Climate, Weather and Vegetation Zones

Factors That Affect Climate 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

Factors That Affect Climate 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

Factors That Affect Climate Greenhouse Effect the atmosphere traps heat to keep Earth warm Heat escapes slowly back into the atmosphere

Factors That Affect Climate Atmospheric Pressure OR Air Pressure Air has weight, it is always pushing on you Air Pressure is measured with a Barometer Ex: climbing a mnt, you would have less air pushing on you; the air pressure would drop. Air is too thin to breathe on a mntn. That’s why we are in pressurized cabins when we fly

Factors That Affect Climate 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

Factors That Affect Weather Precipitation: Any Water that falls from the sky This includes rain, snow, sleet, and hail Humidity: The amount of water vapor in the air. What about perspiration? It evaporates very slowly when it is hot

Factors That Affect Weather 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

Factors That Affect Weather Storms: Tornados A tornado is a violent, rotating column of air that extends from a storm cloud to the ground.

Factors That Affect Weather Tornado winds can reach speeds of over 250 mph an hour, and they are often have hail storms. If a tornado forms over or moves to water, it’s called a waterspout.

Factors That Affect Weather Storms: Hurricanes and Typhoons They are large, rotating storms that bring rain and sustained wind speeds of over 74 miles per hour.

Climate Zone Climate Zones divide the Earth into general climate zones based on average temperatures, rainfall and Latitude.

Major Climate Zones The three major climate zones on the Earth are the polar, temperate, and tropical.

Tropical Zones 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.

Tropical Rain Forest Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Hot (80 F) all year Precipitation: More than 100 inches in a year Vegetation: Big leaf trees Example: Amazon Rain Forest

Tropical Savanna Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Hot (70 F) all year Precipitation: Very wet summer Very dry winter Vegetation: Grasses and a few trees Example: Kenya, Africa

Temperate Zones Temperatures are warm to cool. These zones contain most of the Earth’s land masses with more moderate temperatures and rainfall year-round. 

Temperate Zones The Northern Temperate Zone runs from the Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic Circle The Artic Circle is 66.5 North Latitude

Temperate Zones 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 Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Temperate Zone Temperature: Warm summers Cool winters Precipitation: Wet all year (40 inches) Vegetation: Mixed trees Pine and broad leaf Example: Seattle, Washington

Mediterranean Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Temperate Zone Temperature: Hot summer (80 F) Mild winters (40 F) Precipitation: Dry summer Wet winter Vegetation: Scrub Few small trees Example: Italy

Humid Continental Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Temperate Zone Temperature: Warm summer Cold winters Precipitation: Moderate all year Vegetation: Mixed trees Pine and broad leaf Example: Swanzey, NH

Humid Subtropical Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Temperate Zone Temperature: Hot summer (80-90 F) Mild winters Precipitation: Moderate all year Vegetation: Palm trees Broad leaf trees Example: Florida

Polar Zones They exist north at the Arctic Circle and south at Antarctic Circle These zones are the coldest with temperatures almost always below freezing. 

Polar Zones The suns rays are at such an angle that the regions do not get much heat or light year round.

Subarctic Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Short cool summer Very cold winters Precipitation: Low (15-20 inches) Vegetation: Fir trees Example: Southern Alaska

Tundra Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Arctic Circle Cold summer Very cold winters Precipitation: Low (10 inches or less) Vegetation: Grasses, Mosses and lichen Example: Arctic Circle

Ice Cap Temperature: Vegetation: Example: North Pole Antarctic Circle Very Cold year round Precipitation: Very low (5-7 inches or less) Vegetation: None Example: North Pole Antarctic Circle

Other Zones There are other factors that effect an areas climate. Altitude and amount of precipitation can affect climate no matter what the latitude.

Highland Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: The higher you get the colder you get Precipitation: Varies with elevation Vegetation: Grasses Example: Scottish Highlands

Desert Precipitation: Temperature: Vegetation: Example: Varies from place and time of year. Precipitation: Little to none Vegetation: Hot: cacti Cold: lichen and mosses Example: Death Valley / Siberia /Sahara

Steppe Precipitation: Temperature: Vegetation: Example: Mongolia Warm to cool Precipitation: Varies from place to place Vegetation: Grasses Example: Mongolia