1. Climate and
Weather

2. How Does The Weather Affect You??
Any More?
How Does The Weather Affect You??
What shoes you wear (Boots? Sandals?)
Walk or take the TTC?
What time you wake up?
Umbrella?
Your mood?
Jacket? Sweater? T-Shirt?
Your activities for the day
Sunglasses?
Bike or get a drive?

3. Canada’s Climate
Canada’s climate varies based on geography: Perma-frost in the north
Four seasons towards the equator.
500 (summer) to -650 (winter)

4. Canada’s Climate Canada’s climate is diverse:
Temperature & precipitation differ depending on location and season it is.
Northern Canada  above freezing for only 2-3 months in the year,
Most cities within 300 km of the border, mild springs, hot summers and crisp autumns.

5. Weather: Is a result of day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere
Includes the temperatures outside, if it is hot/cold, raining/snowing, windy/humid, etc.

6. Climate: Different parts of Canada have different climates
Weather conditions of a place averaged over a long period of time (usually 30 years!)
Different parts of Canada have different climates
Example: Toronto compared to Vancouver

7. Canada’s Climate Zones

8. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

9. Temperature
Canadians can experience from as low as -65C in the Northern Cordillera, in winter, to close to 50C in the Prairies, in the summer.
Temperatures are extremely cold, the air is very dry.

10. Precipitation
Precipitation is not equally distributed over Canada, from one region to another, as well as from one season to another.
- Pacific and Atlantic provinces receive the most, southern Prairie region receives the least.

11. Relative Humidity
In the summer, a temperature of 30C, can feel like 45C when it's very humid. This creates sticky and sweaty conditions. The Southeastern climate of Canada is noted for these uncomfortable combinations! (Think of Toronto!)

13. Wind
The wind chill factor will lower the effective temperature (for exposed flesh) much below the ambient (actual) temperature

15. Special Weather Conditions
Southern/Southeastern regions - thunderstorms, (some severe) in the summer.
Southern interior - tornadoes in the summer.
North-American East coast – hurricanes in early autumn.

16. There are 4 factors that affect climate:
Latitude
Ocean Currents
Winds Systems
Elevation + Relief
Nearness to Water
Continental + Maritime Environ.

17. Latitude
The further a region is from the equator, the cooler the climate
The closer a region is to the equator, the warmer its climate

18. Why does the temperature decrease as you move from the equator?
Spread Out
Concentrated
Spread Out
Result: the sun’s rays travel through more atmosphere and therefore are weaker!

19. 2. Ocean Currents

20. Wind Systems The weight of air is called air pressure
Air rising creates low pressure; descending air = high pressure
The movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure = wind
Air Mass = A large volume of air with the climate conditions of the area where it formed

21. Prevailing Winds Polar Front
- Winds that are most commonly found in Canada are the Westerlies which blow from West to East
Polar Front
- Stormy boundary between cold, dry polar air and warm, moist tropical air

22. Relief and Elevation
Relief: The difference in elevation on the Earth’s surface
12, 000 m
20 m

23. Elevation: - 10°C 10°C Temperature decreases as you 
The Higher the elevation, the colder the temperature
Example: if you were hiking up a mountain, you would notice that the temperature drops
- 10°C
Temperature
decreases as you 
10°C

24. Air is forced to rise over a hill or mountain
Air is forced to rise over a hill or mountain. As air rises away from the ground (heat source) it cools by 1°C per 100m.
As the water vapour in the air condenses, it forms clouds and rains. Cool air cannot hold as much water as warm air.
The air starts to descend the hill/mountain it warms up again. It has less water than when it ascended the hill/mountain = clouds disappear and rain stops. This is the RAINSHADOW.
Vancouver Calgary

25. Continental + Maritime Environ.
Maritime – Close to oceans and major bodies of water
Continental – far away from major bodies of water (inland)
Moist air
Dry air
Cool summers, Warm winters
Cold Winters, Hot summers
Lots of precipitation
Less precipitation
Ex. Vancouver, Halifax
Ex. Toronto, Winnipeg

26. LAND LAND Picks up moisture LAKE WET air mass DRY air mass
Oceans and large lakes cool down and heat up more slowly than land, causing cooler climates in the summer and warmer climates in the winter
Picks up moisture
WET air mass
DRY air mass
LAND
LAND
LAKE