CLIMATECLIMATE

CLIMATE CLIMATE

3 MAIN TYPES3 MAIN TYPES►POLAR --- high latitude – 60 – 90 POLAR --- high latitude – 60 – 90

degrees N/S. Very low Temps.degrees N/S. Very low Temps.►Temperate (Middle-Latitude) --- middle Temperate (Middle-Latitude) --- middle

latitude 30 – 60 degrees N/S. Temps latitude 30 – 60 degrees N/S. Temps vary greatly.vary greatly.

►TROPICS --- low latitude 0-30 degrees TROPICS --- low latitude 0-30 degrees N/S. Very high temps.N/S. Very high temps.

CLIMATOGRAPHCLIMATOGRAPH

CLIMATE CONTROLSCLIMATE CONTROLS

►LATITUDE (angle of incidence)LATITUDE (angle of incidence)►ALTITUDE ALTITUDE ►MOUNTAINS (barriers)MOUNTAINS (barriers)►OCEAN CURRENTSOCEAN CURRENTS►WATER VS. LANDWATER VS. LAND►CYCLONIC STORMSCYCLONIC STORMS►PRESSURESPRESSURES

RAINFOREST (TC)RAINFOREST (TC)

►Tropical ClimateTropical Climate►Little temp. difference (hot)Little temp. difference (hot)►Rainfall greater than 100 inches due to Rainfall greater than 100 inches due to

convection (transfer of heat through convection (transfer of heat through movement of a fluid)movement of a fluid)

►Thick vegetationThick vegetation►ex. Zaire, Amazon, Indonesia, ex. Zaire, Amazon, Indonesia,

Malaysia, SumatraMalaysia, Sumatra

RAINFORESTRAINFOREST

RAINFORESTRAINFOREST

DESERT (TC)DESERT (TC)

►Tropical ClimateTropical Climate►Located near 25-30 degrees (High Located near 25-30 degrees (High

Pressure)Pressure)►High temps, low humidity, clearHigh temps, low humidity, clear►rainfall less than 10 in. rainfall less than 10 in. ►sparse vegetationsparse vegetation►ex. W. USA, Gobi (Asia), Sahara ex. W. USA, Gobi (Asia), Sahara

(Africa), Middle east(Africa), Middle east

DESERTDESERT

DesertDesert

SAVANNA (TC)SAVANNA (TC)

►LOCATED NEAR AREAS OF LOW LOCATED NEAR AREAS OF LOW PRESSUREPRESSURE

►SUMMER – WARM DAY AND NIGHTSUMMER – WARM DAY AND NIGHT►WINTER WARM DAY AND COOL NIGHTWINTER WARM DAY AND COOL NIGHT►WET/DRY SEASONSWET/DRY SEASONS►VEGETATION – TALL GRASS WITH VEGETATION – TALL GRASS WITH

SCATTERED TREESSCATTERED TREES►AFRICA, S. AMERICA, S. FLORIDAAFRICA, S. AMERICA, S. FLORIDA

SAVANNASAVANNA

SAVANNASAVANNA

STEPPE (MLC) STEPPE (MLC)

►MIDDLE-LATITUDE CLIMATEMIDDLE-LATITUDE CLIMATE►LOCATED NEAR DESERTSLOCATED NEAR DESERTS►WARM TEMPS.WARM TEMPS.►10-20 IN OF RAINFALL10-20 IN OF RAINFALL►POLISH WORD MEANING POLISH WORD MEANING

“GRASSLAND”“GRASSLAND”

STEPPESTEPPE

MARINE WEST COAST (MLC)MARINE WEST COAST (MLC)

►Found along west edge of continentsFound along west edge of continents►Temp is warm and mildTemp is warm and mild►Rainfall is 30-60 in. Rainfall is 30-60 in. ►Heavy vegetation on windward side of Heavy vegetation on windward side of

mts.mts.►controls include mountains and oceancontrols include mountains and ocean►Ex. N.W. coast of US. N.W. EuropeEx. N.W. coast of US. N.W. Europe

