2.4

• climate - average over a long period of time
• Weather: short term patterns.
• Water has a higher heat capacity than most other substances

  • it takes a long time to heat up a body of water
  • takes a long time to cool off a body of water
  • Land is the opposite; it heats up and cools down quickly
• large bodies of water prevent extremes in temperature

  • Areas near large bodies of water tend to have higher levels of precipitation & mild temperatures
• • Areas NOT near large bodies of water (ex. Desert) experience both extreme heat and extreme cold & have less precipitation
• rain shadow -

  • Warm air coming from the Pacific is filled with moisture
  • As the air moves over Rocky Mountains, the air cools down causing the water moisture to fall as precipitation (snow & rain)
  • By the time the air reaches the East side of the Rockies, it has lost most of its moisture
• • Currents: streams of water that move within a larger body of water
• causes of currents

  1. Temperature differences in the water

  2. Salinity differences in the water

  3. Earth’s rotation

  4. Wind
• • The temperature of an ocean current affects the air temperature and the amount of precipitation that a location receives
  • Warm air holds more moisture than cold air
• • Result = winds blowing over a warm ocean current will carry more moisture (more rain)
  • Winds blowing over cold ocean currents will be relatively dry