Factors Affecting Climate in Canada Geography Now Grade

How many factors affect climate? § § § § The answer is 6! L

1. § Latitude § The closer you are to the equator, the hotter it

2. § § Ocean Currents Ocean water travels in paths called currents Some currents

3. § § § Winds and air masses An air mass is a large

§ Ocean (maritime) air masses bring wet weather § Land (continental) air masses bring

5. § Elevation § Mountains influence climate because the higher up you go, the

6. § § Relief Mountains force moist ocean air masses to rise. As air

7. § § § Near Water Bodies of water are a source of moisture

Climate Change: Human Impacts § Humans can influence climate change because our cars and

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Factors Affecting Climate in Canada Geography Now! Grade 9 Applied Geography

How many factors affect climate? § § § § The answer is 6! L is for latitude O is for ocean currents W is for winds and air masses E is for elevation R is for relief Near Water

1. § Latitude § The closer you are to the equator, the hotter it is. § The closer you are to the poles, the cooler it is. § This is because the earth’s rounded surface causes the sun’s energy to be spread out over large areas.

2. § § Ocean Currents Ocean water travels in paths called currents Some currents are warm and some are cold Warm ocean currents raise the temperature of the nearby shoreline § Cold ocean currents lower the temperature of the nearby shoreline

3. § § § Winds and air masses An air mass is a large volume of air. Air masses move over an area of land bring weather conditions with them. § Cold air masses bring cold temperatures § Warm air masses bring warm temperatures

§ Ocean (maritime) air masses bring wet weather § Land (continental) air masses bring dry weather § In Canada, winds tend to move from west to east. These winds are known as “westerlies”.

5. § Elevation § Mountains influence climate because the higher up you go, the colder the climate is. § In dry air, the temperature decreases at a rate of 1°C for every 100 m of altitude. § In moist air the temperature decreases at a rate of 0. 6°C for every 100 m of altitude.

6. § § Relief Mountains force moist ocean air masses to rise. As air rises, it cools Moist air condense (becomes liquid) as it rises up the mountainside. § This causes relief precipitation § The leeward side (the side away from the wind receives little rain § The windward side (facing wind) receives a lot of rain.

7. § § § Near Water Bodies of water are a source of moisture Winds carry the moisture over land. This makes the climate their moister. § The colder deep water and warmer surface water mix to make the land climate cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. § This means that large lakes or oceans make the land more moderate.

Climate Change: Human Impacts § Humans can influence climate change because our cars and factories emit gases. § They get trapped in the atmosphere and warm the planet. § A warmer globe can lead to an increase in severe weather like… hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and droughts.