Climate & Climate Regions ©2012, TESCCC

Weather v. Climate Climate: The average temperature and precipitation in an area over a long period of time. Weather: Current temperature & precipitation in an area (Short period of time) ©2012, TESCCC

Terms to Know Low Latitude, Mid Latitude, High Latitude Seasons, Solstice, Equinox Revolution, Rotation, Tilt Climate, Weather Greenhouse Vegetation: Coniferous, Deciduous, Mixed Forest, Chaparral ©2012, TESCCC

Greenhouse Effect Natural way for Earth to retain its warmth and for plants and animals to survive. The planet Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System and is covered in a dense atmosphere that retains the heat Teachers should add a graphic to show the Greenhouse Effect. ©2012, TESCCC

Important Lines of Latitude 0 ° 23 1/2 ° S 66 ½ ° S Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Note that latitude plays a huge part in determining the climate of a place. ©2012, TESCCC

Earth’s Tilt Tilt: the angle of the Earth’s axis affects the temperature of a place. Revolution: the Earth’s trip around the sun (one year) Rotation: the Earth completely rotates on its axis every 24 hours. ©2012, TESCCC

Earth’s Tilt Equinox: when the Sun’s rays fall directly on the equator, day and night time hours are almost equal (Spring and Fall) Solstice: One of two days (June 21 and December 22) on which the Sun’s rays strike directly on the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn, the beginning of summer and winter. Direct rays: When a hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, the direct rays of the sun hit that hemisphere and it is summer. Indirect rays: When a hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the indirect rays of the sun hit that hemisphere and it is winter ©2012, TESCCC

Solstice & Equinox Rotation Revolution Tilt: Spin of Earth on its Axis 1 Rotation = 1 Day Revolution Movement of Earth around the sun 1 Revolution = 365 ¼ Days Seasons Marked by Solstice & Equinox N & S Hemisphere Difference 23 ½ ° Distribution of heat Longer growing seasons Tilt: Teachers may wish to find another graphic from the Internet that displays the revolution of the Earth with arrows and includes a more colorful display. Due to the angle of the Earth to the Sun, Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience opposite seasons (Winter in the Northern Hemisphere is summertime in the Southern Hemisphere.) Tilt of the Earth makes for the better distribution of the Sun’s heat, allowing sustained life, better growing seasons, etc. ©2012, TESCCC

Solistice ©2012, TESCCC

Equinox ©2012, TESCCC

What Affects Climate? Wind and Currents – Latitude, Latitude, Latitude. Latitude!!! Landforms (location, size, orographic effect) Elevation Proximity to large bodies of water Closer to water, little change in climate Further from water, more extreme change in climate Wind and Currents – North Atlantic Drift Coriolis Effect With landforms teachers should discuss orographic effect. Students should understand this is not the only way that landforms affect climate, however. (Example: Valleys (better climate for growing, temperature inversion, etc.) Wind and currents discussions should include use of the term “Coriolis Effect.” ©2012, TESCCC

Water Currents ©2012, TESCCC

Coriolis Effect The rotation of the Earth causes a phenomena on free moving objects on the Earth. Objects in N. Hemisphere are deflected to the right, while objects in S. Hemisphere are deflected to the left. ©2012, TESCCC

Latitude, latitude, latitude Latitude: The most influential factor that affects climate type. There are three latitude zones: Low Latitude- between 23 ½° N and 23 ½ ° S Mid Latitude- between 23 ½ °N and 66 ° N AND 23 ½ ° S and 66 ° S High Latitude- Poles; above 66 ° N AND below 66 ° S ©2012, TESCCC

