The Climates of Canada What creates different climates

The Climates of Canada What creates different climates in Canada and what impact does climate have on human activity?

Weather: the state of the atmosphere at any given moment in time CLIMATE: the temperatures, humidity, precipitation and atmospheric conditions of a region over long periods of times.

Do you know. . 1. What was the lowest recorded temperature in Canada? 2. The highest recorded temperature in Canada?

Climate Regions of Canada

Six Factors Affecting Temperature 1. Latitude 2. Altitude 3. Distance from the Sea 4. Wind Direction 5. Ocean Currents 6. Precipitation

Latitude Lines extending east and west around the earth and measure the distance north and south of the Equator (0 degrees)

Latitude because the Earth is tilted on its axis, the sun heats it unevenly Areas closest to the equator (tropical and subtropical zones) get more direct sunlight all year Areas farther from the equator (temperate and polar zones) get less direct sunlight the number of hours of sunlight per day changes a great deal throughout the year

Latitude

Altitude The higher the altitude, the colder the temperature 150 m rise in altitude = 1 degree drop in temperature

Distance from the Sea the surface of land heats and cools more quickly than water

Distance from the Sea The surface of land heats and cools more quickly then the surface of water large landmasses can vary between temperature extremes Summer and winter temperatures on the West Coast are moderated by the water

Wind Direction Depending on their point of origin, winds can warm or cool the temperature

Wind Direction In Canada, prevailing winds (those that usually come from one direction) most often come from the west, or from the north West Coast communities are unique in Canada with winter temperatures above freezing. They have the mildest winter temperatures as a result of warm westerly winds coming off the ocean.

Ocean Currents affect temperature by warming or cooling the air

Ocean Currents Ocean currents are either warm or cold, depending on their origin Affect temperature of land by warming or heating the air blowing over them Warm air can hold more water than cold air; this is why West Coast has a mild, wet climate

Precipitation = drizzle, showers, heavy rain, hail, snow, or fog - all have an impact on the location they fall

Precipitation the amount of precipitation a location receives depends on its distance from the sea and the prevailing winds Western Canada experiences three types: orographic, convection, and frontal

• • • Frontal - rain attached to a cold front, which is a weather system that can produce large amounts of rain and strong winds. The most common kind of rain. Orographic - caused when masses of air pushed by wind are forced up the side of elevated land formations, such as large mountains Convection - Caused by the heat of the sun. Most likely to occur on a hot and humid day. Can produce large amounts of rainfall in very short periods of time.

Question to Answer Which one of the five conditions affecting temperature do you think has the greatest impact on Victoria and why? Explain your reasoning with supporting details. (Minimum 4 sentences)