28 Jan 2020

WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 4
Introduction

This lesson
Introduction weather &
climate
• What is weather?
• What is climate?
• What is the difference?
• How do you describe weather
and climate?

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Weather
Definition
State of the atmosphere (= air)
• At one moment
• At one place

Weather in The Hague could be

different than Amsterdam …

Climate
Definition
Climate
• Average weather
• 30 years
• Large area

Temperature (°C)
Precipitation (mm)

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 5
Climate Graphs

This lesson
Climate
• How do you describe the
climate in a graph?

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Climate
Climate Graphs
Red line
• Temperature (°C)

Blue bars
• Precipitation (mm)

Climate
Climate Graphs
What country is this?

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Climate
Climate Graphs
What country is this?
Rain
• Whole year
• Most winter & autumn
NETHERLANDS
Temperature
• Summer around 17 °C
• Winter around 2 °C

Climate
What is the difference?

NETHERLANDS ITALY

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Climate
What is the difference?

Temperature
• Higher (around 10 °C)

Precipitation
• Summer: far less rain
• Winter: a lot wetter!
NETHERLANDS ITALY

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 7
Climate Graphs

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This lesson …
Climate
graph
• Pick a
colour
• Take atlas
• Find city in
this region

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Climate
Make a climate graph!
Your city in the world:
• Twelve months
• Left side: Temperature (°C)
• Right side: Precipitation (mm)
• Other side of paper: names / location

Before next lesson

• Graph one side
• Name(s) and place other side
• Hand in

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 8
Climate Zones

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Where on Earth …?

What do we notice?

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Where on Earth …?
Tropical

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Where on Earth …?
Arid

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Where on Earth …?
Temperate (oceanic)
Mediterranean

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Where on Earth …?
Temperate (continental)

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Where on Earth …?
Polar

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Where on Earth …?
Guess location of graph
• Around equator
o Warmer
o Wetter
o Constant temperature

• Then
o Drier
o More temperature variation

• Not too warm, not too cold

o Close to sea  wetter
o Close to sea  cooler summers / warmer
winters
• Colder … and drier?

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Where on Earth …?
Guess location of graph
• Around equator
o Warmer
o Wetter
o Constant temperature

• Then
o Drier
o More temperature variation Group Work
• Not too warm, not too cold Climate Detective
o Close to sea  wetter Find out why!
o Close to sea  cooler summers / warmer
winters
• Colder … and drier?

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 9
Why is the Equator warmer?

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This lesson
Guess location of graph
• Around equator WARM
o Warmer
o Wetter
o Constant temperature

• Then
o Drier
o More temperature variation

• Not too warm, not too cold

o Close to sea  wetter, less
WHY?
temperature variation
• Colder … and drier? COLD

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Why is sunlight stronger at

Climate detective the equator?
So
• Light on small area =
stronger
• Light on large area =
weaker

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Climate detective Why is sunlight stronger at

the equator?
Also

sunlight  shorter distance

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Climate detective Why is sunlight stronger at

the equator?
Also

sunlight  longer distance

More distance
More chance sunlight
• hits a particle
• bounces back into space

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Lesson 10
Why is it wetter next to the sea?

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Where on Earth …?
Guess location of graph
• Around equator
o Warmer Wetter
o Constant temperature

• Then
o Drier
o More temperature variation

• Not too warm, not too cold

Group Work
o Close to sea  wetter Climate Detective
o Close to sea  cooler summers / warmer Find out why!
winters
• Colder … and drier?
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Climate detective
Why is wetter close to the sea?
Because most precipitation comes
2
from the sea
1. Water evaporates 3
2. Water condensates (clouds)
1 4
3. Clouds drift towards land
4. Water precipitates (comes down)

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Climate detective
Why is wetter close to the sea?
Because most precipitation comes
from the sea
1. Water evaporates
2. Water condensates (clouds)
3. Clouds drift towards land
4. Water precipitates (comes down)
Further from sea  ‘sponge’ is empty

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Where on Earth …?
Guess location of graph
• Around equator
o Warmer Wetter
o Constant temperature

• Then
o Drier
o More temperature variation

• Not too warm, not too cold

o Close to sea  wetter Group Work
o Close to sea  cooler summers / warmer Climate Detective
winters Find out why!
• Colder … and drier?
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Climate detective
Cooler in summer
Water takes a very long time to warm up
• Sea is cooler than land
• Sea cools wind
• Wind cools land

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Climate detective
Warmer in winter
Water takes a very long time to cool down
• Sea is warmer than land
• Sea warms up wind
• Wind warms up land

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

RECAP

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Overview climate zones

Climate Zone Precipitation Temperature
Tropical All year: rain All year: warm (above 18
degrees)
Arid All year: dry Day: hot
Night: cold
Mediterranean Summer: dry Summer: hot
Winter: wet Winter: mild
Temperate All year: wet Summer: cool
Winter: mild
Arctic All year: dry All year: below freezing

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Mountains

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This lesson
Climate zones
Climate depends on ….
1. Latitude
2. How far from the sea
3. Mountains

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Mountains
Why does it get colder if you go higher?
Discuss in pairs
The Sun does not warm the air
1) Sun warms the Earth’s surface
2) Earth’s surface warms the air
3) Further away from the surface 
colder

6 degrees per kilometer

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Mountains
What happens if wind blows against a mountain?
Discuss in pairs
1) Air rises
2) Air cools  condensation
(clouds)
3) Precipitation
4) Air sinks
5) Air warms up
6) Air gets drier

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Mountains
How do you call the wet and dry side of the mountain?

Windward Leeward
Wet Dry
• Rain is
finished
• Warm air 
more space
for water
vapour

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Mountains
How do you call the wet and dry side of the mountain?

Windward Leeward
Wet Dry
• Rain is
finished
• Warm air 
more space
for water
vapour

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WEATHER & CLIMATE

Mountains & Vegetation

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Last lesson
Climate zones
Climate depends on ….
1. Latitude
2. How far from the sea
3. Mountains
• Higher  colder
• Higher  wetter
• Windward  wet
• Leeward  dry

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Mountains & Vegetation

Higher
• Colder
• Wetter

Every plant likes a different climate

• Trees with leaves (deciduous)
 need warm summers

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Mountains & Vegetation

Higher
• Colder
• Wetter

Every plant likes a different climate

• Trees with leaves (deciduous)
 need warm summers
• Trees with needles (coniferous)
 can stand cold very well

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Mountains & Vegetation

Higher
• Colder
• Wetter

Every plant likes a different climate

• Trees with leaves (deciduous)
 need warm summers
• Trees with needles (coniferous)
 can stand cold very well
• Shrubs, grass and moss
 can stand even more cold

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Mountains & Vegetation

Eternal snow
Bare rock
Alpine meadows (grass)
Coniferous forest (needles)
Mixed forest
Deciduous forest (leaves)

Vegetation zones

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