Climate Chapter 21

Climate vs. Weather Weather- state of the atmosphere at a place and time with regards to temperature, clouds, humidity, sun, precipitation, wind, etc. Climate-weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period of time Two most important elements of climate: temp. & precip.

Factors that affect climate Latitude Elevation Topography Water Bodies Atmospheric Circulation Vegetation

Thinking Map Create a thinking map of all of the different factors that affect climate: Latitude Elevation Topography Water Bodies Atmospheric Circulation Vegetation Thinking map must include: Title Name of each factor Description of how each of the factors affects climate (include details!) Picture of how each factor affects climate Color

Latitude As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. Tropics- Region from the equator to 23.5° north (Tropic of Cancer) and 23.5° south (Tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. Temperatures are usually warm year-round. Temperate zone- Region from 23.5° to 66.5° north and south of the equator; solar energy spread out over a large area due to sun striking Earth at a smaller angle. Hot summers and cold winters. Polar zone- Region from 66.5° to 90° north and south. Sun strikes at even smaller angle causing light and heat to spread out over an even larger area. Polar regions experience very cold temperatures, even in the summer.

Latitude

Elevation The higher the elevation is, the colder the climate Air temperature decreases with elevation by an average of about 6.5° C every 1000 meters Elevation of an area also determines the amount of precipitation it receives

Topography Topographic features such as mountains play an important role in the amount of precipitation that falls over an area Dry area on leeward side of mountain is known as a rain shadow Rain shadows can extend for hundreds of kilometers downwind of a mountain range

Water Large water bodies of water such as lakes and oceans have an important effect on the temperature of an area because the temperature of the water body influences the temperature of the air above it Places downwind of a large body of water generally have cooler summers and milder winters than places at the same latitude that are farther inland

Atmospheric Circulation Global winds are another factor that influences climate because they distribute heat and moisture around the earth. Winds move warm air towards poles and cool air towards equator Low pressure zones at the equator and in the subpolar regions lead to the formation of clouds that drop precipitation as rain or snow

Vegetation Vegetation can affect both temperature and the precipitation patterns in an area Influences how much of the sun’s energy is absorbed and how quickly energy is released Transpiration- when plants release water vapor into air  influences precipitation Some vegetation releases particles that act as cloud seeds; formation of clouds influences regional precipitation patterns

World Climates Incredible variety of climates throughout the world! Climates classified according to average temperature and amount of precipitation Different climate classification systems are used

Classification systems Best-known and most commonly used system is the Köppen climate classification system Uses mean monthly and annual values of temperature and precipitation to classify climates Classifies world into climatic regions in a realistic way The Köppen system has five principal groups: Humid tropical climates Dry climates Humid mid-latitude climates Polar climates Highland climates

Global Climates Handout- Wait for further instructions!

Köppen system Read through pages 592-599. On your own, create a table that explains (in detail) each of the climate types used in Köppen’s classification system. Afterwards, by yourself or with a partner, create a poster explaining and describing one of the climate types. Poster must include: Title, name(s), date, block Subtitles (if applicable) Descriptions and all important information Pictures and creativity ** Electronic devices may be used for additional information!