1. W EATHER AND C LIMATE Chapter 3

2. Four factors or elements that affect climate are: o Latitude o Wind Currents o Proximity to Water o Elevation

3. Latitude

4. C LIMATE Z ONES Low Latitudes - Tropical Wet and Tropical Wet and Dry. Middle Latitudes - Mediterranean, Humid Subtropical, Humid Continental, Marine West Coast. High Latitudes - Subarctic, Tundra, Icecap Varies - Semiarid, Arid, Highland

6. W IND C URRENTS Wind and ocean currents distribute the sun’s heat through convection, the transfer of heat in the atmosphere through upward motion of the air.

7. A IR PRESSURE AND WINDS Air is a fluid Warmer air is less dense Air moves from dense to less dense conditions Ex.: Land-sea breezes

8. Warmer air “holds” more water Low pressure=warm air=precipitation High pressure=cold air=dry air

10. W EATHER F RONTS Front: the boundary that separates two air masses of different temperatures. Precipitation often occurs along these fronts

12. P ROXIMITY TO W ATER Areas near the ocean have a milder winter and a cooler summer. Ocean currents are like rivers in the ocean. Warm water flows away from the equator and cold water flows toward the equator.

13. O CEAN CURRENTS Follow same circular pattern (driven by wind) Warm currents flow away from equator, pile up on eastern shoresex. Gulf Stream Cold currents flow towards equator, cause upwelling

14. P ROXIMITY TO W ATER One important ocean current is: o The North Atlantic Drift - This ocean current warms Western Europe.

18. E LEVATION Elevation influences temperature. As you go up in elevation the temperature becomes colder because the atmosphere is thinner. Areas with very high elevations can have vegetation similar to the arctic.

19. Ms. Frizzle explains…

20. On the windward side of a mountain the orographic effect leads to more precipitation On the leeward side of a mountain, the rain shadow effect leads to less precipitation and warmer temperatures. They are often deserts.