Weather and Climate of Louisiana Weather Versus Climate

Weather and Climate of Louisiana

Weather Versus Climate WEATHER � Simple explanation of weather: it's what happens outside. CLIMATE � average weather in a location over a long period of time › The air, or atmosphere, around us behaves in different ways. › It changes when it's hot or cold, and when it's wet or dry. › It acts differently when it's calm or stormy, and clear or cloudy. The atmosphere reacts to everything from rain to sunshine. � Meteorologists record the weather every day. � › The constant recording of weather information helps to determine the climate of an area. › A place that doesn't get much rain over many years would have a dry climate. › A place where it stays cold for most of the year would have a cold climate. � Climate is useful for weather forecasting › helps determine when the best time would be for farmers to plant their crops. › It could even be helpful for you and your family to plan a vacation

Louisiana’s Climate � Louisiana’s climate is described as Humid Subtropical. › Humid-the amount of water vapor in the air › “sub”- the geographical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone › Tropical-The tropics include all the areas on the Earth where the sun reaches a point directly overhead and a point directly underneath at least once during the solar year � This climate is recognized by hot summers, mild winters and generally warm year round.

Tropics and Subtropic zones

How does Climate affect us? We are mostly affected by the Gulf. We are located in a temperate zone (close to the equator). Temperatures are more extreme around northern Louisiana than southern Louisiana because of the Gulf’s moderating influence on the south’s temperature.

Louisiana’s weather Weather: a set of all the phenomena occurring in a given atmosphere at a given time. Weather phenomena lie in the troposphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity � Phenomenon related to Louisiana’s weather � › Hurricanes (seasonal) › Storm Surge (with hurricanes) › Precipitation (Apr. -Aug)

Saffir-Simpson scale

Louisiana’s Weather EXTREMES! � EXTREME HEAT and COLD › The corner of the state furthest from the gulf �HEAT- Plain Dealing, LA on August 10, 1936 at 114 degree F �COLD- Minden, LA on February 13, 1899 at MINUS 16 degree F � SNOWY › South LA has the state snowfall record �Rayne, LA Received 24 inches in 24 hours in 1895 (Baton Rouge got a foot from that storm)

What are factors that are created by or affected by our weather and/or climate?