1. Factors Affecting Climate
LAMECOWS
Factors Affecting Climate

2. Latitude
The farther away from the Equator, the colder the climate becomes.
High
Cold
Warm
Hot
Tropic of Cancer
Equator
Tropic of Capricorn
Mid
Low
Mid
High

3. From which latitude zone were these pictures taken?

4. Rainforest

5. Tundra

6. Steppe

7. Air Pressure
Air pressure is caused by the unequal heating of earth’s surface.
1. Low pressure is warm, moist air. It raises and forms clouds.
2. High pressure is cold, dry air.
It sinks and creates clear skies.

8. Mountain Barriers
Mountain Barriers create a phenomenon called the Orographic Effect or Rainshadow.
The rainshadow helps create deserts
Ex. Sierra Nevada mountains in CA receive nice amounts of precipitation, Las Vegas, NV is in the rainshadow creating a desert climate.

9. Rainshadow Effect
Windward Side Leeward side
‘Wet’ side ‘Dry’ side

10. This rainshadow region in India was created
by the presence of the Western Ghats mountain range, which block the monsoon(seasonal) winds from the west.

11. Elevation As elevation increases, temperature decreases.
1. For every thousand feet the
temperature drops 3.6°F
In a highlands climate, lower elevation means more vegetation

12. Continental Location
Large bodies of water are slower to heat and cool than land.
As a result, water temps. remain stable, and land temps. change frequently .
Coastlines have stable temperatures.
Interior of continent has extreme temperatures (hotter and colder)

13. Ocean Currents
Ocean currents are giant rivers of sea water flowing within oceans.
Ocean currents flow in circular paths:
1. Warm currents carry water from low to high latitudes. These make land nearby warmer.
2. Cool currents carry water from high to low latitudes. These make land nearby colder.

14. Ocean Current Map

15. Wind Belts
Wind is the movement of air from high pressure to low pressure (like when you poke a hole in a tire.)
1. Trade Winds
2. Westerlies
3. Polar Winds

16. Wind Belt Map

17. Storms Occur during low pressure conditions.
Storm fronts occurs when two air masses with different temperatures meet. (cold meets warm)
1. Thunderstorms
2. Tornadoes
3. Hurricanes