1. Ch. 3: Climates of the Earth
World Geography and Cultures
Ch. 3: Climates of the Earth
Yorkville High School
2014

2. Ch. 3 Section Break-Down Section 1: Earth-Sun Relationships
Section 2: Factors Affecting Climate
Section 3: World Climate Patterns

3. Think About It… Where is it nighttime right now?
What time is it in California, Hawaii, Japan, Afghanistan?

4. 3.1 Earth-Sun Relationships
Essential Question: Explain how the Earth’s position (in space) in relation to the Sun affect life on Earth?

5. Climate and Weather
Weather v. Climate
Weather = short term – Think: I should bring my umbrella, it might rain today.
Climate = long term – Think consistently rainy in Seattle, I always need my umbrella.
…cold snowy winters in Chicago

7. Earth’s Tilt and Rotation
Axis – determines how much direct sunlight the Earth receives at a given point
Temperature
Fahrenheit v. Celsius
Rotation – 1 every 24 hours

8. Earth’s Revolution Revolution – One trip around the sun
365 ¼ days
Seasons - reversed north and south of the Equator
Spring Equinox – March 21
Summer Solstice – June 21
Fall Equinox – September 23
Winter Solstice – December 22
The Poles
North – Midnight sun
Rotation – one 24 hour period (day)

9. 24 hour sunlight in Alaska

10. The Greenhouse Effect
Earth’s atmosphere traps the sun’s heat and energy and keeps it from escaping back into space.
w/o = too cold to live for most
50% of Sun’s radiation
Global Warming
Rise in temps
Cause- burning of coal, oil, natural gas
Releases CO2
Potential problems???

12. Greenhouse effect with Global Warming

13. 3.2 Factors Affecting Climate
Essential Question: What factors can affect how climates are distributed on Earth’s surface?
Think about…
Why are Chicago Winters usually so cold and snowy but summers extremely hot?
Antarctica…would you go there?
He’s there…→

14. Latitude, Elevation and Climate
Low Latitudes
Between 30°South and 30°North
Tropic of Capricorn, Equator, Tropic of Cancer are in this zone
…sun all year = Warm to hot
High Latitudes
Between 60°North and 90°North and between 60°South and 90°South
Arctic/Antarctic circle- direct sunlight 180 days

15. Latitudes, Elevation and Climate
Midlatitudes
Between 30° North and 60° North and 30° South and 60° South
Varying weather
Temperate Climate – dramatic seasonal changes

16. Latitudes, Elevation and Climate
Influence Temp regardless of latitude
Thinner air retains less heat
SEE chart on page 55

18. Winds and Ocean Currents
Wind Patterns
Happen because of Temp differences
Tropical winds towards poles and vice versa
Prevailing winds
Coriolis Effect
Trade winds
Westerlies
Polar Easterlies

19. Winds and Ocean Currents
Horse Latitudes
At the Equator – little wind
Doldrums
Ocean Currents
Warm and cold streams of water
Causes – rotation, air pressure, water temps

20. Distributing the Sun’s Heat

21. Winds and Oceans Currents
Weather and the water cycle
How does the water cycle cool or change the weather (think back to chapter 2)
El Nino
Periodic change in ocean currents, water temps and weather in mid-pacific region
Appears infrequently
So what happens?

22. Landforms and Climate How do physical features affect climate? Water
Coasts
Mountains
Windward
Leeward
Rain Shadow

24. World Climate Patterns
Essential Question: How do Geographers classify Earth’s climate and vegetation?

25. Climate Regions Tropical Dry Midlatitudes High latitude Highland
Soils and Vegetation

27. Climate Regions Tropical Climates Low Latitudes – Tropical Areas
Tropical wet
Hot and Wet throughout the year (80 Degrees)
Daily Rain (80 in)
Ex. Amazon River Basin
Tropical dry
Dry winters, wet summers (Hot)
Fewer trees (Not lush)
Ex. Parts of Africa, central and south America, Australia

28. Amazon River Basin

29. Savannah in Austraila

30. Climate Regions Dry Climates Desert Steppe Dry areas Sparse plant life
Less than 10 in of rain
Scrub, cactus, plants…oasis?
Ex. Sahara
Steppe
Border deserts
Largely treeless grasslands
10-20in rain per year
Ex. Eastern Europe and western and central Asia

31. Sahara Desert

33. Climate Regions Midlatitude Climates 4 regions Marine West Coast
Mediterranean
Humid subtropical
Humid Continental

34. Climate Regions - Midlatitude
Marine West Coast
Cool summers
Cool damp winters
Lots of rain
Coniferous - evergreens
Deciduous – broad leaves, change colors, lose leaves in winter
Ex. Pacific coast of North America

35. Climate Regions - Midlat
Mediterranean
Mild rainy winters
Hot sunny summers
Woody bushes, short trees

36. Climate Regions – Mid lat
Humid Subtropical
Short mild winters
Year round rain
High humidity
Prairies, inland grasslands, evergreens and deciduous trees
EX. Southeastern US

37. Climate Regions – Mid Lat
Humid Continental
Inland location (Ocean…little impact)
North = long and severe snowy winters, shorter cooler summers
More evergreens
Ex. Much of the Very north, Northern Hemisphere.

38. Climate Regions High Latitude Climates Highland Climates
Freezing Temperatures
Lack of direct sunlight
Vegetation limited
Subarctic
North of arctic circle – bitter winters, short cool summers
Permafrost
Tundra – near the poles
Indirect sun, vegetation limited, snow and ice
Highland Climates
High elevation, mixed forests…

40. Climate Changes Ice ages – over 2 million years HEI –
Fuels, acid rain, deforestation, smog, changes in water flows

41. Up Next: The Human World World Population Global Cultures
Political and Economic Systems
Resources, trade and the environment