Climate

1. Climate

4. Weather Vs. Climate • Weather : day to day conditions that we experience • “It is going to be sunny and 20 degrees C today” • Climate: the temperatures, humidity, rainfall, and atmospheric conditions of a region over long periods of time (about 30 years)

5. 3 main types of Climate in Canada • Continental climate • The climate of a continent’s interior (inland areas of Canada) • Some extreme temperature changes, low precipitation • Precipitation climate • Rain, snow, hail, and fog are common for this climate

6. Main types of Climate in Canada 3. Maritime climate • A coastal climate • Mild temperatures, high precipitation • Atlantic coast has a harsher climate than the Pacific (BC) because wind blows off the land which creates greater differences in temperature, rain, and snow than on the West Coast

7. Temperature There are 5 conditions that affect temperature in Canada’s regions • Latitude • Altitude • Distance from the Sea • Wind Direction • Ocean Currents

8. Latitude • The higher the latitude, the lower the intensity of the sun’s rays • Therefore the higher you go on the globe, the colder it gets • This also causes greater seasonal variation in the length of day/night • 6months at the poles

9. Altitude • The higher the altitude, the colder the temperature • Mountainous areas usually experience colder temperatures, which is why there is snow on the mountains in summer

10. Distance from the Sea • The surface of the land heats and cools more quickly than water. • Canada is a large land mass and can be very hot in summer/cold in winter • Temperatures on the coast are typically more mild • The West Coast is moderated by the ocean, therefore there is less difference between the seasons

11. Wind Direction • Prevailing winds (those that usually come from one direction) are from the west or the north • West coast communities have the mildest winter temperatures as a result of warm westerly winds coming from the ocean

12. Ocean Currents • Ocean currents are either warm or cold, depending on where they are from • O.C. affect the temperature of the air, which is then blown onto land • The West coast has a warm current, and mild climate • The East coast has a cold current, and much harsher winters

13. Precipitation • Canada’s precipitation varies by region • Amounts of precipitation are largely determined by the distance from the sea and the prevailing winds • ….. Which is why it rains so much here!

14. Vancouver, BC

15. Climographs • Shows the overall climate of a place over 12 months • Shows temperature and amount of precipitation

16. Climate and Us What ways are our lives shaped by the climate that we live in?

17. How are we affected by climate?

18. Where Canadians live • Population distribution: where the population is physically located • Population density: how many people are located in one area How are these things influenced by the climate?