CLIMATE

1
CLIMATE

• 5.8A

2
Climate

• In winter, do you wear a thick coat and gloves?
  Or do you wear a t-shirt and shorts? What you
  wear in winter depends on where you live. Some
  places are very cold in winter while others are
  warm, or even hot. Different places on Earth
  have different climates.

3
Climate on Earth

• Every place on Earth has a climate. Climate is
  the weather patterns in an area over a long
  period of time.

Look at the pictures. What do you think the
climate is like in each place?
Hawaii
Chihuahua Desert, Texas
Alaska
4
Is it climate or is it weather?

• If you want to go outside and play, you will
  probably think about the weather. Is it warm or
  cold? Is it cloudy or sunny? Is it raining or
  snowing?
• Weather is the condition of the atmosphere
  outside at any given time. The weather is
  constantly changing.

5
Weather

• Weather includes
• The temperature of the air
• The speed of the wind
• The amount of moisture in the air (humidity)
• Precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

6

• Tropical Rainforest
• Think of a tropical rainforest.
• The climate in a tropical rainforest is warm and
  wet all year long. Many different plants and
  animals live in this environment. Why do you
  think this is so?

7
Desert

• Now think about the climate in a desert. It is
  very dry and, sometimes, very hot. Not much
  precipitation falls in a desert.

8
Different PlacesDifferent Climates

• A tropical forest in Brazil has a wet, warm
  climate.

• The Chihuahuan Desert in Texas has a hot, dry
  climate.

9
Climate Zones on Earth

• There are three basic climate zones on Earth.
  These climate zones are caused by the amount of
  sunlight they receive.

The polar zones are cold and dark.
Polar Zone
Temperate Zone
The tropical zone surrounds the equator and has a
warm to hot climate with a lot of sunshine.
Tropical Zone
The temperate zones have a more moderate climate
than the polar zones and the tropical zones.
Temperate Zone
Polar Zone
10
Oceans and Climates

• Oceans also affect climate. Water holds heat for
  a longer time than land. Long after the land has
  cooled, water stays warm. So places near the
  ocean can have warmer climates than places
  farther from the ocean.

11
High and Low Land

• The height of a place can also affect its
  climate. Sea level is used to measure the height
  of places on Earth. Places that are far above
  sea level are high in the air. These places
  often have colder climates. Low-lying land is
  closer to sea level. This land usually has a
  warmer climate.

12
Rain Shadows

• Mountains affect climate in other ways. Tall
  mountains can block clouds from moving through
  the sky. The clouds will drop the rain on one
  side of the mountain. Not as much rain falls on
  the other side of the mountain. The dry side is
  said to be in a rain shadow. The area in a rain
  shadow has a drier climate than the other side of
  the mountain.

13
Comparing Climate and Weather
Climate does not change from day to day. Climate
is an areas weather pattern over a long period
of time.

• Weather is different from climate. Weather can
  change from day to day.

Weather includes
Temperature each day
Wind each day
Clouds each day
Precipitation each day
Humidity each day
Climate includes
Usual temperatures during the year
Usual winds during the year
Usual clouds during the year
Usual precipitation during the year
Usual humidity during the year