Climate Controls Climate Controls Climate is affected by
Climate Controls
Climate Controls • Climate is affected by seven factors: 1. Latitude 2. Relief and Elevation 3. Moderating effect of Water 4. Ocean Currents 5. Air Masses 6. Wind and Pressure Systems 7. Humans
Effect of Latitude on Climate
Latitude is the most important factor affecting climate! Latitudes in North America
Relief and Elevation - Mountain ranges act as barriers to air movement. This also causes relief precipitation.
Effect of Relief Precipitation: Same latitude, very different view British Columbia Alberta
Moderating effect of water • Water warms and cools much more slowly than land. • Large waterbodies like lakes and oceans act like heat batteries , storing and slowly releasing heat. • This means that near oceans and lakes, winters can be warmer, and summers can be cooler.
Ocean Currents – These warm or cold flows of water affect the air above them. • World currents
Air Masses Bring air from distant locations to an area.
Wind and Pressure Systems – Moving air creates prevailing winds which carry air masses across the continent.
Global Warming n n Humans are impacting the climate. We put CO 2, Methane and other greenhouse gases into the air, raising the average temperature 2 degrees during the 20 th Century
n n The warming temperatures lead to extreme weather. Sometimes, this means extreme cold in the winter, when the jet stream lets the polar vortex move south.
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