CLIMATE-is the general pattern of the weather that occurs for a region over a number of years.
WEATHER- changes in the atmospheric condition over a brief period of time such as a day or a week.
DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE
1. LATITUDE-an imaginary line that circles the earth at a particular latitude and that is parallel to the equator.
- The main factor affecting the global climate. The further we go from the equator;the
temperature drops and the cooler it gets.
2. ALTITUDE- The air temperature decreases as the altitude increases, places with higher elevations have cold
climates.
- For every 1000m, there is a drop of 6.5 degrees celcius. The decrease in the air temperature is
due to the decrease in air pressure.
The lower layers of the atmosphere are denser, have water vapour and dust particles that
absorb heat, which is not prevalent in the higher altitude. At higher altitudes, the air is less
dense and air molecules are spread out and less likely to collide. Therefore, a higher
location in the mountains has lower average temperatures than at the base of the
mountain.
3. DISTANCE FROM THE SEA- Land absorbs and releases heat faster than water. This phenomenon has strong
effect on the temperature as well as the climate.
During Daytime, land surface heats up faster than the surface of ocean. The air above the land is
warmer causing it to rise. As the warm air over the land rises, the cooler air over the ocean is
blowing toward the land surface to replace the rising warm air.
At nighttime, the land surface cools faster than the surface of ocean. Therefore, the warm air over
the ocean is rising while the denser and cooler air over the land is blowing toward the ocean to
replace the warmer presence air rising.
4. TOPOGRAPHY- The mountainous areas tend to have extreme weather because it acts as a barrier to air
movements and moisture.
- Moist wind coming from the sea flow up the mountain. Because temperature falls with
altitude. Water vapour eventually condenses and there is precipitation. Since this is the side of
the mountain facing the wind, it is call the windward side.
- Formation of the clouds in the windward side of the mountain is caused by the condensation
of water vapour.
- Since precipitation occurred on the windward side, the wind often loses its moisture content
by the peak. The wind flowing down the other side, called the LEEWARD SIDE is dry. Since it
barely rains on this side, the mountain is said to form a rainshadow on the leeward side
without rain to cool it down, this side of the mountain also has higher temperature.
When a place is closer to the equator, the temperature is likely to be higher.
When a place is farther from the equator, the temperature tends to be lower.
Places that have high elevations, have lower air temperature.
The closer a region is to a body of water,the temperature range is smaller.
Places far from bodies of water tend to have larger temperature range.
5. OCEAN CURRENTS – are the continuous and directional movement of ocean created by the wind friction,
water density, earth’s rotation, solar energy and gravity variation in different parts of the ocean. The
direction of water movement is either horizontal or vertical.
- The ocean current systems flow clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter clockwise
in the southern hemisphere in circular patterns. These clockwise and counter clockwise of
ocean currents are caused by the CORIOLIS EFFECT.
*5 major ocean currents- North atlantic, South Atlantic, North pacific, South Pacific, and Indian
ocean gyres
CORIOLIS EFFECT- Because the earth rotates on its axis, circulating air is deflected toward the
right in the northern hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere. The
deflection is called the coriolis effect.
