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Climate Factors
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Weather
Events that take place over the course of a few hours to a few
days
Climate
The overall weather for a particular area over a given period, taking into consideration the
averages
of weather data collected over time
Climatologists use
averages
to calculate climate, such as
average annual
temperature
The average annual temperature may be the same for two different places on
Earth
, but that does not mean their
climate
is the same
Daily temperature range
The difference between the
highest
and the
lowest
temperatures for the day
Annual
temperature range
The difference between the
warmest
month and the
coldest
month
India has two seasons: the
wet
season and the
dry
season
Climate controls
Latitude
Prevailing winds
Topography
Altitude
Distances from
oceans
and
lakes
Ocean currents
Vegetation
Cloud cover
Latitude
An imaginary line that runs from
east
to
west
beginning with the Equator at 0°
Equatorial region (5-10° N/S of Equator)
12 hours of
daylight
and 12 hours of
darkness
year-round
Temperatures are
hot
, especially at
sea
level
No distinction in
seasons
Only
dry
and
rainy
seasons
Temperatures do not
vary
much
Mid-latitudes
(around
40°
N/S)
15-16
hours of sunlight in July in
Northern
Hemisphere and January in Southern Hemisphere
Temperature
varies
as much as
30°C
Average temperature is
lower
because Sun is not directly
overhead
Polar regions (above Arctic Circle and below Antarctic Circle)
6 months of
daylight
and 6 months of
darkness
Very little
heat
from the Sun during 6 months of
darkness
Temperatures are very
cold
and do not
change
much
Temperature fluctuation during the day is almost
nonexistent
Altitude
The
height
above
sea
level
Effect of altitude on temperature
For every
160
m in height, the temperature drops
1°C
Average annual temperature is much
colder
the higher up you go compared to
sea level
at that latitude
Effect of mountains on temperature and precipitation
Wind blows against the
windward
side, preventing it from reaching the
leeward
side
Windward
side receives more rainfall,
leeward
side is drier
Climate Factors
Temperature
Latitude
Altitude
Ocean
currents
Wind
currents
Rainfall
and
latitude
Oceans
and
landmasses
Ocean currents affect climate
1. Warm currents like the
Gulf Stream
heat up the
air
above the water
2. Warm air is blown to
coastal land
areas,
warming
them
3. Warm air is carried by the Prevailing Westerlies to
Scandinavia
and the
UK
Wind currents affect climate
1.
Prevailing Westerlies
blow from west to
east
, carrying marine, tropical moist air masses
2.
Air masses
blown over
mountain ranges
create different climates on each side
Continental climate
Experienced on
East
Coasts of continents in mid-latitudes, with hot summers and
cold
winters
Marine
/
maritime
/oceanic climate
Experienced in
coastal areas
in mid-latitudes, with
smaller annual temperature range
due to ocean influence
Examples of continental vs marine climates
Great Plains
(
continental
)
California coast
(
marine
)
Rainfall and latitude
1.
High
rainfall at Equator due to rising
warm
air in ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone)
2. Rainfall decreases away from ITCZ as air diverges
3. Sinking air creates dry regions like deserts 20-35 degrees from Equator
4. Low pressure areas 30-65 degrees from Equator cause precipitation
Polar Easterlies
are high pressure areas near the poles where cold air
sinks
and diverges
The __________ is a very warm current that comes up from the Gulf of Mexico along the East Coast of the United States
Gulf Stream