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Understanding Climate: Factors and Influences

Explore the multiple factors that determine climate patterns, from latitude and proximity to bodies of water to human influences like deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Discover how natural events like volcanic eruptions and El Niño can alter temperature and precipitation patterns. Learn key climate-related terms and the characteristics of different climate zones. Understand the impact of elevation, windward and leeward sides of mountains, and the role of water in moderating climate. Explore how prevailing winds and ocean currents shape different climate types.

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Understanding Climate: Factors and Influences

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  1. Climate is determined by multiple factors: • Climate is the long-term pattern of the weather. • Whereas, weather is just what’s happening here, now. (Rain, sun, snow, cold, hot, etc.) Climate • Latitude • Proximity to large bodies of water • Ocean currents • Prevailing winds • Vegetative cover • Elevation • Mountain ranges.

  2. Human influences also affect climate: • Deforestation • Urbanization • Over-production of greenhouse gases CO2 and Methane. • Temperature and precipitation patterns are altered by various natural events, such as volcanic Eruptions and El Nino. El Niño is a warm current that appears along the coast of Ecuador and Peru and lasts only a few weeks to a month or more. Every three to seven years, an El Niño event may last for many months, having significant atmospheric consequences worldwide (1997/1998).

  3. A few climate related terms . . . • Climate Ratio: Ratio between precipitation and evaporation • Climograph: Shows the average temps and precipitation during the year. Types of climate zones: • Arid: Hot/Dry or Cold/Dry • Desert: Dry • Humid: Hot/Wet • Tropical: Warm

  4. Flora: Plant life Fauna: Animal life Biome: A region characterized by unique climate patterns. Windward: The side of a mountain facing into the prevailing wind. Leeward: The side of a mountain facing away from the prevailing winds. Marine Climate: Always mild due to the moderating effect of water. Continental Climate: Seasonal temps vary widely due to low atmospheric moisture. More terms:

  5. And last but not least . . . • Planetary Wind Belt: General direction winds are coming from depending on latitude. • (ESRT Page 14!!)

  6. We can use the climate ratio to determine climate type because the ratio will indicate the general humidity conditions for an area. Humid = > 1.2 Arid = < .4 Semi-arid = .4 - .8 Subhumid = .8 – 1.2 Humidity: Is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air.

  7. Latitude has a tremendous affect on climate patterns; as latitude increases (away from the equator) temperature decreases. Polar Latitudes: >60° N or S Tropical Latitudes: Between 23.5°N/23.5°S • Elevation is also a factor; As elevation increases, the temperature decreases and precipitation increases. • Water also has a big effect on climate. A large body of water will moderate the temperature of a nearby landmass. • Moisture can also be carried on the wind from the water to land.

  8. Mountains will affect climate because the windward side of the mountain will be cool and damp and the leeward side will be warm and dry. • Windward: Air rises and cools. • Leeward: Air sinks and warms • Planetary winds affect the climate in the mid-latitudes (like the USA). For example, the west coast has a marine climate (winds blow from across the water) and the east coast has a continental climate (winds blow from across the continent) • Winds blow from ocean to the West coast & across the country to the East coast …

  9. Climographs of two locations; one coastal and one continental, would show a greater temperature change in the continental city and a more moderate climate in the coastal city. • A climograph allows you to determine whether a location is in the northern or southern hemisphere by the curve ~ warm in June/July/August and cold in Dec/Jan/Feb for the northern hemisphere and the opposite for the southern hemisphere.

  10. The 23 ½° tilt of the Earth affects climate; if we were at a greater tilt, the tropics would extend father to the north and south and the polar regions would extend farther down, reducing the temperate climates. NIGHT DAY

  11. So ~ to sum things up . . . • There are many factors that affect climate, primarily: • Latitude: Temps cools as we move away from the equator. • Elevation: Higher elevations have cooler climates. • Proximity of water: Water moderates climate and temperature. • Mountain ranges: The side of the mountain (leeward or windward) effects climate types. • Prevailing winds: Wind from the ocean creates a marine climate; wind from land creates a continental climate. • Ocean currents: Warm currents warm the climate, cool currents cool the climate.

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