Climate Zones Based on Latitude High Latitudes Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle 66 ½° N Middle Latitudes 23 ½ ° N Low Latitudes 0 ° Teachers may want to add a slide with a climate map that also illustrates water currents. Note: Online the Equator (Latitude) and the Prime Meridian (Longitude) are shown with solid lines. The Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Antarctic Circle, and Arctic Circle are shown with dashed lines. The Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn are shown at 23 ½° N and S of the Equator (respectively) because that is the degree tilt of the Earth. The Antarctic Circle 66 ½° S and Arctic Circle 66 ½° N –the ½° is due to the tilt of the Earth. Latitude is mathematical measures of the distance from the Equator. So… if something is 30 degrees N of the Equator –you can actually measure the angled distance from the Equator to find it at 30 degrees. Longitude is measured in time and the distance between lines becomes closer together the closer you are to the poles –whereas latitude lines are parallel to one another. Low Latitude refers to the low latitudinal numbers –anything between 23 ½° N and 23 ½° S Middle Latitude refers to the middle range of lines of latitude. –anything between 23 ½° N and 66 ½° N AND 23 ½° N and 66 ½° S High Latitude refers to the higher range of lines of latitude. This is anything between 66 ½°N and 90°N AND 66 ½°S and 90°S 23 ½ ° S 66 ½° S ©2012, TESCCC

Low Latitude Climates Latitude Range World Location Vegetation Seasons Tropical Rainforest 10° S to 25 ° N Amazon basin, equatorial Africa, East Indies, from Sumatra to New Guinea A canopy of tall trees with layers of shorter trees and plants underneath Heavy rainfall in all months, no difference in seasons Tropical Grasslands 15° to 25° N and S India, Southeast Asia, West Africa, southern Africa, South America, north coast of Australia Grasses, short trees (Ex. Savanna in Africa) Warm year round, wet and dry seasons Desert 18° to 28° N and S, centered on Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn Western North America (southwest U.S.) southwest South America (Chili) north central Mexico, north Africa, southwest Africa, central Australia, north Asia (China, Mongolia) Scattered vegetation; short grasses and shrubs, cacti Warm or cold, little to no precipitation year round ©2012, TESCCC

Mid-Latitude Climates Range World Location Vegetation Seasons/ Rainfall Grasslands Central areas of continents between 35° and 50° N Western North America (Great Plains); Central South America, Central Africa (Sahel) (Patagonia) Eurasian interior (Kazakhstan) Grassland, few trees Steppe: Central Asia Llanos: Central South America Prairie: (North America) Savanna (Africa) Low precipitation year round, hot summers, cold winters Humid subtropical Southeast coast of continents between 20° and 40° N and S Southeastern North America, Southeastern Asia, Southeastern Australia Coniferous/Deciduous (mixed) Forests and grassland Warm, humid summer, and mild winters precipitation year round Mediterranean 30° to 50° N and S The Mediterranean basin, west coasts of California, central Chile, South Africa, western/southern Australia Shrubs, grasses, and mixed trees (Chaparral) Long, hot, dry summers, and mild, rainy winters ©2012, TESCCC

Mid-Latitude Climates Range World Location Vegetation Seasons/ Rainfall Humid Continental 30 to 55 N and S, to 60 N in Europe North central North America; north central Asia (China); Korea; Japan; central and eastern Europe Mixed coniferous and deciduous forest Warm summer cold winters, moderate rainfall throughout the year Marine-West Coast 30 to 60 N and S West coast of N. America, west coast of southern Chile, and northwestern Europe Mixed coniferous and deciduous forests Cool summers, mild winters, high rainfall year round ©2012, TESCCC

High Latitude Climates Latitude Range World Location Vegetation Seasons/ Rainfall Subarctic 50° to 60° N Northern North America and Eurasia Coniferous forests - taiga Extremely cold winter, short, cool summer Arctic 60° to 70° N Short grasses, mosses, lichens, tundra Extremely cold and dry all year ©2012, TESCCC

Other Climates Highland Latitude Range World Location Vegetation Seasons/Rainfall Highland Found all over the world Mountain Ranges: Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alps, etc. Varies with elevation and location on mountain. Leeward side is drier with less vegetation. Windward side receives the most rainfall while leeward side remains dry. ©2012, TESCCC