MODULE 4

• The purpose of this module is to help you differentiate climate from weather, discover the factors that affect the climate and why climate differs in every country.
• This module contains one lesson: Factors Affecting the Climate
• After going through this module, you are expected to explain how different factors affect the climate of an area.
• Specifically, you should be able to:

  • differentiate climate from weather
  • explain how altitude affects the climate
  • explain how land topography affects the climate
  • explain how ocean surface and circulation directly affect the pattern of climate around the world
• Climate


  The pattern of weather that occurs in a region over a long period of time
• Weather


  The temporary condition of the atmosphere which may change from time to time
• Climatologists are the scientists who specialize in the study of climate
• Factors that affect the weather and climate of an area

  • Temperature
  • Humidity
  • Precipitation
  • Air pressure
  • Cloudiness
  • Wind
• Latitude


  • Your location on the earth's surface in relation to the sun influences the climate you have
  • The main reason that affects the climate of any place is its distance from the equator
  • At the equator, the sun's rays reach the earth most directly
• During the months of March, April and May, the Philippines gets vertical rays


  You feel a hot climate or experience summer months
• At winter, the sun is at a low level in the sky


  These places get diagonal rays and have cold winters
• Altitude


  • Temperature becomes lower as the altitude above sea level goes higher
  • Temperature decreases as altitude increases
  • At high altitudes, the air does not absorb and hold the maximum amount heat; it's less dense
• Climatologists have discovered that temperature drops about 2˚ Celsius for each 300 meters or 1,000 feet of altitude
• Topography

  • Mountain ranges affect the circulation of precipitation
  • Hot air from the ocean moves east, blows the mountains, and rise
  • As the air rises, it cools, affecting it to rain on the western area of the mountain
  • When the air gets the eastern region of the mountain it is dry - this effect is known as a rain shadow
• Ocean currents


  • Some currents bring warm water to cool areas
  • Warm ocean currents stream from the tropical seas toward the polar areas
  • Other ocean currents bring cool water to warm areas
  • These currents influence climate in many parts of the world
• Wind systems


  • Land breeze and sea breeze
  • Seasonal winds or monsoons
• The Philippines is influenced by the Northeast Monsoon and the Southwest Monsoon
• The earth's axis is inclined at 23 ½ degrees and this affects the climate
• Northeast Monsoon


  1. High-pressure region builds over Southern Siberia and India in winter due to cold air

  2. Cold air goes towards the Pacific Ocean

  3. Reaches the Philippines from a northeasterly direction
• Northeast Monsoon


  • Gives cold mornings and strong rainfall along the eastern coastal regions of the Philippines
• Southwest Monsoon


  1. Asia turns out to be warmer than the oceans nearby

  2. Cold air mass builds over the Pacific Ocean

  3. Goes toward the Asian continent from a southwest direction
• Southwest Monsoon


  • Gives heavy rainfall along the western coastal regions of the Philippines
• Earth's Movement

  1. Earth spins on its axis every day

  2. One side faces the sun and is lighted, the other side is in darkness

  3. Earth's axis is inclined at 23 1/2 degrees

  4. Some portions receive vertical rays, others receive diagonal rays
• Earth's Movement


  • Regions that receive vertical rays have hot climate all year round
  • Regions that receive diagonal rays have cooler climate
  • As earth revolves around the sun, its inclination shifts
  • Areas inclined towards the sun get hot season/summer, areas tilted away get cold season/winter
  • Rotation causes different sunrise/sunset times
• Weather vs Climate
• Latitude


  Places at the equator experience high temperature
• Latitude


  Parts of the earth that receive the least sun's rays
• Latitude


  Affects climate
• Altitude


  Inversely related to temperature
• Topography

  Affects climate, mountainous regions affect precipitation
• Windward side


  Where wind is stopped by mountain, causing precipitation
• Leeward side


  Where air becomes warmer and drier as it moves down the mountain
• Topography


  Affects climate, creates rain shadow on leeward side
• Examples of ocean currents

  • Warm currents
  • Cold currents
• Ocean currents


  Affect nearby land temperatures
• Warm currents move from equator to poles, cold currents move from poles to equator
• Ocean currents play an important role in the climate of a region
• Strawberry planting location advice for Department of Agriculture
• Suitable season for growing rice in the Philippines
• Climate refers to atmospheric condition over a long period of time