Climate & Weather

1. Climate & Weather What is weather? • The current state of atmosphere including: • temperature • precipitation • humidity • wind • cloud and sky conditions What are different types of precipitation? • Snow • Sleet • Hail • Rain

2. Types of Weather that affect humans/animals • Hurricanes - They form over warm tropical water. • Tornados - A rotating column of air ranging in width from a few yards to more than a mile and whirling at destructively high speeds, usually accompanied by a funnel-shaped downward extension of a cumulonimbus cloud. • Thunder Storms -Are storms that usually include rain, thunder, lightning and are at times accompanied by hail.

3. What is Climate? What is Climate? The pattern of weather in any given location over a 30 year period. • Weather changes monthly daily, hourly. • Climate changes slowly. • At times human activity such as burning of fossil fuels, coal, and oil can add carbon dioxide to the earths atmosphere and cause it to heat up

4. Climate Factors • Altitude - The higher the altitude the colder the temperature(this is due to the air thinning-Less air to trap the heat means colder temperature • Latitude - This affects the temperature because along the equator there is direct sunlight nearly year around. At the poles there is hardly any direct sunlight therefore the temperature is colder. • Ocean Currents - The largest effect is on coastal areas warm water currents begin near the equator and move toward the poles. Then the colder currents head back down toward the coast

5. Climate Factors Continued • Distance from the Sea - Because seas heat up and cool down slowly; in the summer the coastal areas remain cooler due to cool water temperatures. During the winter coastal areas remain warmer due to warmer water temperatures. • Air Masses - Large areas of air with different temperatures and various moisture levels. • Wind Direction - Wind blowing toward land from the sea = colder weather. Wind blowing toward the sea from land = warmer weather.