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LAMECOWS
Factors
Affecting
Climate
Latitude
 The
farther away from the Equator,
the colder the climate
becomes.
High
Tropic of
Cancer
Equator
Tropic of
Capricorn
Cold
Mid
Low
Warm
Hot
Warm
Mid
High
Cold
From which
latitude zone were
these pictures
taken?
Rainforest
Tundra
Steppe
Air Pressure
 Air
pressure is caused by the
unequal heating of earth’s surface.
1. Low pressure is warm, moist air.
It raises and forms clouds.
2. High pressure is cold, dry air.
It sinks and creates clear skies.
Mountain Barriers
 Mountain
Barriers create a phenomenon
called the Orographic Effect or
Rainshadow.
 The rainshadow helps create deserts
 Ex.
Sierra Nevada mountains in CA
receive nice amounts of precipitation,
Las Vegas, NV is in the rainshadow
creating a desert climate.
Rainshadow Effect
Windward Side
‘Wet’ side
Leeward side
‘Dry’ side
This rainshadow region in India was created
by the presence of the Western Ghats mountain
range, which block the monsoon(seasonal)
winds from the west.
Elevation
 As elevation increases, temperature
decreases.
1. For every thousand feet the
temperature drops 3.6°F
 In a highlands climate, lower elevation
means more vegetation
Continental Location
 Large
bodies of water are slower to
heat and cool than land.
 As a result, water temps. remain
stable, and land temps. change
frequently .
 Coastlines have stable temperatures.
 Interior of continent has extreme
temperatures (hotter and colder)
Ocean Currents
 Ocean
currents are giant rivers of
sea water flowing within oceans.
 Ocean
currents flow in circular paths:
1. Warm currents carry water from
low to high latitudes. These make
land nearby warmer.
2. Cool currents carry water from
high to low latitudes. These make
land nearby colder.
Ocean Current Map
Wind Belts
 Wind
is the movement of air from
high pressure to low pressure
(like when you poke a hole in a tire.)
1. Trade Winds
2. Westerlies
3. Polar Winds
Wind Belt Map
Storms
 Occur
during low pressure
conditions.
 Storm fronts occurs when two air
masses with different temperatures
meet. (cold meets warm)
1. Thunderstorms
2. Tornadoes
3. Hurricanes