1. Climates of Earth

2. IN
Agree or disagree?
Locations at the center of large continents usually have the same climate as locations along the coast.
Latitude does not affect climate.

3. Factors that Determine Climate
Climate: long term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region
Things that affect climate: latitude, large bodies of water, altitude, temperature
How would you describe each of these climates?

4. LATITUDE

5. Latitude
Latitude increases from 0 degrees to 90 degrees as you move toward the North and South Pole.
Locations near the equator receive more solar energy each year than the poles. (equator= 0degrees)
Locations near equator are warmer.
Polar areas are colder because they get less solar energy. Middle areas have hot summers and cold winters.

6. Altitude/ Rain Shadows
Temperature decreases as altitude increases in the troposphere.
Mountains influence climate because they are barriers to prevailing winds, which leads to rain shadows.
Rain shadows are the reason for different amounts and types of vegetation on either side of a mountain. Different amounts of precipitation fall on either side, leading to more or less vegetation.

7. Altitude/ Rain Shadows
How do mountains affect rainfall?

8. Water
Why do you think the sand is always hotter than the water?

9. Water
The high specific heat of water causes climates along coastlines in to remain more constant than climates in the middle of continent.
Ocean currents affect climate.
Ex: Gulf Stream is a warm current flowing from north along the coast of eastern U.S. The warm current causes temperature to be warmer along parts of the East Coast and Europe.

10. Water

11. Microclimates Climate Temperature Precipitation Polar Cold year round
Little precipitation
Continental
Warm summer, cold winter
Moderate precipitation
Dry
Hot summer, cool winter
Very little precipitation
Tropical
Warm year round
High precipitation
Mild
Warm summer, mild winter
Humid, high precipitation

12. Microclimates Examples:
Urban areas- higher temps than rural areas because concreate absorbs more solar energy.
Forests- cooler and less windy than surrounding countryside
Hilltops- windier than nearby lower land

13. Microclimate
How might construction of a concrete road or building change an area’s climate?

14. How climates affect living organisms
Organisms have adaptations for the climates where they live.
What’s an adaptation?
Climate influences humans.
Average temperature and rainfall determine types of crops we plant in an area
Determines how and what we build in an area
Conserve water

15. OUT Complete the chart. What affects climate?
Concrete buildings and roads
Climate
Large bodies of water