Download 1.1

22.04.16
Concept 1.1
What is the difference
between climate and
weather?
ENVS*3010DE
UNIT 1
Weather definition
Weather is a variation in short-term conditions of the
atmosphere (minutes to month). It is expressed as
temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloudiness,
visibility and wind.
Aomarch/iStock/Thinkstock !
2!
1
22.04.16
Climate definition
Climate is a statistical description of weather
averaged over a period of time – the period taken
being long enough to be able to identify statistical
characteristics.
(World Meterological Organization)
•
•
•
Deviations from long-term averages
Probability of extreme values
30 years averages most commonly used
3!
Guelph climate
Monthly rainfall
Average temperature
112.5
15
90
7.5
67.5
0
45
-7.5
-15
January
Precipitation (mm)
Temperature ºC
22.5
22.5
0
April
July
Data taken from The Weather Network, 2015, http://www.farmzone.com1
October
4!
2
22.04.16
Fill in the blank
expect
Weather is what you get, climate what you ________?!
5!
Fill in the blank
Weather is what you get, climate what you ________?!
6!
3
22.04.16
Climate vs. weather variability
Guelph daily weather averages 2013
40
30
Temperature ºC
20
10
0
-10
-20
-30
1 18 35 52 69 86 103120137154171188205222239256273290307324341358
Days of the year
7!
Data taken from Government of Canada, http://climate.weather.gc.ca 2
Climate vs. weather variability
15
Temperature ºC
7.5
40
30
-7.5
-15
20
Temperature ºC
0
-22.5
1
3
5
7
9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
January 2013
10
0
-10
-20
-30
1 19 37 55 73 91 109127145163181199217235253271289307325343361
Days of the year
Data taken from Government of Canada, http://climate.weather.gc.ca 2
8!
4
22.04.16
Climate vs. weather variability
30 year monthly averages
40
The weather
(blue line) is
very variable.
30
Temperature ºC
20
The climate
(red line) is
less variable.
10
0
-10
Over a short timescale, weather is
way more variable
than climate.
-20
-30
1 19 37 55 73 91 109127145163181199217235253271289307325343361
Days of the year
Data taken from Government of Canada, http://climate.weather.gc.ca 2
9!
Climate change
A change in the state of the climate that can be identified
(e.g. using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or
the variability of its properties, and that persists for an
extended period, typically decades or longer.
(IPCC, 2007: Synthesis report, http://www.ipcc.ch3)
Climate change is changes in long term averages that
persist for an extended period.
10!
5
22.04.16
References
1. The Weather Network. Farmzone: Guelph – Wellington South, Ontario:
Temperature.
http://www.farmzone.com/statistics/temperature/cl6142402/so029 (last
accessed 5 February 2015).
2. Government of Canada. Climate: Daily Data Report for January 2013.
http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?
StationID=45407&timeframe=2&Year=2013&Month=1&cmdB1=Go&Day=
1 (last accessed 5 February 2015).
3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Publications and
Data Reports: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007.
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/mains1.html. (last
accessed 5 February 2015).
6