1. What is climate? What factors influence climate?

2. Differences between Weather and Climate
Weather is immediate atmospheric conditions that change daily
Climate is long term weather conditions for a particular location and is more stable and predictable than weather
Climate is based on the temperature and precipitation records over an extended period of time

3. Factors that affect Temperature: Latitude
As you move away from the equator, temp decreases.
As latitude increases, the angle of the sun’s rays decrease, causing less heating

4. Factors that Affect Temperature: Altitude
As altitude increases, temp decreases. The higher you are, the colder it is.

5. Factors that Affect Temperature: Distance from large bodies of water (Oceans)
Keep land temperatures moderate – not too high or too low when they are close to Oceans
Areas in the middle of continents have colder winters and hotter sum.
Eureka, CA Grand Junction, CO Kansas City, MO Wilmington, DE

6. Factors that Affect Temperature: Ocean Currents
Source: NOAA
Warm ocean currents border the East coast of continents and make the climate warm. Cold currents border the West and make it cold
Excellent Demo on Ocean Currents

7. Factors that Affect Precipitation: Prevailing (Global Winds)
Warm moist air (from oceans) bring rain
Cooler, dry air (from Land) doesn’t. Where are the Global winds are coming from?
Prevailing Westerlies
Horse Latitudes
Doldrums H L
Trade Winds H L

8. Factors that Affect Precipitation: Mountain Ranges
Rains on the Windward side (faces winds) of mountains.
Dry (deserts) on the Leeward (faces away)
Leeward
Windward