1. Latitude (Angle/Intensity of sunlight)
So ….
Latitude (Angle/Intensity of sunlight)
Specific Heat Capacity of surface
Tilt of the axis
Proximity to Oceans
…all affect energy flow and therefore climate
WHAT ELSE INFLUENCES CLIMATE?
GEOMORPHOLOGY
earth + form + study of

2. MOUNTAINS
The rainshadow effect – rising air cools, holds less water vapor.

3. Tibetan Plateau
Himalayas
India

5. Nevada
Central Valley
Crest

6. MOUNTAINS + ONSHORE WINDS
AT times, cooler sea air comes in under the warm and sits there, creating a temperature inversion
ocean

7. Temperature inversions trap cold air, prevent vertical circulation
Smog, dust gets trapped
cooling
warming
cooling

8. desert
mountains
mountains
mountains
ocean
mountains
“Valley of the Smokes”

9. ALTITUDE • mimics latitude in terms of air temp, biome
• less dense, dry air

10. Popocateptl Mexico 19° N

11. Bottle filled at the top of Mauna Kea, HI 19°N
14,000 ft altitude
9000 ft
1000ft

12. ORIENTATION TO THE SUN

13. OCEAN CURRENTS

14. Florida
Gulf Stream

15. Climatograms are a snapshot of climate
Use 2 Y axes: Temp is a line graph; precipitation is a bar graph
To compare locations, use same Y axis scales between graphs

16. Ocean circulation

17. Surface waters circulate horizontally, pushed by
the lower winds of the global convection cells.

18. Deep water circulation involves one giant current which slowly
drains one ocean
into another,
turning over all
the water in the
process
Driven by cold,
salty water at the
poles
Coldest, saltiest water at arctic sinks
Antarctica recharges cold water

20. Normal
El Nino

21. Warmer than normal : El Nino Colder than normal : La Nina
Oceans temps measured via buoys

22. El Nino affects local
weather, upper westerlies
(jet stream), fisheries