Factors Affecting Climate Divide your paper into 4 squares. Label them the following (4 front, 4 back): 1.Low Latitudes5. Wind Patterns 2.High Latitudes6. Ocean Currents 3.Mid-Latitudes7. El Niño 4.Elevation8. Landforms Use Ch. 3 Sec. 2 You will write at least 3 main points for each IN YOUR OWN WORDS! Draw a colored Illustration for each! Leave room for extra notes I may have!

LACEMOP Factors that shape Weather and Climate

Latitude Earth-Sun Relationships — seasons and atmospheric scattering and energy spreading.

Low Latitudes  Between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn (includes Equator); the “Tropics”  Low numbers in latitude value  Receive direct rays from Sun  Equator: 6 mos. a yr.  Each Tropic: 3 mos. a yr.  Receive indirect rays from Sun  Equator: 6 mos. a yr.  Each Tropic: 6 mos. a yr.  Warm to hot climates year round

Mid Latitudes  Most variable weather on Earth  Between Tropic of Cancer & Arctic Circle; between Tropic of Capricorn & Antarctic Circle  Ranges from fairly hot to fairly cold (temperate), dramatic changes, but moderate  Summer gets warm air from tropics, winter gets cold air from high-latitudes

High Latitudes  Polar areas= N of Arctic Circle and S of Antarctic Circle (high numbers in latitude value)  Receives constant sunlight for 6 months when pole faces Sun  March-Sept: North has constant daylight, South is in dark (switches for next 6 mos.)  Arctic & Antarctic Circles are last point to receive indirect rays (during summer or winter)

Air Masses Air masses take on the “weather” of the place from which they came. The meeting of two air masses is a front.

Air Masses Convectional Precipitation: Typical of hot climates; convection occurs after morning sunshine heats warm moist air. Clouds form in the afternoon and the rain falls.

Near Equator Convectional Precipitation

Frontal Precipitation — when 2 fronts of different temperatures meet. Warm air forced upward by heavier, cool air. Rising warm air cools = precipitation--Most common type

Mid-Latitudes a) summer—warm masses of air from the Tropics b) winter– cold masses of air from the high latitudes

Elevation a)Height above sea level b) Temperature decreases as elevation increases

Elevation  At any latitude, anywhere on Earth, elevation influences climate  If high enough in elevation, can have snow on the Equator  As altitude increases, the air thins which absorbs less heat  As elevation increases, temperature decreases

M ountain Barriers Blocks air masses and causes precipitation. Orographic Precipitation : warm moist air forced upward when passing over a mountain. Warm winds cool as they rise over the mountains and clouds form

Air is warm and dry on the other side Windward : mountain side which faces the ocean Leeward : mountain side which is in a “rain shadow” (no precipitation received)

Ganges Plain in IndiaHimalayaArid Tibetan Plateau

O cean Currents Help to distribute heat Carry warm water from tropics to poles and return cold water to the Equator Winds affect current movement Air masses take on water temperature

P ressure & Wind Rising warm air = low pressure Falling cool air = high pressure Wind moves high to low Movement from equator to poles and back Coriolis Effect : rotation of the earth bends the patterns of the wind

Winds blow in constant patterns and are called prevailing winds. Historical Fact: Historical Fact: Many were named for the direction they blew…some were even given names because they were used by trading ships through the region…

Trade winds -- blow from the northeast toward the Equator and from the southeast toward the equator Westerlies – prevailing winds in the mid-latitudes blow diagonally west to east

Polar Easterlies – blow diagonally in the high latitudes east to west— pushing the cold air toward the mid latitudes

Doldrums: windless area near the equator Horse Latitudes: Historically, ships would lighten their loads in order to take advantage of the slightest wind such as cargo, excess supplies and livestock…this also included horses.

 Move clockwise in N. Hem. and counterclockwise in S. Hem. (Coriolis Effect)  Cool air flows in to replace rising warm air (Polar front), distributing Sun’s heat  Switches direction in each latitude zone  Low latitudes have trade winds (northeasterly/southeasterly)  Mid-latitudes have westerlies  High latitudes have polar easterlies *(named for direction they come FROM)  Windless bands  Equator  Horse Tropics

Landforms  Landforms affect climates of places at the same latitude  Bodies of water moderate temps. b/c they take a long time to change temp.  Gulf of MX is warm water  keeps Houston warmer  Continentality– absence of lg. body of water means more drastic weather changes  Nebraska can have hot summers and receive snow in the winters (4 seasons instead of 2 )  Rainshadow effect  Cool air releases moisture on windward side of mountain; then hot, dry air moves to leeward side creating deserts

El Nino  Periodic change in currents & water temps. in mid-Pacific region  No known cause  Reversal of atmospheric pressures  reduce or reverse wind patterns  brings warm water from Asia to South America  Domino effect:  Precipitation increases, flooding in S. America  Or droughts and fires in SE Asia/Australia

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