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Unit 2; Section 3 Weather or Climate? Weather – conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time. Climate – conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time. Precipitation – water that falls to the ground as rain, sleet, hail, or snow. Temperature – how hot or cold the air is. Weather is what you see from day to day. Climate is what usually happens from year to year. Why Climates Vary Climate depends on location. Tropics – hot climates because they get direct sunlight. Polar Regions – cold climates because they get indirect sunlight. Air and water spread heat around the globe as they move. Oceans keep temperatures mild near the coast. Mountains also affect climates. The Water Cycle Oceans and Climates Oceans help distribute the Earth’s heat and shape climates. Global wind patterns help create ocean currents. Generally warm water flows away from the Equator while cold water moves toward it. In the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Current carry warm water to Europe. This current of warm water gives western Europe a milder climate than other regions of the same latitude. The cold Peru Current moves north from Antarctica along the coast of South America. The city of Antofagasta, Chile has colder temperatures than Miami, Florida even though it is closer to the Equator. Water takes longer to heat up or cool than land. Wind blowing over water in the summer tends to cool the coastal areas. In the winter the water remains warmer than the land so coastal places are warmer than inland areas. Weather Forecasting Satellites orbit the earth taking photographs of large weather systems. Satellites in space can record everything from wind patterns to the height of waves. Raging Storms Tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean are called Hurricanes. Tornadoes are like funnels of wind that can reach 320 km’s an hour.