17 - 1: What is climate?

Temperatures in a city can be __ºC higher than in surrounding rural areas

5

Latitude

a measure of distance north or south of the equator; affects climate

leeward side

always on the east in the US because of the prevailing westerlies

windward side

always on the west in the US because of the prevailing westerlies

Climate is determined by ____ the weather of a region over a long period of time, such as ___

averaging, 30 years

Temperate zones

between the tropics and polar zones. temperatures here are moderate. most of the US is in a temperate zone

Ocean currents affect ____. Warm currents begin near the ___ and flow toward ____, causing _____ of the land. Currents cool off and flow back towards the ___, causing __ of __ and ____. Winds blowing from the sea are moist, so some coastal areas have ____ climates. Because of ocean currents, the pacific ocean has ___ water and the atlantic has ___.

coastal climates, equator, higher latitudes, heating, equator, cooling, air, nearby land, wetter, cold, warm

At the same latitude, mountain climates are __ than sea level climates. Because Earth's atmosphere gets thinner at higher altitudes, the air in the mountains has ______

colder, fewer molecules to absorb heat

Polar zones

extend from 66.5N and 66.5S latitude to the poles. solar radiation hits at a low angle, spreading energy over a large area. polar regions are never warm

Water needs more ____ than land to reach a given temperature. As water ____, it gives up more heat than land. Large bodies of water can affect the climate of _____ by absorbing or giving off heat. This causes many coastal regions to be ___ in winter and ___ in summer than inland areas at a similar latitude.

heat, cools, coastal areas, warmer, cooler

Streets, parking lots, and buildings heat up, in turn ____ the air. Air ___ and ___ ____ traps this heat, creating what is known as the _____ efect.

heating, pollution, greenhouse gases, heat-island

What are the second, third, and fourth most influential factors on climate?

large bodies of water, mountains, and cities

What is the primary factor of climate and why

latitude, because amounts of solar radiation at different latitudes

Climate determines the types of _______/________ that survive, and it influences ....

plants/animals, how people live

Tropics

region between latitudes 23.5N and 23.5S. Receive the most solar radiation because the sun shines almost directly over these areas.

Rain shadow: on the windward side, air ___, ___, and ____ its moisture. On the leeward side, air ___, ___, and ____ the land

rises, cools, drops, descends, heats up, dries

Climate

the pattern of weather that occurs in an area over many years