Climate

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Chapter 11 - Section 2 Climate Vegetation
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El Niño

• We go through a El Niño period every few years
  (winter 2015 2016)
• During these unusual years the ocean waters are
  warmer along the western coast of the Western
  Hemisphere
• Got its name from the Spanish word for the
  Christ Child because it usually happens around
  Christmas time
• El Niño is just one of the many factors that make
  up the Latin American climate

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The Climates of Latin America

• Climates of Latin America are extremely varied
• Hurricanes are very common in this region of the
  world, especially from June through November
• Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 Hurricane Mitch in
  1998 are two of the worst to ever hit the region
• Hurricane Gilbert was the strongest hurricane in
  the Western Hemisphere during the 20th century
• Hurricane Mitch caused great destruction in
  Nicaragua

https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gilbert/m
edia/FileGilbert_1988_rainfall.gif
https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Mitch/med
ia/FileMitch_1998_rainfall.gif
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Latin American Climatic Zones

• Tropical wet climate is hot, humid and rainy all
  year long (rain forest)
• Tropical wet dry is hot all the time but the
  rainy season is NOT all year long
• Humid subtropical climate is hot and wet in the
  summer, but winters are cool and damp

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Factors that affect climate

• Elevation is one of the key factors that affect
  climate, this is often referred to as Vertical
  Climate Zones
• As you go up in elevation from sea level the air
  temperature decreases
• Location north or south of the equator makes a
  big difference too
• Finally, wind patterns affect climate depending
  on whether the wind is coming from the poles or
  the tropics

http//www.glencoe.com/qe/images/b204/q8264/fcat_g
r7_maa333_a.gif
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Elevation
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Vegetation
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Amazon Rain Forest
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On the Ground Floor of the Rain Forest
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Three-Tiered Vegetation
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Three-Tiered Canopy
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Climate, Plants People

• Though there are extremes, like the Amazon which
  could receive more than 80 inches of rain a year
  and the Atacama Desert in which some parts have
  not seen a drop of rain in 100s of years, not
  all of Latin America is extreme
• The Pampas of Uruguay Argentina are grassy
  plains in which cattle graze
• Grasslands high in the mountains are where Native
  Americans have raised llamas for 100s of years

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Crops Climate
Banana Plantation
Harvesting Sugar Cane

• The temperature climate of much of Latin
  America allow for a variety of tropical crops
• Bananas, coffee, and sugar cane are just a few of
  the many crops that can be grown in this region
  of the world

Growing Coffee
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Elevation Vegetation

• The height above sea level affects what will grow
  in that area too
• For example fruit and palm trees will not grow in
  the higher elevations of the Andes
• Anything above the tree line or snow line will
  not grow
• Vegetation becomes more limited at higher
  elevations

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Adios!