Making Connections Chapter 12 CLIMATE CONNECTIONS Making Connections Chapter 12

Weather In Other Words Combination of temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and winds experienced daily

Climate Weather conditions of a place averaged over a long period of time

CANADA & CLIMATE a] Canada extends for a great distance, from the far north to the southern most parts. It covers many degrees of latitude.

CANADA & CLIMATE b] Different elevations produce different climate conditions.

c] Coastal regions have different climates from inland regions.

d] Wind and pressure systems move weather from one part of North America to another.

THE FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE

Latitude Ocean Currents Relief & Elevation Wind and Pressure Systems Continental & Maritime Locations

#1 LATITUDE

Latitude affects climate depending on how close you are to the Equator. The climate is hottest on the Equator. The farther from the Equator you travel (north or south) the colder it will be. The reason for this is that the closer you are to the Equator, the more directly the sun's rays go through the Earth's atmosphere.

The Sun’s rays shine on the Earth.

The Sun’s rays are more concentrated at the Equator.

In other words . . . Since the Earth is curved, the Sun’s rays hitting our planet at a higher latitude are spread out over a greater area. Over the Equator the rays are concentrated in a smaller area.

Elementary School Review The Sun’s rays are stronger depending on its position in the solar system.

and that is how we get our seasons.

Pay close attention to the Sun’s rays on the Northern Hemisphere in the summer and the winter.

WINTER

SUMMER

#2 OCEAN CURRENTS

The temperature of an ocean current affects the temperature of air that passes over it.

CANADA’S WEST COAST The warm North Pacific Current heats the cool, moist air which passes over it.

CANADA’S EAST COAST The cold Labrador Current cools the air of coastal locations in Labrador and northern Newfoundland...

...while the Gulf Stream, warms the air of coastal areas in Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland.

When these two currents meet on the Grand Banks the weather is often damp and foggy.

THE GLOBAL OCEAN CURRENT CONVEYOR BELT

#3 WINDS - PRESSURE SYSTEMS

The weight is called air pressure. Don’t Forget . . . Air has weight. The weight is called air pressure. Differences in air pressure are created when the earth is heated to different temperatures.

Warm air rising above heated ground creates an area of low pressure.

When the rising air has cooled, it falls toward the earth and creates an area of high pressure.

Air moves along the surface of the earth from high-pressure areas toward low-pressure areas.

Around the earth, there are high and low pressure belt patterns called Prevailing Winds.

Over North America air masses move from west to east. Air masses that form over the Arctic will be cold and dry, while air masses coming from the Gulf of Mexico will be warm and moist.

#1 The boundary between cold, dry polar air and warm, moist tropical air is called the Polar Front. #2 High in the atmosphere above the polar front is a current of fast-moving air called the Polar Front Jet Stream.

In the winter, the JET STREAM moves southward, allowing cold arctic air to flow in to the USA. In the summer, it moves northward, allowing warm air from Mexico to flow into Canada.

Important Fact The warm air masses and the cold air masses that meet at the polar front will result in storms.

#4 RELIEF AND ELEVATION

Relief refers to differences in elevation of the earth’s surface.

a) Mountain ranges act as barriers to the movement of air masses a) Mountain ranges act as barriers to the movement of air masses. b) The higher the elevation the lower the temperature. c) As air rises, it expands because there is less air pressure. d) As the air expands, it loses heat.

Fig. 12-4 on page 130 in the Making Connections textbook will explain how to calculate changes in temperature of a rising air mass.

& MARITIME ENVIRONMENTS #5 CONTINENTAL & MARITIME ENVIRONMENTS

Are areas far from oceans and large lakes. CONTINENTAL CLIMATES Are areas far from oceans and large lakes. The temperature range is great because there is no large water body to moderate the hot temperatures of summer and the cold temperatures of winter.

MARITIME CLIMATES Coastal areas have a relatively small temperature range. The level of precipitation is higher.

THE MODERATING EFFECT OF WATER An explanation of why Maritime climates are moderate compared to Continental climates.

DID YOU KNOW? Oceans and larger lakes heat up and cool down more slowly than land masses.

IN THE SUMMER A body of water remains cooler than the land surrounding it.

IN FACT Winds blowing from over water keep the surrounding countryside cooler than it would be if the water body was not present.

IN THE WINTER Bodies of water retain their heat and are warmer than the land.

IN FACT Winds blowing off the water warm the surrounding countryside.

THAT IS WHY Maritime locations have cooler summers and milder winters than continental locations far from water bodies.