Transcript Factors that Affect Climate

Factors that Affect
Climate
Weather is the short term (day to day) conditions of
the atmosphere which include:
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Temperature
Precipitation
Humidity
Cloud Cover
Wind
Air Pressure
Climate
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Involves the key weather variables
Temperature
 Moisture
 Air pressure
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But does so in terms of patterns over the course
of decades. Minimum of 10 yrs.
1. Latitude
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The further you move away from the equator,
north or south, the cooler the temperature.
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WHY?
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This is because the suns
rays are dispersed over a
larger area of land as you
move away from the
equator.
This is due to the curved
surface of the earth. In
addition polar regions are
colder because the suns
rays have further to
travel compared to place
on the equator.
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Regions close to the equator receive direct rays of the sun
and therefore receive more radiant energy and are
warmer. At the areas closer to the poles, the suns rays are
at an angle so these areas receive less radiant energy and
are cooler.
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The earth revolves around the sun once every
year. (365.25 days)
The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees
throughout its orbit.
The Earth rotates on its own axis once each
24hrs.
By June the 21, the Northern Hemisphere is
angled towards the sun. Therefore we receive
our warmest temperatures during the summer.
By Dec. 22 the opposite occurs. Now the
Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the
sun.
2. Air Masses
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Air Masses carry the conditions from where they
originate.
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Those conditions are a combination of two
elements
Moisture Content
 Temperature
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Moisture
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Maritime (m) – formed
over water and therefore
containing moisture.
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Continental (c) - formed
over land and as a result is
dry
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Temperature
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Tropical (T) – formed
near the tropic (latitudes
closer to the equator).
Warm
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Polar (P) - formed
between latitudes of 55°
and 66°N. Cold
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Arctic (A) – formed over
the Arctic. Very cold
One letter from each category is combined to get a complete
picture of each air mass. i.e.: mT (maritime Tropical)
meaning wet and warm.
3. Elevation / Altitude
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The higher it is from sea level the cooler the
temperature. As elevation increases, the air
becomes less dense. Less dense air cannot hold
as much heat as dense air, meaning as elevation
increases, temperature decreases.
In dry air the change of temperature change is
around 1°C for every 100m of elevation change.
In moist or wet air the change of temperature is
0.6°C for every 100m of elevation change.
4. Nearness to Water
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Large bodies of water have moderating effect
on temperature.
Water is slower to warm or cool than landforms
This means cooler summers and milder winters.
Less of a temperature range.
Land / Sea Breezes
Maritime vs Continental Climates
Maritime Climates
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Near water
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Moderating influence
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Summers are cooler and
winters are milder than you
might expect
4.
Cyclonic or orographic
precipitation
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Smaller temperature range
Ex: NL or BC
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Continental Climates
1. Inland
2. Extreme influence
3. Warm, hot summers, and
very cold winters
4. Convectional precipitation
5. Bigger range of temperature
Ex: Canadian Prairies
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5. Landforms
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Landforms also affect patterns of precipitation.
i.e. The large mountains on the West Coast of
Canada act as a barrier and produce some of the
highest amounts of precipitation (rain and snow)
in Canada. As the wet Polar Pacific air masses
reach the mountains the air is forced to rise
causing orographic precipitation on the
windward side of the mountain and a rain
shadow on the leeward side.