Bay Area Earth Science Institute BAESI

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Bay Area Earth Science Institute (BAESI)

• Climate
• San Jose State University,
• January 24, 2004
• http//www.met.sjsu.edu/baesi/

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What is climate?

• Climate is
• Examples of weather vs climate

• Climate is

the average of day to day weather over a long
duration
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What is climate?

• Climate is
• Examples of weather vs climate

• Climate is

the average of day to day weather over a long
duration

• Today the temperature is 68F (weather).

• Los Angeles has warm summers (climate).

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Annual Surface Temperature
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January Average sea-level Pressure and surface
wind pattern
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July Average sea-level Pressure and surface wind
pattern
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Controls on Climate

• Seasonal temperature and precipitation patters
  are generally attributable to
  
• Latitude
• Mountains and highlands
• Pressure and wind systems
• Land and water location
• Ocean currents
• Prevailing wind direction

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Climate controls Latitude/Mountains

• Latitude
• Mountains

Higher latitude climates are generally _______
Lower latitudes ___________________
Higher altitudes _________________
Windward side of mountains, ______________ than
leeward side

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Climate controls Latitude/Mountains

• Latitude
• Mountains

Higher latitude climates are generally colder
Lower latitudes warmer and more moist
Higher altitudes cooler temperatures
Windward side of mountains, cooler and wetter
than leeward side

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Controls on Climate Oceans

• Ocean Temperatures
• Coasts of continents are affected by ocean
  temperatures Generally less temperature
  extremes compared to interior of continents
  
• Cold oceans
• Warm oceans

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Controls on Climate Oceans

• Ocean Temperatures
• Coasts of continents are affected by ocean
  temperatures Generally less temperature
  extremes compared to interior of continents
  
• Cold oceans
• Warm oceans

• generally produce cooler/drier conditions

• generally produce more warm/humid conditions

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Controls on Climate Pressure systems

• Rising and sinking motion associated with low and
  high pressure affects climate
  
• Areas where pressure seasonally low, (rising
  motion)
  
• Areas where pressure seasonally high, (sinking
  motion)
  

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Controls on Climate Pressure systems

• Rising and sinking motion associated with low and
  high pressure affects climate
  
• Areas where pressure seasonally low, (rising
  motion)
  
• Areas where pressure seasonally high, (sinking
  motion)
  

Deep Tropics rainy
Subtropical high warm and dry
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