Continentality & Climate

1. Continentality & Climate World Climate Patterns World Geo 3200/3202 Unit 2, Chpt 4 December 2010

2. Outcomes • 2.5.1 Define the term temperature range. (k) • 2.5.2 Analyze the relationship between range in temperature and distance from theocean. (a) • 2.5.5 Describe the relationship between seasonal level of precipitation and distance from the ocean. (k)

3. Temperature Range • The difference between the highest and the lowest average monthly temperatures of a region. • Regions with a large or high temperature range would experience extremes of temperature between hot summers & cold winters • Regions with a small or low temperature range would have moderated temperatures with warm summers & cool winters

4. Continental vs. Maritime Climates • We usually find that as the distance from the ocean increases the annual temperature range also increases. • Continental climates experience greater extremes of temperature than coastal climates at the same latitude.

5. Continental vs. Maritime Climates • Continental Climate: climate that develops away from the influence of the ocean accompanied by a large temperature range & low precipitation • Maritime Climate: climate that is strongly influenced by the closeness to an ocean or other large water body accompanied by small temperature range & high precipitation

6. Continental vs. Maritime Climates

7. Continental Climates • The plains region of Saskatchewan, for example, experience a continental climate. • The winter temperatures are very cold. The summer temperatures are fairly hot. • Large Temp Range..-40 to +40 • It is interesting to note that summer temperatures in Central Labrador are often higher than summer temperatures in the island portion of the province.

8. Maritime Climates • Coastal Newfoundland would experience a Maritime climate. • Mild winter temperatures • Warm but not hot summers • High precipitation / Low temp range

9. Moderating Effect of Water • Bodies of water have a moderating effect on land temps • Oceans & large lakes heat up & cool down more slowly than the surrounding land • In summer, water remains cooler than land surrounding it. Winds from the water cool the surrounding land

10. Moderating Effect of Water • In winter, bodies of water retain their heat & are warmer than the surrounding land • Winds blowing off the water warm the surrounding countryside • Therefore, maritime locations near a large body of water, have cool summers & milder winters than continental locations far from the water body

11. Climate Graphs

12. Climate Graphs • You will need to understand climate graphs to analyze climate statistics. • The left scale indicates the temperature and it is graphed as a line, blue is common. • The right scale is for precipitation and is graphed as a bar graph, red is common.

13. Climate Graphs • Used to help study the temperature & precipitation of a particular place • Shows the cycle of temp & precip over a 12 month period • Bar graph & line graph

14. Climate graph Features • Precipitation • Temperature • Months • Title • Labels

15. Climate Graphs • Bar Graph – On a climate graph, bars are used to show the total amount of precipitation over the course of any given month • Precipitation is indicated by mm (millimetres)

17. Climate Graphs • Line Graph – on a climate graph, a line is used to indicate the average monthly temperature • Temperature is indicated by degrees Celsius

19. Developing Climate Graphs • Text book page 138 • Plot the data contained in both station A and in station B using the blank climate graphs provided