Weather and Climate, and why they matter So… How’s the Weather? Weather and Climate, and why they matter

How do we describe weather? Temperature-how hot or cool the air is Measured in degrees ˚ Fahrenheit: F (used in the United States) Celsius: C (metric system, used in most of the world) Every temperature measurement in F or C can be “translated” into the other “language” tiempo = weather clima = climate 1 Mexican peso = 0.0857 US dollars 0˚C = 32˚ F (the freezing temperature of water 100˚ C = 212˚C (the boiling temperature of water

How do we describe weather? Precipitation: How much water falls in a certain area Rain: water in liquid form measured by a rain gauge in centimeters (metric) or inches Snow: water in solid form… measured by a snow gauge measured by a rain gauge in centimeters (metric) or inches (U.S. customary system Q1: How do the ski areas know how much snow to report? Q2: Why do some mountains report different amounts of snow than others nearby? Q3: After it rains, does it matter how soon you check a rain gauge?

How do we describe weather? Wind direction: What direction the wind is going Measured by a wind vane Wind speed: How fast the wind is going Measured by an anemometer Humidity: How much water vapor is in the air Measured by a hygromoter (or humidity gauge) Atmospheric (air) pressure: How heavy air is Measured by a barometer Why measure these things? How do they change the way you feel when you’re outside? What else do they affect?

Weather Stations around the world The colors show when the stations started being used

Where are our local stations? http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KCORIFLE

The When and Where of weather Is there anywhere that doesn’t have weather? Weather happens everywhere all the time But it’s very different … in different places at the same time At different times in the same place It can be measured It can be predicted based on patterns but predictions are not always right. Why not?

So What’s Climate? Weather: what conditions (like temperature and precipitation) are like at a certain place and time “It’s raining in Kansas” “Temperatures were below zero last night” “The humidity tonight will make it feel even hotter than usual” Climate: A pattern over time of what weather is like in a certain area. It includes average temperatures and precipitation, along with extreme temperature and precipitation. “The Rocky Mountains get a lot of snow” “The tropics have a rainy season and a dry season” “Deserts are really dry” “The average temperature in July in Denver is 82˚F”

In other words…. In the words of a scientist: Climate is what you expect Weather is what you get In the words of a middle school student: Climate tells you what clothes to buy weather tells you what clothes to wear Any other analogies? (comparisons)

Weather…. vs……Climate

Climate or Weather? If you were planning a party in your backyard, would you want to know about climate or weather? If you were Marty, would you want to know about climate or weather? If you and your family are going camping for a weekend, what would you want to know about? If you were going to another state or country what would you want to know about in order to pack?

What kind of climate…. Do you like? Do you dislike? Can you survive in? Can’t you survive in? What about plants and animals? What about Marty?