CLIMATE

CLIMATE 3 MAIN TYPES ► POLAR --- high latitude – 60 – 90 degrees N/S. Very low Temps. ► Temperate (Middle-Latitude) --- middle latitude 30 – 60 degrees N/S. Temps vary greatly. ► TROPICS --- low latitude 0-30 degrees N/S. Very high temps.

CLIMATOGRAPH

CLIMATE CONTROLS ► LATITUDE (angle of incidence) ► ALTITUDE ► MOUNTAINS (barriers) ► OCEAN CURRENTS ► WATER VS. LAND ► CYCLONIC STORMS ► PRESSURES

RAINFOREST (TC) ► Tropical Climate ► Little temp. difference (hot) ► Rainfall greater than 100 inches due to convection (transfer of heat through movement of a fluid) ► Thick vegetation ► ex. Zaire, Amazon, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sumatra

RAINFOREST

RAINFOREST

DESERT (TC) ► Tropical Climate ► Located near degrees (High Pressure) ► High temps, low humidity, clear ► rainfall less than 10 in. ► sparse vegetation ► ex. W. USA, Gobi (Asia), Sahara (Africa), Middle east

DESERT

Desert

SAVANNA (TC) ► LOCATED NEAR AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE ► SUMMER – WARM DAY AND NIGHT ► WINTER WARM DAY AND COOL NIGHT ► WET/DRY SEASONS ► VEGETATION – TALL GRASS WITH SCATTERED TREES ► AFRICA, S. AMERICA, S. FLORIDA

SAVANNA

SAVANNA

STEPPE (MLC) ► MIDDLE-LATITUDE CLIMATE ► LOCATED NEAR DESERTS ► WARM TEMPS. ► IN OF RAINFALL ► POLISH WORD MEANING “GRASSLAND”

STEPPE

MARINE WEST COAST (MLC) ► Found along west edge of continents ► Temp is warm and mild ► Rainfall is in. ► Heavy vegetation on windward side of mts. ► controls include mountains and ocean ► Ex. N.W. coast of US. N.W. Europe

MARINE WEST COAST

MIDDLE LAT. DESERT ► Found in interior of continents ► Dry and warm ► Little precipitation. 10 – 20 in. ► winter season – cold ► Midwest

MIDDLE LAT. DESERT AND STEPPE

MEDITERRANEAN (MLC) ► S.W. coast of continents, along horse lat. ► warm dry summers. mild winters ► summer is dry (H pressure) ► winter rainfall due to shifting High pressure ► “Best climate” clear skies, low humidity ► S. Cali, S. Africa, Shores of mediterranean sea.

MEDITERRANEAN

MEDITERRANEAN

HUMID SUBTROPICAL (MLC) ► S.E. edge of continents degrees lat. ► Extremes in temps usually mild winters ► rainfall in a year. ► Heavy plant growth and forests ► cyclonic storms are controlling factor ► S.E. U.S.

HUMID SUBTROPICAL

HUMID CONTINENTAL (MLC) ► N.E. area of continents ► EXTREMES in temps. summer is warm and humid, winter is cold with snow ► rainfall – 30 in. ► cyclonic storms

HUMID CONTINENTAL

MOUNTAIN ► Rockies, Appalachians ► Temperature, pressure decrease with altitude ► Precipitation on windward sides ► Vegetation becomes sparse with increase in altitude.

MOUNTAIN

SUBARCTIC (PC) ► degrees lat. ► Cold winters, short summers ► in of rainfall ► Taiga Forest (pine) ► Biggest climate in N. America ► Greatest temp range. -59 to +70

SUBARCTIC

SUBARCTIC

TUNDRA (PC) ► Boarders lands of icecap ► VERRRRRRY cold ► 10 in. of precipitation ► Permafrost, small shrubs, moss, lichens ► found only in northern hemisphere ► Eskimos ► 9 months avg. below freezing.

TUNDRA

ICECAP (PC) ► N.P. and S.P. ► Temp never above freezing ► snow maybe 2-3 miles thick ► official low degrees F. ► Few inhabitants ► Land of the six month sun.

ICECAP