BR: 2/6/17 Draw a quick diagram showing the Water Cycle, identifying the following as you do: Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Collection / Runoff, etc.

World Geography Ch. 2.3 Climate Regions, Part I Effects on Climate – What things affect the climate of our Earth?

Effects on Climate When you check online to see the high and low temperatures for the day, we call that checking the weather. Weather is defined as the changes in temperature, wind direction and speed, air moisture, etc. that take place over a short period of time. As geographers look at the long-term patterns of weather in a particular area, that is climate. For example, what is the climate like here in Utah, say in the summer? Very hot and dry. Occasional thunderstorms The mountains get more moisture, are cooler, greener. Hence the popularity of camping.

Main Factors: The Sun & Wind There are many different factors that change the weather and climate of a place. One of the most influential however is the Sun, the star we get our light and heat from every day. As you might remember, the Sun doesn’t heat the Earth equally, in part because of the tilt of its axis. That’s why the tropics are hot, and the polar regions are cool. Mixing up that heat and cool is the movement of our atmosphere, through wind. The hot and cool air is constantly moving in predictable ways, called prevailing winds, as the following diagram shows. This movement also occurs in part because of the Earth’s rotation.

The winds in the tropics are called the trade winds, since in the days of sailing ships they were used for that.

Storm Formation As these winds blow about, sometimes some moist, warm air will rise from the ground, meeting dry, colder air, resulting in a storm system. These usually start as thunderstorms, with lightning, rain, or hail, which can develop further into tornadoes, swirling funnel storms that can reach speeds up to 450 mph. This is rare, but the right conditions can lead to disaster. VID, TF During the winter, these storms often become blizzards with lots of snow.

Hurricanes, Typhoons & Cyclones, oh my! Meanwhile, if such storms form over the ocean, they can lead to hurricanes or also typhoons. Hurricanes occur in the western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans, while typhoons occur in the western Pacific. Also, there are cyclones, which form in the western pacific south of the Equator. How do they form: VID Forming in the warmer waters of the Tropics, they can get quite large, and very powerful. They have been measured at over 300 miles across, with wind speeds of 300+ mph. So what is the difference between these three types of storms? VID

These currents can lead to changes…for example, the North Atlantic Current makes Western Europe more mild and warmer than it otherwise would be. Just like the prevailing winds, the oceans have currents, or flowing streams of water that follow certain patterns.

El Niño & La Niña Every few years or so, changes in the normal patterns of the wind and water patterns of the Pacific Ocean temporarily lead to changed climate in the surrounding areas. Sometimes, for example, weakened winds lead to warmer waters staying around the coast of South America, leading to heavier- than-normal coastal rains in Western South America & North America, while Australia, SE Asia, Africa, etc., see less rain than normal, and sometimes drought. This is known as El Niño, or “The Boy” in Spanish. VID Some years, the opposite occurs, and North & South America experience more drought, while Australia, SE Asia, Africa etc. have flooding and heavy rains. This is known as “La Niña”, or “The Girl”. VID

HW: HW: Create a Poster / Diagram of one of the following: Prevailing Winds Currents El Nino / La Nina Local Winds Rain Shadow Effect Climate Zones Urban Climates, etc. See the handout, and remember that this will be due Friday, Feb. 10th. You can work in pairs on this if you wish.