Climate and Weather Climate vs Weather Weather condition

Climate and Weather

Climate vs. Weather • Weather= condition of the atmosphere in one place during a period of time – Changes quickly – Short-term aspect of climate • Climate= weather patterns that an area experiences over a long period of time – Doesn’t often change – Very predictable

Changes in Sunlight • Earth’s Tilt – Axis: imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through Earth’s center – Axis is tilted at an angle of 23. 5° – The angle of tilt affects • Amount of direct sunlight • Temperature • Earth’s Rotation – The Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours – One hemisphere faces the sun at a time

Changes in Sunlight • Earth’s Revolution – Earth is also orbiting around the sun – Takes 365 days to complete one trip • Earth’s Revolution + Tilt – Cause changes in the angle and amount of sunlight that reach different locations on Earth – Cause seasons

The Greenhouse Effect • The Greenhouse Effect = the Earth’s atmosphere traps some heat from the Sun and keeps it from escaping back into space • Many scientists believe that too much Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere has caused too much heat to be trapped and has led to rising global temperatures • What problems could this cause?

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What factors affect climate? • Latitude: – High latitudes receive continuous (but indirect) sunlight, depending on the time of year (polar areas) – Low latitudes receive direct rays of the sun year round (warm to hot climates) – Mid-latitudes have a temperate climate with dramatic seasonal weather changes • Landforms: - The windward side of mountains receive extra rain, whereas the opposite (leeward) side of mountains receive very little rain and are often desert-like areas

What factors affect climate? • Elevation: – Atmosphere thins as elevation increases – The higher up, the colder it is – Many mountains have snow year-round • Winds: – Can bring in cold air or warm air – Create high or low pressure systems • Oceans: – Areas around water tend to be more moderate in temperature – Warm currents bring warm water from the Equator – Cold currents bring cold water from the Polar regions – El Niño reverses wind/ocean patterns