Climate

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I. What Causes Climate?

1. Climate-AVERAGE, year after year conditions of temperature, precip, winds, and clouds in an area.

2. Microclimate- small area with climate conditions that differ from those around it.

3. Two Factors describe the climate of a region:a. precipitationb. temp.

II. Factors Affecting Temp.

1. Latitude2. Altitude3. Distance from large

bodies of water4. Ocean currents

A. Latitude1. Places near the equator are warmer than areas

far from the equator.2. Why? 3. Sun’s rays hit Earth’s surface most directly at

the equator. At the poles, the sun spreads over a larger area.

4. At the poles, the same amt of solar radiation is spread over a larger area, and brings less warmth.

5. Latitude- distance from equator measured in degrees.

Three Temp. Zones

1. Tropical Zone-a. near equatorb. receives direct sunlight all year round.c. climate is warm.d. 23.5 N and 23.5 S

2. Polar Zones-a. areas that have cold climates all year.

b. sun’s rays strike at a lower angle near the North and South poles.

c. 66.5 to 90 N and 66.5 to 90 S

3. Temperate Zones-a. Between tropical and polar zones.b. Summer- sun’s rays strike more directly.c. Winter- sun’s rays strike at lower angle.d. weather ranges from warm summers to cold winters.e. 23.5 to 66.5N and 23.5 to 66.5 Se. p. 473 fig. 1

How the sun’s energy affects climate

BE A TEACHER!!

TEACH YOUR NEIGHBOR ABOUT THE THREE TEMPERATURE ZONES.

Explain what climate they have, why they have that climate, and where they are located.

B. Altitude

1. High Mountains- altitude is more important than latitude.

2. The top of a high mtn. will have a cool climate, no matter what the latitude.

3. Mt. Kilimanjaro- near equator, but has snow on top of mtn. all year.

C. Distance from Large Bodies of Water

1. The wind off the oceans prevent the area from extremely hot or cold.

2. West coasts of N. Amer, S. Amer, and Europe have marine climates with mild winters and cool summers.

D. Ocean Currents

1. Marine climates are influenced by ocean currents that move tropics toward poles.

2. Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift brings warm air to the United Kingdom.

3. P. 475 Fig.3

TEACH TIME!!!

Teach your neighbor how each of these things affect climate:1. Latitude2. Altitude

3. Distance from large bodies of water4. Ocean Currents

BE SPECIFIC!!!

II. Factors Affecting Precipitation

1. Prevailing winds2. Presence of mountains3. Seasonal winds

A. Prevailing Winds

1. Weather patterns depend on the movement of huge air masses.

2. Air masses are moved by the prevailing winds.3. The amt of water vapor in the air mass

influences how much rain or snow will fall.4. Winds that blow inland from the ocean or

large lakes carry more water vapor than winds that blow from over land.

B. Mountain RangesWINDWARD 1. Humid winds blow from

ocean toward coastal mountains, they are forced to rise.

2. Rising air cools and its water vapor condenses, forming clouds.

3. Rain or snow fall on the windward side of the mtns, the side the WIND hits.

LEEWARD

1. By the time the air has moved over mtns. It has lost its water vapor, so it is cool and dry.

2. Land on leeward side of mtns –downwind- is in a rain shadow.

3. Little precip. Falls.

Windward and Leeward

C. Seasonal Winds

1. Similar to land and sea breezes but over a wider area.

2. Sea and land breezes over a large region that change direction with the seasons are monsoons.

What causes a monsoon?3. In Summer in S and SE Asia, land gets warmer

than ocean and “sea breeze” blows inland all summer, even at night.

4. Air blowing from ocean is very warm and humid, & produces heavy rains.

Quiz

1. There are 3 temperature zones, tropical, polar, and temperate. Explain why we have these three zone and what makes them different?

2. Mount Kilimanjaro is near the equator, yet it has snow on the top of it all year long. Explain why this happens.

3. Draw a diagram of a mtn range. Label the windward and leeward side.

4. Explain why the leeward side of the mtn has little or no rainfall.

5. How do ocean currents affect the climate of an area.