MARINE WEST COASTMARINE WEST COAST

MIDDLE LAT. DESERT MIDDLE LAT. DESERT

►Found in interior of continentsFound in interior of continents►Dry and warm Dry and warm ►Little precipitation. 10 – 20 in.Little precipitation. 10 – 20 in.►winter season – coldwinter season – cold►MidwestMidwest

MIDDLE LAT. DESERT AND MIDDLE LAT. DESERT AND STEPPESTEPPE

MEDITERRANEAN (MLC)MEDITERRANEAN (MLC)

►S.W. coast of continents, along horse lat.S.W. coast of continents, along horse lat.►warm dry summers. mild winterswarm dry summers. mild winters►summer is dry (H pressure)summer is dry (H pressure)►winter rainfall due to shifting High pressurewinter rainfall due to shifting High pressure►““Best climate” clear skies, low humidityBest climate” clear skies, low humidity►S. Cali, S. Africa, Shores of mediterranean S. Cali, S. Africa, Shores of mediterranean

sea. sea.

MEDITERRANEANMEDITERRANEAN

MEDITERRANEANMEDITERRANEAN

HUMID SUBTROPICAL (MLC)HUMID SUBTROPICAL (MLC)

►S.E. edge of continents 30-40 degrees S.E. edge of continents 30-40 degrees lat.lat.

►Extremes in temps. 0-100 usually mild Extremes in temps. 0-100 usually mild winterswinters

►rainfall 30-65 in a year. rainfall 30-65 in a year. ►Heavy plant growth and forestsHeavy plant growth and forests►cyclonic storms are controlling factorcyclonic storms are controlling factor►S.E. U.S.S.E. U.S.

HUMID SUBTROPICALHUMID SUBTROPICAL

HUMID SUB TROPICALHUMID SUB TROPICAL

HUMID CONTINENTAL (MLC)HUMID CONTINENTAL (MLC)

►N.E. area of continentsN.E. area of continents►EXTREMES in temps. summer is warm EXTREMES in temps. summer is warm

and humid, winter is cold with snowand humid, winter is cold with snow►rainfall – 30 in.rainfall – 30 in.►cyclonic stormscyclonic storms

HUMID CONTINENTALHUMID CONTINENTAL

MOUNTAINMOUNTAIN

►Rockies, AppalachiansRockies, Appalachians►Temperature, pressure decrease with Temperature, pressure decrease with

altitudealtitude►Precipitation on windward sidesPrecipitation on windward sides►Vegetation becomes sparse with Vegetation becomes sparse with

increase in altitude.increase in altitude.

MOUNTAINMOUNTAIN

SUBARCTIC (PC)SUBARCTIC (PC)

►50- 65 degrees lat.50- 65 degrees lat.►Cold winters, short summersCold winters, short summers►10-20 in of rainfall10-20 in of rainfall►Taiga Forest (pine)Taiga Forest (pine)►Biggest climate in N. AmericaBiggest climate in N. America►Greatest temp range. -59 to +70Greatest temp range. -59 to +70

SUBARCTICSUBARCTIC

SUBARCTICSUBARCTIC

TUNDRA (PC)TUNDRA (PC)

►Boarders lands of icecapBoarders lands of icecap►VERRRRRRY coldVERRRRRRY cold►10 in. of precipitation10 in. of precipitation►Permafrost, small shrubs, moss, Permafrost, small shrubs, moss,

lichenslichens►found only in northern hemispherefound only in northern hemisphere►EskimosEskimos►9 months avg. below freezing.9 months avg. below freezing.

TUNDRATUNDRA

ICECAP (PC)ICECAP (PC)

►N.P. and S.P.N.P. and S.P.►Temp never above freezingTemp never above freezing►snow maybe 2-3 miles thicksnow maybe 2-3 miles thick►official low - -126.9 degrees F.official low - -126.9 degrees F.►Few inhabitantsFew inhabitants►Land of the six month sun.Land of the six month sun.

ICECAPICECAP