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Land of Contrasts. The Climate of Texas. Absolute Location Affects Climate page 38. Texas lies between the middle latitudes – region about midway between the equator and the North Pole. Texas has mild winters because it is not very far from the equator.
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Land of Contrasts The Climate of Texas 1.3
Absolute Location Affects Climatepage 38 • Texas lies between the middle latitudes – region about midway between the equator and the North Pole. • Texas has mild winters because it is not very far from the equator. • The middle latitudes are a meeting place of cool air moving from the north and warm moist air moving from the Gulf of Mexico. • Violent storms sometimes result from the mixing of the cold and warm air. 1.3
Relative Location also Affects Climate • The relative location of Texas to the Gulf of Mexico has a major influence on the climate. • The wind that blows from the ocean cools the land in the summer and warms it in winter. • Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is the source of most rain that falls on the state. • The relative location of Texas near the Gulf of Mexico also brings large destructive storms. (hurricanes) 1.3
Elevation and Climate Patterns • Temperature cools as the elevation rises and warms as elevation decreases. • Elevation also affects rainfall because warm air holds more moisture than cool air. • Mountains receive more rainfall than flat land. • As moisture-filled air moves up a mountain it is quickly cooled. As the air cools it is less able to hold moisture and falls as rain. 1.3
