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Climates
UNIT 9
STANDARDS: NCES 2.5.1, 2.5.2,
2.5.3, 2.5.4, 2.5.5
LESSON 3
Lesson Objectives
 In this lesson, you will learn about:
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What causes different climates
How climates are classified
How climates change as a result of natural
events and human activities
What is a Climate?
 Climatology
 Climate
 The study of Earth’s
climates and the factors
that affect past, present,
and future changes.
 Long Term weather
patterns of an area.
 Described in terms of
temperature, precipitation,
wind, and other weather
variables.
What is NORMAL about a
climate
 Normals
 Data that has been collected and
analyzed for at least 30 years can be
used to determine normals for a
location. Generally at an airport.
 Normals are not to be used to determine
a weather change, but instead offer the
average values over a long period of
time.
 Finally remember that normals only
apply to a specific region. They normals
for Raleigh, North Carolina cannot be
used as normals for Anchorage, Alaska.
Climate Normals Lab
 Normals offer a comprehensive look at local
weather. Using the normal data collected for
Jacksonville, Florida, complete the following:
 1. According to the daily normals maximum temperatures, during what
months would you expect the temperatures to be at least 90o F?
 2. What were the highest and lowest temperatures reported and in what
months and year?
 3. Graphing the lowest temperature and warmest temperatures in
different colors, would you say Jacksonville, Florida is experiencing
global warming?
 Repeat for Raleigh, North Carolina (Extra Credit +5)
What causes climates?
 Latitude
 Latitude is the distance above or below the equator.
 Different latitudes receive different amounts of solar
radiation, because of the tilt and season.
 23.5o north or south of the equator is the tropics. Tropic
of Cancer, Capricorn
 The temperate zones lie between 23.5o and 66.5o. We
live in the temperate zone.
 Finally the polar zones are located from 66.5o north or
south. Polar regions are always cold.
 Generally lower latitudes have warmer climates.
Sunrays hit the latitudes of Earth at different angles at
different times of the year, creating seasons. Low
latitudes, those closest to the equator, get more direct
sunlight. More direct sunlight creates more heat, so the
low latitudes are the warmest latitudes.
Lines of Latitude
Latitudes and Climates
What causes climates?
 Topography
 Water heats up more and cools down
more than land. So the proximity to
large bodies of water affects the
climate. Coastal regions are warmer in
the winter.
 Altitude greatly affects climate due to
the temperature of the air in the
different layers of the atmosphere.
 Mountains are cooler than are plains.
Rain is dropped on the windward side
of a mountain as the water condenses
and is often dry on the leeward side.
Windward and Leeward
What causes climates?
Generally higher altitudes have colder climates. Mountains can also
block wind and weather.
What causes climates?
 Air Masses
 Two main causes for weather are the
movement and interaction of air
masses. Air masses from different
regions affect climate differently.
 Consider the affect of polar air masses
on the United States. This generally
brings cooler weather and also
precipitation.
 Warm air, the Gulf Stream, generally
brings warm moist air over the United
States.
 Both affect the climate of North
Carolina.
Air Masses and Climate
Generally, air warms up over land areas. Warm air rises, and
cooler air comes in to take its place. This creates wind. The
wind cycles drive weather and ocean currents.
Section Review 9.3.1
 Compare and contrast temperature in the
tropics, temperate zones, and polar zones.
 How can climate weather be used by
farmers?
 How can climate normals often used
incorrectly?
 Describe two topographic features that
affect climate.