1. Factors that Affect Climate

2. Weather is the short term (day to day) conditions of the atmosphere.
Temperature
Precipitation
Humidity
Cloud Cover
Wind
Air Pressure

3. Climate Involves the key weather variables
Temperature
Moisture
Air pressure
But does so in terms of patterns over the course of decades. Minimum of 10 yrs.

4. 1. Latitude
The further you move away from the equator, north or south, the cooler the temperature.
WHY?

5. This is because the suns rays are dispersed over a larger area of land as you move away from the equator.
This is due to the curved surface of the earth. In addition polar regions are colder because the suns rays have further to travel compared to place on the equator.

6. Regions close to the equator receive direct rays of the sun and therefore receive more radiant energy and are warmer. At the areas closer to the poles, the suns rays are at an angle so these areas receive less radiant energy and are cooler.

7. The earth revolves around the sun once every year. (365.25 days)
The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees throughout its orbit.
The Earth rotates on its own axis once each 24hrs.
By June the 21, the Northern Hemisphere is angled towards the sun. Therefore we receive our warment temperatures during the summer.
By Dec. 22 the opposite occurs. Now the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

8. Observe seasonal changes in the amount of sunlight reaching locations on Earth.
Explore a model of Earth's yearly revolution around the sun.
Climate Controls: Latitude

9. 2. Air Masses
Air Masses carry the conditions from where they originate.
Those conditions are a combination of two elements
Moisture Content
Temperature

10. Moisture
Maritime (m) – formed over water and therefore containing moisture.
Continental (c) - formed over land and as a result is dry
Temperature
Tropical (T) – formed near the tropic (latitudes closer to the equator). Warm
Polar (P) - formed between latitudes of 55° and 66°N. Cold
Arctic (A) – formed over the Arctic. Very cold
One letter from each category is combined to get a complete picture of each air mass. i.e.: mT (maritime Tropical) meaning wet and warm.

11. 3. Elevation / Altitude
The higher it is from sea level the cooler the temperature. As elevation increases, the air becomes less dense. Less dense air cannot hold as much heat as dense air, meaning as elevation increases, temperature decreases.
In dry air the change of temperature change is around 1°C for every 100m of elevation change.
In moist or wet air the change of temperature is 0.6°C for every 100m of elevation change.

12. 4. Nearness to water
Large bodies of water have moderating effect on temperature.
Water is slower to warm or cool than landforms
This means cooler summers and milder winters. Less of a temperature range.
Land / Sea Breezes

13. Maritime vs Continental Climates
Maritime Climates
Near water
Moderating influence
Summers are cooler and winters are milder than you might expect
Cyclonic or orographic precipitation
Ex: NL or BC
Continental Climates
Inland
Extreme influence
Warm, hot summers, and very cold winters
Convectional precipitation
Ex: Canadian Prairies

14. 5. Landforms Landforms also affect patterns of precipitation.
i.e. The large mountains on the West Coast of Canada act as a barrier and produce some of the highest amounts of precipitation (rain and snow) in Canada. As the wet Polar Pacific air masses reach the mountains the air is forced to rise causing orographic precipitation on the windward side of the mountain and a rain shadow on the leeward side.