1. Weather Forecasting Subtitle

2. Bellringer #2  What is climate? What factors determine a region’s climate?

3. Today’s Objectives  Students will be able to… Distinguish between weather and climate. Explain why rain shadows only form on the downwind slope of mountains. Describe how large bodies of water influence climate.

4. What is climate? When you describe today’s weather, are you describing your region’s climate?

5. What is Climate?  Climate is the long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region.  A region’s climate depends on average temperature and precipitation, as well as how these variables change throughout the year.

6. What affects climate? The latitude of a location affects climate.

7. Latitude  The amount of solar energy per unit of Earth’s surface area depends on latitude.  Earth’s curved surface causes latitudes closer to the equator to receive more direct sunlight than latitudes farther north or south.  Latitudes near the poles receive less solar energy and have lower average temperatures.  Latitudes near the equator tend to have warmer climates than higher latitudes.

8. Compare & Contrast

9. Altitude  Climate is influenced by altitude.  Temperature decreases as altitude increases in the troposphere.

10. Mountain Ranges  Mountains influence climate because they are barriers to prevailing winds.  This leads to rain shadow: an area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain.  Different amounts of precipitation on either side of a mountain range influence vegetation growth.

11. Large Bodies of Water  Have you ever felt like the sand on the beach was burning your feet? What did you do?  Water has a higher specific heat than sand; it takes more energy to heat water.  Specific heat is the amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a material by 1°C.  Water’s high specific heat causes the climates along coastlines to remain somewhat constant.  Prevailing winds extend the moderate temperatures farther inland.

12. Ocean Currents  Ocean currents also modify climate.  The Gulf Stream is a warm, northward current along the east coast of North America.  The Gulf Stream brings warmer temperatures to portions of the United States and Europe.

13. Applying Concepts Suppose that you live in a coastal region on the windward side of a mountain range. A warm water current flows along the coast. Describe the climate in your region.

14. Exit Ticket Explain how the factors we discussed today (temperature, precipitation; latitude, elevation, wind, mountain ranges) affect the region you live in.