Download Climate

Pages 275-287
What is the difference between
climate and weather?
 Weather describes atmospheric
conditions from moment to moment
 Climate describes characteristic weather
patterns that occur over time;
determined by temperature and amount
of precipitation
 Temperature + Precipitation = Climate
How does solar energy affect the
climate of an area?
 Heat from the sun is a key factor of
climate
 Energy from the sun hits the equator at
the most direct angle
 As you move away from the equator
(=increase in latitude), the solar energy
strikes at less direct angles
How does latitude affect the
climate of an area?
 Closer to the equator = low degree of
latitude = warmer temperature
 Moving away from the equator = higher
degree of latitude = cooler temperature
 Earth is divided into climate zones
based upon their latitude – polar,
temperate, and tropical
How does elevation affect the
climate of an area?
 Elevation = height
above sea level
 As elevation
increases,
temperature
decreases
How do large bodies of water
affect the climate of an area?
 Water absorbs and releases heat more
slowly than land does
 Water helps moderate the temperature
of nearby land, meaning that sudden or
extreme temperature changes rarely
take place in these areas so there isn’t a
wide range of temperature
How do large bodies of water
affect the climate of an area?
 Places near water will have more
moderate temperatures than other
places with the same latitude
 Example: Michigan (surrounded by
Great Lakes) vs. other
Northern/MidWestern states
 Example: California’s coastal climate vs.
states further inland
How do ocean currents affect the
climate of an area?
 Ocean current = movement of water in a
certain direction; surface currents are
driven by wind
 Cold currents cool the air in these
coastal areas; warm currents warm the
air
 Ex: Gulf Stream – brings warm water/air
How does topography affect the
climate of an area?
 Topography = surface features of a region
 Mountains
 Cold at top = dry, this is why there are
generally no trees above a certain elevation
 Plains
 Long distances for winds to flow; when they
merge, the mixing winds produce
thunderstorms and even tornados