Transcript Climate - Cloudfront.net

Climate
Weather v Climate
• Weather
• Climate
• Conditions in the
atmosphere of one
place over a short
period of time.
• Weather patterns that
an area experiences
over a long period of
time.
Factors Affecting Climates
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Latitude
Air Masses
Continentality
Elevation
Mountain Barriers
Ocean Currents
Pressure Cells
Storms
Latitude
• Most important
control on climate
– Lower Latitude =
Higher Temperature
– Middle Latitude =
Seasonal Temperature
– Higher Latitude =
Lower Temperature
Air Masses
• Air takes on the
characteristics of the
land or water it passes
over.
– Southern Europe =
Mediterranean Climate
• Hot and Dry in the
Summer (due to Sahara)
• Cool and Wet In Winter
(due to Northern Europe)
– Sahara Desert = Hot Air
– Himalayas = Cold Air
Continentality
• Distance from water
– The farther away
from water the
greater change
between winter and
summer.
• Land does not hold
heat as well as water.
– For example, two
cities at same latitude
• San Francisco
– Jan. 57/ Jul. 69
• Kansas City
– Jan. 22/ Jul. 89
Elevation
• The higher the
elevation the colder
and drier the air is.
– Air gets thin as it rises.
• Cannot continue to hold
heat or moisture.
Mountain Barriers
• Mountains block
precipitation.
– Windward: Side that
air blows on that gets
rain.
– Leeward: Side without
rain.
– Example: Texas
Panhandle is dry
because Rocky
Mountains block rain.
Ocean Currents
• Water of the oceans distribute
heat.
• Warm air from equator heads to
poles, cold water from poles
head to equator
• Example: Marine West Coast
Climate
• Western Europe is much warmer
(and wetter) than places of
similar latitude because of
warmer ocean currents.
– Waters on the east coasts tend
to be warm.
– Waters on the west coasts tend
to be cool.
Pressure Cells
• Lower Pressure Cells =
Rising Warm Air
• Higher Pressure Cells
= Falling Cool Air
– 0-30°= Low Pressure
– 30-60°= High Pressure
– 60-90°= Low Pressure
Looking With LACEMOPS
Storm Systems
• Changes data
but not long
term patterns.
– For example,
hurricanes
bring rain but
not all year
and not every
year.
Climate Zones: Polar
*Ice Cap
– Very Cold All
Year
*Tundra
– Cold with little
vegetation
*Subarctic
-Cold snowy
winters, cool
rainy
summers
Climate Zones: Temperate
• Marine West Coast
• Humid
• Humid
Subtropical
– Warm summers, cool Continental
winters, always wet
– Warm
rainy
summers,
snowy
winters
– Hot rainy
summers,
mild
winters
Climate Zones:
Temperate to Arid
*Mediterranean *Semi-Arid
– Warm dry
summers, cool
short winters
-Hot dry
summer,
cool dry
winter
*Arid
– Hot and dry all
year
Climate Zones: Tropical
• Tropical Wet and Dry
– Hot all year, rainy/dry
seasons
• Tropical Wet
– Hot and rainy all year
Climate Zones: Special
• Highlands
– Varies with altitude
Review
• The lower the latitude the ____ the
climates
• Air that passes over a desert will spread
_____ and ______ air.
• If a place is far from water ____________.
• The higher the elevation the ____ the air.
• Moutains often block _____.
LACEMOPS REVIEW
• 1. Most important influence
on climate
• 2. Type of precipitation
that occurs above the
equator where hot air rises
• 3. Mountains often block
______ leaving one side of
a mountain a desert
• 4. The position of the ____
causes earth’s seasons,
climates, and day/night.
• 5. Explains why climates in
the center of a continent
have more extreme
changes in temperatures.
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A. Continentality
B. Precipitation
C. Sun
D. Latitude
E. Convectional
Climate and Ecosystems
Climate: Average of temperatures and
precipitation over a long period of time.
Ecosystem: Interaction of plant, animal life, and the physical environment.
Biomes: Major types of ecosystems in various regions of the world.
Climate
• Forests
– Tropical Rainforest
• Occur where wet and hot (Tropics)
• Broadleaf Evergreens (Keep Leaves All Year)
• Most diverse animals and plants
– Mid-Latitude
• Seasonal climates (Middle Latitudes)
• Deciduous (Shed Their Leaves)
– Coniferous
• Occur in cold climates (Polar)
• Needle Leaves and Cones to Protect Seeds
• Grasslands (Center of Continents)
– Tropical
• Warm lands near equator
• Have wet and dry seasons
– Temperate
• Occur in middle latitudes
• Precipitation Varies
• Deserts
• Arid (Dry)
• Specialized plants and animals
• Tundra
• Temperatures are always cool or cold
• Small flowers, few plants, moss, lichen
• Least diverse wildlife on earth