 Several factors influence climate: WIND CURRENTS, OCEAN CURRENTS, ELEVATION, TOPOGRAPHY, & ……  LATITUDE!! Latitude is the most influential factor that affects climate type.

 El Nino : a weather phenomenon that warms the waters off the west coast of South America. Usually happens every 2 to 7 years and affects the Americas, Asia, & Australia (floods, mudslides, drought).  La Nina: the opposite weather phenomenon; blows warm air to the lands on the Western Pacific Rim. Causes heavy rain in India & dryness along the Pacific coast of the Americas.

 Global Warming: the gradual warming of the Earth since the 1800’s. Air temperature has increased by 1° but experts say the increase could be as high as 3.5° in the future.  Reasons could be: Earth’s natural processes, increased industrialization, overpopulation, and the GREENHOUSE EFFECT (layer of gases from coal & petroleum traps solar energy).

 There are three latitude zones: › Low Latitude- between 23 ½° N and 23 ½ ° S (TROPICAL) › Mid Latitude- between 23 ½ °N and 66 ° N & 23 ½ ° S and 66 ° S (TEMPERATE) › High Latitude- above 66 ° N & below 66 ° S (POLAR).

66° N 23 1/2 ° N 0 ° 23 1/2 ° S 66° S Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Mid Latitudes/ Sub Tropics Mid Latitudes/ Sub Tropics Low Latitudes/Tropics High Latitudes/Polar

 Located near the equator.  Little temperature change from year to year.  Tropical Rainforests : warm and wet most of the year. (Amazon Rainforest)  Tropical Savanna : warm and dry part of the year, warm and wet the other part. (African Savanna)

 Little or no rainfall, less than 10 inches per year.  Temperature very hot during the day, very cold at night.  Extremely cold winters.  The Sahara Desert (Africa) is a dry climate.

 Variety of climates due to mixing warm and cold air masses.  Variety of weather patterns  Most people live in a mid latitude climate zone.  Europe and North America are mid latitude climate zones.

 Polar regions, very cold.  Arctic (North)  Antarctic (South)  Often have high mountains that remain cold at the peak year round.

©CSCOPE 2009 Latitude Range World LocationVegetationSeasons 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 Savanna 15° to 25° N and S India, SE Asia, West Africa, southern Africa, South America, north coast of Australia Grasses, short trees Warm year round, wet and dry seasons Desert 18° to 28°N &S, centered on Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn Western North America (SW U.S., SW South America (Chili) north central Mexico, north Africa, SW Africa, central Australia, north Asia (China, Mongolia) Scattered vegetation; short grasses and shrubs, cacti Warm or Cold, little to no Precipitation year round

©CSCOPE 2009 Latitude Range World LocationVegetationSeasons/ Rainfall Steppe Central areas of continents between 35° & 50° N Western North America (Great Plains); Central South America, Central Africa (Sahel) (Patagonia) Eurasian interior (Kazakhstan) Grassland, few trees Low precipitation year round, hot summers, cold winters Humid Subtropical SE coast of Continents between 20° and 40° N and S SE North America, SE Asia, SE Australia Coniferous/ Deciduous (Mixed) Forests and grassland Warm, humid summer, and mild winters precipitation year round Mediterranean 30° - 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

©CSCOPE 2009 Latitude Range World LocationVegetationSeasons/ 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 NW Europe Mixed coniferous and deciduous forests Cool summers, mild winters, high rainfall year round

©CSCOPE 2009 Latitude RangeWorld LocationVegetationSeasons/ Rainfall Sub Arctic 50° to 60° NNorthern North America and Eurasia Coniferous forests - taiga Extremely cold winter, short, cool summer Arctic 60° to 70° N Northern North America and Eurasia Short grasses, mosses, lichens, tundra Extremely cold and dry all year

©CSCOPE 2009 Latitude Range World LocationVegetationSeasons/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.