Climate II. Climate A. The Earth Sun relationship B. Factors Affecting Climate C. World Climate Patterns

The Earth Sun Relationship Climate The Earth Sun Relationship The earth tilts at a 23.5° angle in relation to the sun. This causes the changing seasons.

Twice a year on the equinox, the days and nights all over the world are equal in length. The equinoxes mark the beginning of spring and autumn. September & March 21 Solstice – longest and shortest days of the year (occurs in winter and summer) June & December 21

Factors Affecting Climate Weather - the condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time. Climate - weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time.

Weather is the result of several factors Weather is the result of several factors. Large masses of air absorbs and distributes solar energy. Clouds hold water vapor. Water vapor in the atmosphere can become precipitation—falling water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

Factors Affecting Climate – LACE MOPS Latitude Mountains Air Mass Orographic Effect Continentality Patterns Elevation Storms

Latitude Climate zones are hotter closer to the Equator (more hours of sunlight)

Air Mass In the Northern Hemisphere, cold air from the Polar Regions comes from the north. Hot air from the tropics comes from the south, (opposite in the Southern Hemisphere). Mountains to the north of a city (in the Northern Hemisphere) could block the cold air from reaching the city. (Ex. Alps, Palm Springs)

Continentality Water moderates climate. Water takes longer to heat and cool than land. Areas inland from the coast will be hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than areas with the same latitude on the coast. Frisco, anything in the middle http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageSrc/United%2520States-NED500.jpg&imgrefurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageDetail.php%3Fpage%3D18%26img%3DUnited%2BStates-NED%26id%3D2071%26col%3DStates%2B-%2BNED%2BShaded%2BRelief&h=353&w=500&sz=121&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=tsJBVC5mQRiZ6M:&tbnh=92&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLG%26sa%3DG

Elevation It gets colder as you go up a mountain. The formula for vertical climate is: Temperature decreases 3.5º F for every 1,000 feet increase in elevation (the opposite is also true). You can work out the temperature at the top of a tall mountain. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/images/0314-01.jpg http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.savetibet.org/images/images/MountEverest.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php%3Fid%3D1050&h=300&w=400&sz=22&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=ODjU-A29uyNbXM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmt%2Beverest%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2005-42,GGLG:en

It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain. What is the temperature on top of the mountain? First, count the thousands… (15,000) Second, multiply that number by 3.5… 3.5° (from formula) X 15 (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) 52.5° (how much colder at the top than the bottom) Third, Subtract that number from the temperature at the base to get the answer… 75° (temperature at bottom) - 52.5° (how much colder at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top)  Answer

Also Known As: Rain-Shadow Effect Orographic Effect Landforms also affect climate. This is especially true of mountain areas. As winds move up the side of a mountain, they cool and release moisture as rain or snow, on the windward side of the mountain. The winds that reach the other side of the mountain are dry and become warmer as they descend. The drier side is known as the leeward side. Also Known As: Rain-Shadow Effect

Pg 29: Orographic / Rain-Shadow Effect Windward Leeward

Patterns – Pressure, Ocean Currents & Prevailing Winds Pressure- High pressure is heavy, cold air. Low pressure is warm, light air. Heat rises. There are some fairly constant air pressure systems.

Global wind patterns are caused by the same kind of circulation on a larger scale. Hot air flows toward the poles, and cold air moves toward the equator. At the Equator, winds are diverted north and south, leaving a generally windless band called the doldrums. Prevailing winds, global winds that blow in fairly constant patterns. We can predict weather because of atmospheric patterns like the prevailing winds.

Wind and ocean currents help distribute the sun’s heat from one part of the world to another through convection - the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air.

A periodic reversal of the pattern of ocean currents and water temperatures in the mid-pacific regions. Think about it - your farm is used to moist, warm air, and now it is getting cold, dry air…..                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      General: El Niño episodes (left hand column) reflect periods of exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures across the eastern tropical Pacific. La Niña episodes (right hand column) represent periods of below-average sea-surface temperatures across the eastern tropical Pacific. These episodes typically last approximately 9-12 months. Sea-surface temperature (top) and departure (bottom) maps for December - February during strong El Niño and La Niña episodes are shown above. El Nino & La Nina

Although controversy exists over the causes of global warming, scientists agree that air temperatures are increasing. Some scientists believe that this warming is part of the earth’s natural warming and cooling cycles. Other scientists argue that global temperature increases are caused by the greenhouse effect. This means that humans may also be a factor of climate.

In the Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise. http://www.hurricane.com/hurricanes/hurricane-katrina/hurricane-katrina_files/image020.gif When hot air masses (Westerlies) and cold air masses (Easterlies) collide - there are thunderstorms. Cyclonic storms (hurricanes, typhoons, etc.) in the Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise. In the Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise.

World Climate Zones