Climate

Activity On your “Do Now” sheet: Explain the difference between climate and weather.

What is climate? Climate is the pattern of weather that occurs in an area over many years. Climate determines the types of plants or animals that can survive, and it influences how people live.

Climate Climate is determined by averaging the weather of a region over a long period of time, such as 30 years.

Climate What do you think are some factors that might determine an area’s climate?

Climate Temperature Air pressure Humidity Number of days of sunshine Scientists average these factors to determine an area’s climate

Activity On your “Do Now” paper: List the temperature and precipitation characteristics where we live. List the temperature and precipitation characteristics in Kenya. List the temperature and precipitation characteristics in northern Norway. List the temperature and precipitation characteristics in southern Chile.

Other factors that determine climate Latitude Landforms Location of lakes and oceans Ocean currents

Activity On your “Do Now” sheet: Explain how latitude affects climate in a minimum of two paragraphs.

Which area of the Earth receives the most solar radiation? Latitude and Climate Which area of the Earth receives the most solar radiation?

Latitude and Climate Regions close to the equator receive the most solar radiation. Note the angle of solar radiation as the latitude increases. The same amount of sunlight is spread over a greater area the farther from the equator.

Latitude The equatorial regions receive the most solar radiation.

Latitude Latitude is the measurement of distance north or south of the equator.

Latitude The tropics: the region between latitudes 23.5N and 23.5S.

Latitude and Climate The tropics have temperatures that are always hot, except at high elevations.

Tropics Receives the most solar radiation because the sun shines almost directly upon.

Polar Zones Polar zones extend from 66.5N and 66.5S latitude to the poles.

Polar Zones Solar radiation hits these areas at a low angle, spreading energy over a large area. During winter these areas receive little to no solar radiation.

Polar regions are never warm. Polar Zones Polar regions are never warm.

Temperate Zones Between the tropics and the polar regions are the temperate zones. Temperatures are moderate. Most of the United States is in a temperate zone.

Temperate Zone

Temperate Zone

Activity On your “Do Now” paper: Write the zone which would have the most diverse number of animals species. Write the zone which would have the most productive agriculture. Write the zone which would have the least productive agriculture. Write the zone which would have the least number of animals species.

Factors Influencing Climate Large bodies of water. Ocean currents Mountains Large cities

Large Bodies of Water Water heats up and cools down more slowly than land does. It takes more heat to increase water temperature than it does to increase land temperature.

Large Bodies of Water Large bodies of water can affect the climate of coastal areas by absorbing or giving off heat.

Large Bodies of Water These can cause coastal regions to be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than inland areas at similar latitudes.

Large Bodies of Water

Lake Effect on Snow

Lake Effect Snow Large bodies of water not only have an effect upon temperature but also upon rain and snowfall.

Ocean Currents Ocean currents affect coastal climates. Warm currents begin near the equator and flow toward higher latitudes, warming the land regions they pass. When the currents cool off and flow back toward the equator, they cool the air and climate of nearby land.

Ocean Currents

Ocean Currents Question: Based upon the previous slide; where you rather swim? California or North Carolina

Coastal Effects Winds blowing from the sea often are moister than blowing from land. Some coastal areas have wetter climates than inland areas.

Coastal Effects Question: Why is the amount of precipitation high on the coast, then drops inland and then rise again as shown on this map?

Amount of Sunshine Question: If you enjoy sunshine, where would you rather live? The city on the top or Seattle, Washington.

The Amount of Sunshine Seattle, Washington 58days Jacksonville, North Carolina 126 days

Mountains At the same latitude, the climate is colder in the mountains than at sea level. Question: Who can tell me the reason for this difference in temperature?

Mountains When radiation from the sun is absorbed by the Earth’s surface, its heats the land. Heat from the Earth then warms the atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere gets thinner at higher altitudes. The air in the mountains has fewer molecules to absorb heat.

Rain Shadows On the windward side of a mountain range, air rises, cools, and drops its moisture. On the leeward side of a mountain range air descends, heats up, and dries the land.

Rain Shadows

Cities Question: How can cities affect local climate?

Cities Streets, parking lots, and buildings heat up, in turn heating the air. Air pollution traps this heat, creating what is known as the heat-island effect.