00 0 latitude – Equator 0 longitude – Prime Meridian (has no affect on climate)
Rotation The spinning of the earth on its axis Takes 24 hours Creates night & day
Revolution The orbit of the earth around the sun Takes 365 ¼ days Creates the seasons
Polar Night When the polar region is tilted away from the sun – the polar area receives 24 hours of darkness. When it is pointed toward the sun the area receives 24 hours of daylight.
EQUINOX Direct rays of the sun are located on the EQUATOR Days and nights are equal in length Spring (Vernal) and Fall (Autumnal) When it is Spring in the northern hemisphere it is Fall in the southern hemisphere (the opposite is also true)
SOLSTICE Direct rays of the sun are located on the TROPIC OF CANCER OR CAPRICORN Days and nights are not equal in length – summer days are longer – winters nights are longer Summer and Winter When it is Winter in the northern hemisphere it is Summer in the southern hemisphere (the opposite is also true)
Solstices and Equinoxes
Antarctic Circle – 66.5 S Arctic Circle – 66.5 N South Pole - 90 S North Pole - 90 N
Red – LOW LATITUDES 0 – 23 ½ North & South Tropics Hot and Humid Green – MID LATITUDES 23 ½ - 66 ½ North & South Temperate Mild THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S PEOPLE LIVE IN THE TEMPERATE ZONE!! Blue – HIGH LATITUDES 66 ½ - 90 North & South Polar Cold and Dry
Much of the information in this Power Point came from Linda Hammon. The Factors the Affect Climate: L.A.C.E.M.O.P.S.
Rotation/1 day takes the earth 24 hours (1 day) to make one complete rotation on it’s AXIS. Revolution/1 year Takes the earth 365 ¼ days (1 year) to make one complete revolution around the SUN Weather – The DAILY condition of the atmosphere. Climate – Weather conditions over TIME. Precipitation – Moisture that falls from the sky: rain, snow, sleet, & hail. Terms to Know Fold your paper in half 3 times to create 8 boxes necessary to record the information in this lesson. Use one side record each of these vocab terms & definitions.
L = Latitude Distance from the equator is one of the most important factors in determining climate.
LOW MIDDLE HIGH MIDDLE HIGH High: Polar climates. One Season: COLD Middle: Temperate Climates 4 Seasons: Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall Low: Tropical Climates 2 Seasons: Rainy, Dry Zones of Latitude
Tropical Wet & Dry Location Humid Subtropical Location Take a moment to compare the temperatures of Mangalore & Memphis. Which one do you think is closer to the equator? Why?
Climate AClimate B Study the two climographs below. Can you pick out the one that depicts a tropical climate? How do you know? Bonus Question: Is it a tropical wet or a tropical wet and dry climate? How do you know?
A is for Air Masses
Air Masses Northern hemisphere = cold air from the polar regions comes from the north hot air from the tropics comes from the south. Southern hemisphere = cold air from the polar region comes from the south hot air from the tropics comes from the north.
Why is the direction that cold air comes from flip flopped in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
C is for Continentality
Continentality The effect of a location on a continent Why is there so little difference between summer and winter along the coast of California? It takes the ocean a long time to heat & cool! Wind blowing off of water moderates coastal areas. What is the difference between summer & winter in Kansas? BIG difference in seasons in Kansas…why? Land heats & cools quickly!! Close to large body of water = smaller difference in temperature Farther away from water = greater difference in temperature.
Continentality: How Does It Affect Climate? Remember: continentality is the effect of location on a continent on the climate of a place. Inland locations typically have larger temperature ranges and (possibly) drier conditions than maritime locations. Compare these two locations. Which one is further inland? How can you tell?
E is for Elevation
ELEVATION The higher you go, the colder it gets. As you go up in elevation, the air gets thinner and does not trap heat. Are there glaciers on the equator??
Remember: elevation affects climate and climate affects the type of vegetation. Elevation
Elevation affects the type of natural vegetation & crops that grow in a region.
In this photo, you can see the tree line-the highest point on a mountain that trees can survive.
M is for Mountain Barriers
MOUNTAIN BARRIERS (aka the Orographic Effect or the Rain Shadow Effect) Winds blow across the ocean & push moisture inland. Moisture cloud reaches the mountains, gets “popped” by the mountain top & rains on the coastal side By the time this cloud reaches the other side of the mountains, the air is dry. What very dry state do you find East of the Sierra Nevada Mts??
Mountain Barriers: Rain Shadow
O is for Ocean Currents
OCEAN CURRENTS The UK & Europe are on the same line of latitude as Canada. Do they experience the same climate? North Atlantic Drift = warm current that flows up from the equator & and keeps Europe warmer than it should be at that latitude
Ocean Currents Cold currents create dry conditions on the coast. Warm currents create wet conditions on the coast.
Ocean Currents Physical Map of Africa Using both maps above, how do you explain the existence of the desert region of southwestern Africa?
P is for Pressure and Prevailing Winds
High Pressure =H Heavy, cool air, brings clear skies and no rain. Low Pressure =L Light, warm air, usually brings precipitation Pressure
Earth’s winds would blow in straight lines, but since the earth rotates they are turned at an angle. In the northern hemisphere, they turn to the right. In the southern hemisphere they turn to the left. This bending of the wind is called the Coriolis Effect. Wind and the Coriolis Effect
Cyclonic storms (hurricanes & typhoons) Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise. Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise. Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere
What relationship can you detect between the diagram and the map of the world’s major deserts? HINT: Think high pressure vs. low pressure.
S is for Storms
Storms Storms occur where …. polar winds meet westerlies when hot & cold air masses collide
Tropical Storm Cat. 5 Hurricane Tornado Cyclone Storm Tracks
L atitudeL atitude A ir MassesA ir Masses C ontinentalityC ontinentality E levationE levation M ountain BarriersM ountain Barriers O cean CurrentsO cean Currents P ressure & Prevailing WindsP ressure & Prevailing Winds S tormsS torms This acronym was.introduced by: Dr. James Petersen – Texas State University – San Marcos, TX, 1990.