Large Scale Patterns of Climatic Variations Amanda Rosenberger Photo : http://www.funtoosh.com/wall/space/earth_a_3.jpg

Temperature 23 ½° tilt Seasons in Northern Hemisphere Summer – Earth is tilted toward the sun Winter – Earth is tilted away from the sun Spring and Fall – sun is directly overhead the equator Higher Latitudes – less light from sun= colder climate

Photo: http://www. windows. ucar

Atmospheric Circulation Warm air with moisture rises Air cools down and moisture is released Air moves north and south Air cools more, becomes denser Cool air sinks back towards surface Air warms up and collects moisture

Atmospheric Circulation 3 air circulation cells on each side of equator Photo: http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/middle_school/teachers/earth/sp_atmosphere/p_atmo_circulation_vert1.html

Coriolis Effect Objects appear to move to the right (Northern Hemisphere) and left (Southern Hemisphere) Winds are named for the direction they begin at Photo: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/prednino/images/winds.gif

Climate Diagrams Developed by Heinrich Walter in 1985 Shows patterns of average variation in temperature, precipitation, wet and dry seasons and portions of the year temperatures are above 0°C

Climate Diagrams Photo: Ecology, Concepts and Applications, 5th Edition, Manuel C. Molles Jr., P. 16