Transcript 14.1 What is Climate

14.1 What is Climate?
SWBAT describe different types of
climate data; recognize limits
associated with the use of normals;
explain why climate vary
Climate: More Than Just
Average Weather
 Climate
Long-term weather patterns of an area
 Includes

 Average
weather conditions
 Annual variations of temperature
 Annual variations of precipitation
 Annual variations of wind
 Annual variations of other weather
variables
Normals
 Meteorological records of an area
are compiled for thousands of
locations
Daily high and low temperatures
 Amount of rainfall
 Wind speed and direction
 Humidity
 Air pressure

Normals
 These are averaged on a monthly
basis
 Normals
Standard values for an area
 Based on the last 30 years of data

What Causes Climate?
There are many variables that
affect climate
 Latitude
Determines
the amount of sunlight
Tropics
23.5°N to 23.5°S
 Direct solar radiation
 Generally warm year round

What Causes Climate?
 Latitude

Temperate zones
 23.5°
- 66.5° N and S
 Moderate temperatures

Polar zones
 66.5°
- 90° N and S
 Low angle of solar radiation
 Almost always cold
What Causes Climate?
 Topographic Effects

Different substances absorb heat at
different rates
 Water
heats and cools slower than land
 Coastal areas are warmer in winter and
cooler in summer

Temperature decreases with altitude
 Mountains
are cooler than sea level
What Causes Climate?
 Topographic Effects

Mountains block wind
side – cool and wet
 Leeward side – dry and warm
 Windward

Deserts
What Causes Climate?
 Air Masses


Main cause of weather, but affect the
climate too
Take on the characteristics of the region
they form over
Turn to page 360
 Title: Making and Using Tables




Read the instructions together
Go over table
Create a line graph for the normal daily
high and normal daily low temperatures
Answer questions 1-4 in complete
sentences
In Groups
 Answer questions 1-5 on page 363 in
complete sentences
 Turn in when complete
 If you don’t finish in class, finish for
homework