Climate Factors of Climate El Nino Topography Greenhouse Effect Climate Change Global Warming

A. Factors of Climate 1. What is climate? a. It is the average weather conditions over a long period of time, usually 30 years b. It is determined by using the average temperature and average precipitation.

2. Factors that contribute to climate a. Latitude and the sun’s energy (when the latitude is greater, the sun’s energy is less intense) b. Global wind patterns affect precipitation, temperature and cloud cover c. Land heats up faster and releases its heat to the air very fast. Water heats up more slowly and releases its heat to the air more slowly.

B. Climate and El Nino The surface water temperatures of Pacific Ocean near the equator change. The water along the coast of South America becomes warmer. This makes the air above the ocean becomes warmer. Warmer, moister air is carried to the North American continent. This causes more tornadoes, cyclones, typhoons and flooding in North America and more droughts in Indonesia and Australia.

In an El Nino year, the warmest water moves eastward across the Pacific. Thunderstorms disrupt the jet stream changing the weather pattern.

C. Climate and Topography The surface of the land affects climate As the elevation of the land increases, the air temperature decreases. Mountain ranges affect precipitation. Air masses will rise, cool and lose their moisture before the air mass crosses over the mountain. The other side of the mountain will receive air that is warmer and drier. http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp56/5602001.html

D. Greenhouse Effect Gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-radiate infrared rays of light. Human activities have placed more carbon dioxide, water vapor and other gases into the earth’s atmosphere. The imbalance of gases intensify the greenhouse effect by re-radiating more heat to the surface and lower atmosphere.

E. Climate Change Climatologists study changes in climate to determine a. if changes are a natural cycle b. what is the cause of climate change Climatologists gather evidence of climate change from: a. Ice cores - levels of CO2 b. Sea-floor sediment - c. Fossils d. Tree rings - e. Journals, artwork, historical records, photographs,

3. Evidence of climate change a. CO2 levels have increased

b. loss of ice caps and glaciers c. rising sea levels d. increased amount of severe storms

4. Causes of Climate Change a. Changing positions of the plates b. Orbit changes and the earth’s tilt c. Volcanic activity d. Sunspot activity e. Human activity

5. Impacts of Climate Change a. global warming/global cooling b. sea-level changes leads to changes in ocean habitat leads to land loss