CLIMATES OF THE WORLD

4th Grade Earth Science-Mrs. Harris

CLIMATE – THE AVERAGE WEATHER CONDITIONS

IN AN AREA OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

GEORGIA, LIKE ALL OTHER PLACES, HAS A SPECIFIC CLIMATE.

Skunks are hardy animals that can survive both warm summers

and cold winters.

COLORFUL TROPICAL FISH CAN ONLY SURVIVE

IN HOT CLIMATES WHERE THE WATER

TEMPERATURE IS WARM.

HARP SEALS LIVE IN COLD CLIMATES. THEIR THICK FUR

KEEPS THEM WARM.

EARTH CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 3 MAJOR CLIMATE ZONES. CLIMATES CAN CHANGE WITH LATITUDE. THE HIGHER THE LATITUDE, THE COLDER THE CLIMATE.

Temperate Climate Zone

POLAR CLIMATE ZONE

The coldest climate zone

The areas around the North Pole and the South Pole

The poles receive the least amount of sunlight on Earth.

Most places in the polar climate zones have snow on the ground almost all year.

TEMPERATE CLIMATE ZONE

Between the polar zones and the tropical zones

Usually has warm, dry summers

Usually has cold, wet winters

Most of the United States is in the temperate zone

TROPICAL CLIMATE ZONE

Hot and rainy

Located in the areas directly north and south of the equator

Receives strong sunlight all year

HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE?

Cause Effect

The latitude of an area (how far north or south of the equator the area is) effects its climate.

Near the equator the Sun is high in the sky and the temp. is hot. Away from the equator the Sun is lower in the sky and the temp. is cooler.

HOW DOES LATITUDE EFFECT CLIMATE?

Cause Effect

The Polar Climate zone is the farthest north and the farthest south of the equator.

-Very cold temp. throughout the year - Snow is often on the ground

The Temperate Climate zone is in between the Polar and the Tropical zones.

- warm and dry summers - cold and wet winters - has all four seasons

The Tropical Climate zone is nearest the equator.

- hot and rainy all year

THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT AN AREA

RECEIVES HAS A LARGE EFFECT ON ITS CLIMATE

ALTITUDE, OR HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL, ALSO AFFECTS CLIMATE.

Mountains can also block the path of air masses.

When a warm, wet air mass reaches a mountain, the

air mass is

forced

upward.

HOW DOES ALTITUDE EFFECT CLIMATE?

Cause Effect

The altitude of an area is its height above sea level.

- The higher you travel up a mountain, the colder it gets.

Mountains block air masses. - Warm wet air is forced upward; the air cools and precipitation falls on the mountain. - On the other side of the mountain the air is dry.

HOW DO LARGE BODIES OF WATER EFFECT CLIMATE?

Cause Effect

Oceans and other large bodies of water affect the climate of the area where they are located.

-Land areas near large bodies of water are usually wet and mild, - Ocean air currents affect temperature and amount of rainfall.