Download Climate

Climate
Factors of Climate
El Nino
Topography
Greenhouse Effect
Climate Change
Global Warming
A. Factors of Climate
1. What is climate?
a. It is the average weather conditions
over a long period of time, usually 30 years
b. It is determined by using the average
temperature and average precipitation.
2. Factors that contribute to climate
a. Latitude and the sun’s energy
(when the latitude is greater, the
sun’s energy is less intense)
b. Global wind patterns affect
precipitation, temperature and cloud
cover
c. Land heats up faster and releases its
heat to the air very fast. Water heats up
more slowly and releases its heat to the
air more slowly.
B. Climate and El Nino
1. The surface water temperatures of Pacific
Ocean near the equator change.
2. The water along the coast of South America
becomes warmer.
3. This makes the air above the ocean
becomes warmer. Warmer, moister air is
carried to the North American continent.
4. This causes more tornadoes, cyclones,
typhoons and flooding in North America and
more droughts in Indonesia and Australia.
In an El Nino year,
the warmest water
moves eastward
across the Pacific.
Thunderstorms
disrupt the jet
stream changing
the weather
pattern.
C. Climate and Topography
1. The surface of the land affects climate
2. As the elevation of the land increases, the air
temperature decreases.
3. Mountain ranges affect precipitation. Air masses
will rise, cool and lose their moisture before the
air mass crosses over the mountain. The other
side of the mountain will receive air that is
warmer and drier.
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D. Greenhouse Effect
1. Gases in the atmosphere absorb and reradiate infrared rays of light.
2. Human activities have placed more carbon
dioxide, water vapor and other gases into
the earth’s atmosphere.
3. The imbalance of gases intensify the
greenhouse effect by re-radiating more
heat to the surface and lower atmosphere.
E. Climate Change
1. Climatologists study changes in climate to
determine
a. if changes are a natural cycle
b. what is the cause of climate change
2. Climatologists gather evidence of climate change
from:
a. Ice cores - levels of CO2
b. Sea-floor sediment c. Fossils
d. Tree rings e. Journals, artwork, historical records,
photographs,
3. Evidence of climate change
a. CO2 levels have increased
b. loss of ice caps and glaciers
c. rising sea levels
d. increased amount of severe storms
4. Causes of Climate Change
a. Changing positions of the plates
b. Orbit changes and the earth’s tilt
c. Volcanic activity
d. Sunspot activity
e. Human activity
5. Impacts of Climate Change
a. global warming/global cooling
b. sea-level changes
leads to changes in ocean habitat
leads to land loss