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Which factors affect our climate in Harrisonburg? List all that apply.
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England has the same latitude as Canada. However, the climate of England is similar to our
climate here. Why isn’t it cold and snowy like Canada, which climate controls are factors?
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Which 2 climate controls help make Nevada a desert?
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Why does Buffalo, NY get so much snow? (Buffalo is to the east of the Great lakes)