Chapter 5 Lesson 5 What is climate?

Climate

Average weather conditions - description of what the weather is like over a long period of time, minimum 30 years, stays fairly consistent

Temperate

Between 23.5 and 66.5 degrees North and 23.5 and 66.5 degrees South; more direct sun rays during the summer, less direct sun during winter; most of the US is temperate

Polar

Between 66.5 and 90 degrees North and between 66.5 and 90 degrees South; receives little energy from the sun, location of North and South Poles

Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift current carry warm water/air northward, make Northern _____________ mild in winter

Europe

Tropical

From 23.5° North to 23.5° South, includes the equator, gets direct sunlight year round, area is usually warm

Latitude

Measure of how far a place is from the equator, measured in degrees, the equator is 0° degrees

_______ is all the conditions in a single place at a single moment in time. It changes often

Weather

Higher elevations have ________ temperatures

cooler

Elevation

height above sea level

Mountains can affect the climate by blocking ______________ from reaching the other side of the mountain

moisture

Water affects climate by slowing the changes in air _________________. Water temperatures change more slowly than land temperatures

temperature