Climates

• Climate


  average weather conditions over a long period of time
• Factors influencing global climates

  latitude

  distance from sea

  prevailing winds
• Latitude


  The distance of a place north or south of Earth's equator. Areas closer to the equator are warmer because sun rays shine directly on it and are concentrated on a smaller area.

  Further places are cooler because the rays are at an angle so heat is spread over a wider area.
• Distance from the sea

  Sea takes longer to heat up and cool than land, meaning it is cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Areas close to the sea have cooler summers and milder winters.
• Prevailing winds


  Global winds that blow constantly from the same direction.

  -South-westerly: mild in winter, cool in summer and bring rain

  -Northerly: and polar winds are cold as they come from higher latitudes and bring snow

  -Southerly: warm, lower latitudes, may bring rainfall

  -Easterly: continental winds, warm in summer, cool in winter, usually dry
• Factors that influence local climates

  Aspect: direction a slope faces in relation to the sun. South-facing slopes are pointed towards the sun and are warmer than north-facing slopes.

  Altitude: height of an area above sea level. The higher it is, the colder it is, as air is thinner. Upland areas are also more exposed to wind.
• 3 Climatic Zones


  Hot: close to the equator - equatorial, savannah, hot desert

  Temperate: mid latitudes - cool temperate oceanic, warm temperate oceanic

  Cold: close to poles - boreal, tundra
• Equatorial climate


  Near equator

  One season

  Avg temp. 27 degrees C
• Cool temperate oceanic climate

  Between 40-60 degrees north and south of equator

  4 seasons

  Ireland is in this one
• Boreal and tundra climates

  Boreal: around Arctic circle

  Tundra: around poles

  2 seasons

  
• Factors affecting Ireland's climate

  -Latitude: in summer we are tilted towards sun, so more hours of sunlight and hotter temps. In winter, opposite.

  -Distance from the sea: cooler in summer and warmer in winter because we are surrounded by sea

  -Ocean currents: North Atlantic Drift keeps our temps warmer and influences rainfall

  -Prevailing winds: south-westerly, bring warm moist air and high rainfall
• Climate change


  a change in global or regional climate patterns
• Greenhouse effect


  Gases such as CO2 and methane act like a blanket around the planet and trap the sun's heat in the atmosphere. Greenhouses gases that humans produce are resulting in more heat being trapped and temperatures rising
• Causes of global warming

  -Humans burning fossil fuels

  -Deforestation

  -Methane

  -Population increase

  -Nitrous oxide in fertilisers
• Deforestation


  Removal of trees without replanting them
• Implications of climate change

  -Sea levels will threaten low-lying land

  -Higher evaporation rates, more drought and famine

  -Extreme weather events

  -Skiing season will disappear, impact on economies

  -Increase in wildfires

  -Habitats destroyed
• EPA


  Environmental Protection Agency. Run a climate change research programme which monitors climate change and the impact it has on Ireland
• Current signs of global warming in Ireland

  -Average temperature increase

  -Less days of frost

  -Increase in rain
• If global warming continues, consequences include

  -Rising sea levels

  -More frequent storms

  -Water shortages
• How we are acting on climate change

  -UN conference in 2015. Many countries signed the Paris Agreement, which meant they agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions

  -UN Sustainable Development Goals are priorities we must focus on until 2030. Goal 13 is to combat climate change.