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Understanding Weather and Climate: Factors Influencing Our Environment

Learn about the intricate relationship between weather and climate, from latitude and ocean currents to geography and major climate zones. Discover how temperature, precipitation, winds, and geography impact the Earth's climate patterns.

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Understanding Weather and Climate: Factors Influencing Our Environment

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  1. Weather and Climate

  2. Weather and Climate • Weather = condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place • Climate = average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time • Two main factors that affect climate • Temperature • Precipitation

  3. Weather and Climate • These affected by… • Latitude = position north or south of the equator, represented by east west lines on a globe • 0˚ latitude = equator • 90˚ N = North Pole…90˚ S = South Pole

  4. Weather and Climate • Increase latitude; decrease temperature • Less direct sunlight • Seasons (w,sp,su,f) affected by the tilt of the earth which causes more/less direct sunlight

  5. Weather and Climate • Ocean Currents • Warm currents…warm air • Cold currents…cool air

  6. Weather and Climate • Prevailing Winds = wind that blows in one direction • From land = dry air • From water = moist air

  7. Weather and Climate • Colder region = cool/dry • Warmer region = warm/moist • Air masses take on characteristics of what it is located over

  8. Weather and Climate • Geography • Increase elevation; decrease temperature • Decrease elevation; increase temperature

  9. Weather and Climate • Mountains • windward side = wet • Air rises, cools, condenses and rains • leeward side = dry…no moisture…deserts • air sinks, warms up, absorbs moisture

  10. Weather and Climate • Three Major Climate Zones • Arctic Circle…66.5˚ N • Tropic of Cancer…23.5˚ N • Equator…0˚ • Tropic of Capricorn…23.5˚ S • Antarctic Circle…66.5˚ S

  11. Weather and Climate • Tropical Zone • A. Tropical Rain Forest • 200 cm+ of rain • 70’s & 80’s temperature • Monkeys, lemurs, parrots, snakes, tigers, leopards

  12. Weather and Climate • Tropical Savannah • 100 cm of rainfall • 80’s & 90’s temperature • Grasses, small trees, giraffes, lichens, hyenas, elephants

  13. Weather and Climate • Tropical Deserts • 0-25 cm of rainfall • 60’s to 120’s temperature • Cacti, lizards, snakes, scorpions, kangaroo rats

  14. Weather and Climate • Temperate Zone • A. Temperate forests • B. Temperate grasslands • C. Chaparrals • D. Temperate deserts

  15. Weather and Climate • Polar Zone • A. Tundra • Permafrost = permanently frozen soil • Birds migrate in summer • Caribou, reindeer, rabbits, fox, birds

  16. Weather and Climate • Taiga • “spruce-moose” biome • Conifers (evergreen), rabbits, moose, elk, wolves, bears

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