Transcript Climate and Vegetation Zones

 Sun & Latitude
 The tilt of the Earth determines which hemisphere
receives the most direct rays from the Sun
 Latitude determines how close or far away from the
equator you are
 The closer to the Equator, the hotter the temperature
 When the Sun’s rays
hit the Earth:
 About ½ is reflected
back OR absorbed by
the atmosphere
 The other ½ is
absorbed by the
Earth
•Greenhouse Effect
• the atmosphere traps heat to keep Earth
warm
•Heat escapes slowly back into the atmosphere
 Atmospheric Pressure OR
Air Pressure
 Air has weight, it is always
pushing on you
 Air Pressure is measured
with a Barometer
 Oceans & Currents
Water affects Earth’s
temperature because:
1. Water heats & cools
slower than air
2. Ocean currents move
heat back & forth
The Gulf Stream is a
warm current
Precipitation:
Any Water that
falls from the sky
This includes
rain, snow, sleet,
and hail
Humidity: The
amount of water
vapor in the air.
 Elevation & Mountain Effects
 An increase in elevation causes a decrease
in temperature
 Orographic Effect: Humid air pushes
against a mountain
 The moist air is forced to rise, causing
rain clouds
 Storms:
Tornados
 A tornado is a
violent, rotating
column of air
that extends from
a storm cloud to
the ground.
 Storms: Hurricanes
and Typhoons
 They are large,
rotating storms that
bring rain and
sustained wind
speeds of over 74
miles per hour.
 Climate Zones divide the Earth into general
climate zones based on average
temperatures, rainfall and Latitude.
 The three major
climate zones on
the Earth are
the polar,
temperate,
and tropical.
•They exist between
the Tropic of Cancer
and the Tropic of
Capricorn.
•The suns rays are
concentrated here
year round.
• They have warmest
average temperatures
and gets the most
rain.
Temperatures are warm to cool.
These zones contain most of the Earth’s
land masses with more moderate
temperatures and rainfall year-round.
The Northern Temperate Zone runs from the
Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic Circle The Artic
Circle is 66.5 North Latitude
The Southern Temperate Zone Runs from the
Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic Circle.
The Antarctic Circle is 66.5 South Latitude
Marine West Coast
Temperate Zone
Mediterranean
Temperate Zone
Humid Continental
Temperate Zone
Humid Subtropical
Temperate Zone
They exist north at
the Arctic Circle
and south at
Antarctic Circle
These zones are the
coldest with
temperatures
almost always
below freezing.
The suns rays are at
such an angle that
the regions do not
get much heat or
light year round.
Subarctic
Tundra
Ice Cap
Other Zones
There are other
factors that
effect an areas
climate. Altitude
and amount of
precipitation
can affect
climate no
matter what the
latitude.
Desert