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8.1/8.2 Climate Change
Weather and Climate
Weather

Atmospheric conditions in a particular location over a short period
of time

Includes: temperature, precipitation, wind and humidity

Ex: “A high of 28oC today, sunny with cloudy periods, probability
of precipitation is 30%, wind from the west at 20km/hr, and relative
humidity of 40%.”
Is Weather always the same?

Some parts of the world, weather stays the same from day to day.


ex. Sahara desert is usually hot and dry during the day
Other parts, the weather can change dramatically from one day to
the next.

ex. Canada: warm and sunny today; cool and rainy tomorrow- however,
patterns exit with seasons
Meteorologists

Gather information on weather around the world and use it to
forecast weather for specific areas
What Causes Weather?

Interactions between water and air on Earth and energy from the
Sun

Sun heats the atmosphere, creating wind and air movement

Bodies of water evaporate, cool and condense to produce rain or
snow

Ocean waters move in currents
Climate

The usual pattern of weather in a region over a long period of time

weather measurements collected over 30 years and results are
averaged

climate gives a range of temperatures one might expect at a certain
time of year

Ex. Southern Ontario climate: warm and humid during summer
and cold with snow during the winter

Determines the type of plants and animals that live in a region

Determines how houses/buildings are designed
Weather or Climate?

The temperature high today will be 5oC

We can expect high humidity in July

There will be 11.3 hours of sunshine today

The skies will be partly cloudy
“Climate is what you expect, but weather is what you get.”
Classifying Climate: Climate Zones

determined by temperature , precipitation and plant communities

Tropical, Dry, Moderate, Continental, Polar
Classifying Climate:Climate Zones
Classifying Climate: Ecoregions

New method of classifying climate which focuses on the ecology of
the region

Based on landforms, soil, plants, animals and climate
Classifying Climate: Ecoregions
Climate Change

Climate change


A change in climate over a long period of time
Global Warming

A change in temperature over a long period of time
Factors Affecting Climate

Distance from the equator (latitude)

Presence of large bodies of water

Presence of ocean or air currents

Land formations

Height above sea level ( altitude)
Homework:

Pg 321 # 1-6