Climate: Causes and Effects Francisci WG.2a

What is Climate? Climate: Climate is the usual predictable pattern of weather of an area over a long period of time.

What 3 characteristics define the climate of a region? 1.Temperature: how hot or cold it is at a given time or over a period of time. 2.Precipitation: Rain, snow, sleet, hail. 3.The Seasons: Alternating hot/cold periods or wet/dry periods, or the lack of variations. Climate Characteristics Temperature Precipitation Seasons (hot, cold, wet, dry)

The 5 Elements that influence climate of a region: 1. Latitude: The location of earth’s surface in relation to the equator and other numbered lines.  The closer you are to the equator, the hotter the climate.

The 5 Elements that influence climate of a region: 2. Winds: The prevailing winds, or commonly occurring winds in a region.  Winds affect the amount of precipitation received in an area.

The 5 Elements that influence climate of a region: 3. Elevation: How high or low the region is located as in the mountains or a plains area.  High elevation: colder weather  Low elevation: warmer weather

The 5 Elements that influence climate of a region: 4. Water: Nearness to a large body of water, such as the Great Lakes, the Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea.  Water heats and cools more slowly than land.  In the summer, the coastal regions will stay cooler and in winter warmer.

The 5 Elements that influence climate of a region: 5. Ocean Currents: Currents take a wide path along coasts and into the depths of the oceans.  Currents transport warm water from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics.

What are the Effects of Climate? 1.Climate will impact whether or not crops may be grown and the type that may be grown.  Rice must be grown in regions with abundant precipitation and warm temps., like Asia.

What are the Effects of Climate? 2. Climate impacts the type of clothing worn by humans.  Warm clothing made by wool and darker colors in colder climates.  Cool clothing made out of cotton is worn in warmer climates.

What are the Effects of Climate? 3. Climate impacts the type of housing humans choose to build.  Chalets (a framed house with pointed roofs) are built in the mountainous Alps.  Houses of stilts are built in cold regions like Russia because of permafrost soil.  Igloos in Canada.

What are the Effects of Climate? 4. People of a region must prepare for natural hazards that may occur.  Sand bags during a hurricane.  Tornado shelters underground.