1. Climate, Weather and Vegetation Zones

2. Factors That Affect Climate
Sun & Latitude
The tilt of the Earth determines which hemisphere receives the most direct rays from the Sun
Latitude determines how close or far away from the equator you are
The closer to the Equator, the hotter the temperature

3. Factors That Affect Climate
When the Sun’s rays hit the Earth:
About ½ is reflected back OR absorbed by the atmosphere
The other ½ is absorbed by the Earth

4. Factors That Affect Climate
Greenhouse Effect
the atmosphere traps heat to keep Earth warm
Heat escapes slowly back into the atmosphere

5. Factors That Affect Climate
Atmospheric Pressure OR Air Pressure
Air has weight, it is always pushing on you
Air Pressure is measured with a Barometer
Ex: climbing a mnt, you would have less air pushing on you; the air pressure would drop. Air is too thin to breathe on a mntn. That’s why we are in pressurized cabins when we fly

6. Factors That Affect Climate
Oceans & Currents
Water affects Earth’s temperature because:
1. Water heats & cools slower than air
2. Ocean currents move heat back & forth
The Gulf Stream is a warm current

7. Factors That Affect Weather
Precipitation: Any Water that falls from the sky This includes rain, snow, sleet, and hail Humidity: The amount of water vapor in the air.
What about perspiration? It evaporates very slowly when it is hot

8. Factors That Affect Weather
Elevation & Mountain Effects
An increase in elevation causes a decrease in temperature
Orographic Effect: Humid air pushes against a mountain
The moist air is forced to rise, causing rain clouds

9. Factors That Affect Weather
Storms: Tornados
A tornado is a violent, rotating column of air that extends from a storm cloud to the ground.

10. Factors That Affect Weather
Tornado winds can reach speeds of over 250 mph an hour, and they are often have hail storms.
If a tornado forms over or moves to water, it’s called a waterspout.

11. Factors That Affect Weather
Storms: Hurricanes and Typhoons
They are large, rotating storms that bring rain and sustained wind speeds of over 74 miles per hour.

12. Climate Zone
Climate Zones divide the Earth into general climate zones based on average temperatures, rainfall and Latitude.

13. Major Climate Zones
The three major climate zones on the Earth are the polar, temperate, and tropical.

14. Tropical Zones
They exist between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The suns rays are concentrated here year round.
They have warmest average temperatures and gets the most rain.

15. Tropical Rain Forest Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Hot (80 F) all year
Precipitation:
More than 100 inches in a year
Vegetation:
Big leaf trees
Example:
Amazon Rain Forest

16. Tropical Savanna Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Hot (70 F) all year
Precipitation:
Very wet summer
Very dry winter
Vegetation:
Grasses and a few trees
Example:
Kenya, Africa

17. Temperate Zones Temperatures are warm to cool.
These zones contain most of the Earth’s land masses with more moderate temperatures and rainfall year-round. 

18. Temperate Zones
The Northern Temperate Zone runs from the Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic Circle The Artic Circle is North Latitude

19. Temperate Zones
The Southern Temperate Zone Runs from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic Circle. The Antarctic Circle is 66.5 South Latitude

20. Marine West Coast Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Temperate Zone
Temperature:
Warm summers
Cool winters
Precipitation:
Wet all year (40 inches)
Vegetation:
Mixed trees
Pine and broad leaf
Example:
Seattle, Washington

21. Mediterranean Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Temperate Zone
Temperature:
Hot summer (80 F)
Mild winters (40 F)
Precipitation:
Dry summer
Wet winter
Vegetation:
Scrub
Few small trees
Example:
Italy

22. Humid Continental Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Temperate Zone
Temperature:
Warm summer
Cold winters
Precipitation:
Moderate all year
Vegetation:
Mixed trees
Pine and broad leaf
Example:
Swanzey, NH

23. Humid Subtropical Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Temperate Zone
Temperature:
Hot summer (80-90 F)
Mild winters
Precipitation:
Moderate all year
Vegetation:
Palm trees
Broad leaf trees
Example:
Florida

24. Polar Zones
They exist north at the Arctic Circle and south at Antarctic Circle
These zones are the coldest with temperatures almost always below freezing. 

25. Polar Zones
The suns rays are at such an angle that the regions do not get much heat or light year round.

26. Subarctic Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
Short cool summer
Very cold winters
Precipitation:
Low (15-20 inches)
Vegetation:
Fir trees
Example:
Southern Alaska

27. Tundra Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example: Arctic Circle
Cold summer
Very cold winters
Precipitation:
Low (10 inches or less)
Vegetation:
Grasses, Mosses and lichen
Example:
Arctic Circle

28. Ice Cap Temperature: Vegetation: Example: North Pole Antarctic Circle
Very Cold year round Precipitation:
Very low (5-7 inches or less)
Vegetation:
None
Example:
North Pole
Antarctic Circle

29. Other Zones
There are other factors that effect an areas climate. Altitude and amount of precipitation can affect climate no matter what the latitude.

30. Highland Temperature: Precipitation: Vegetation: Example:
The higher you get the colder you get
Precipitation:
Varies with elevation
Vegetation:
Grasses
Example:
Scottish Highlands

31. Desert Precipitation: Temperature: Vegetation: Example:
Varies from place and time of year.
Precipitation:
Little to none
Vegetation:
Hot: cacti
Cold: lichen and mosses
Example:
Death Valley / Siberia /Sahara

32. Steppe Precipitation: Temperature: Vegetation: Example: Mongolia
Warm to cool
Precipitation:
Varies from place to place
Vegetation:
Grasses
Example:
Mongolia