CLIMATE

Continental Climate

A continental climate has warm summers, cold winters, and moderate amounts of precipitation.

Dry Climate

A dry climate has little precipitation, hot summers, and cooler winters.

Microclimates

A localized climate that is different from the climate of the larger surrounding region. A common microclimate is the urban heat island. The concrete absorbs heat, raising the temperature of the area. Forested microclimates are often cooler and less windy than the surrounding countryside.

Mild Climate

A mild climate has high precipitation, warm summers, mild winters, and is humid.

Polar Climate

A polar climate is cold year-round and has little precipitation.

Tropical Climate

A tropical climate has high precipitation and is warm year-round.

What are the factors that affect climate?

Latitude, altitude, rain shadows and large bodies of water.

How does climate affect organisms?

Temp. and precipitation affect the crops grown in an area. Climate affects how human shelter is designed Organisms other than humans are adapted to certain climates and would not survive in other climates.

Altitude

Temperature decreases as altitude increases.

Large Bodies of water

Temperatures are more constant throughout the year for a region near a(n) large body of water. The high specific heat of water makes climates on coasts different from inland climates Specific heat is the amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a material 1 degree Celsius. The specific heat of water is about six times the specific heat of sand.

How are climates classified?

There are 5 climate types, based on regional temperature, precipitation and vegetation

5 main type of Climates

polar, dry, continental, tropical, and mild.

Rain Shadows

An area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain. In a rain shadow, the climate is dry and hot. Vegetation can be desertlike. On the side of mountains that contact the prevailing winds, much rain falls.

Climate

Climate is the long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region. Climate depends on how average weather conditions change throughout the year.

Ocean currents

Cold currents make the temperature of nearby land cooler, and warm ones make it warmer.

Latitude

How far the region is from the equator which helps control climate. Regions near the equator recieve more solar energy per unit of surface area annually and thus have warmer temperatures. Polar regions receive less solar energy per unit of surface area annually and have cold temperatures.