Climate vs. Weather

Climate: Average weather conditions for an area over a long period of time.

Weather: condition of the atmosphere at any given time

What effects Climate?

Solar Energy/Intensity Global Wind Patterns Ocean Currents Topography

Solar Intensity—Why is it winter November through March?

Global Circulation Patterns

Oceans Convection

currents Cold water (sinks

or rises)?? Density of water?

Wind

Ocean Currents– take a look at the south-bound California current. What does this do for the weather of CA and UT?

Topography

Mountains=Rain shadow effect Ex. Sierra Nevada mountains run north to

south. West to East movement of storms (why?)

1. The summers here are warm and sometimes humid.

2. Cumulus clouds presently cover the entire sky. 3. Our lowest temperature last winter was -29°C. 4. The air temperature outside is 22°C. 5. December is our foggiest month. 6. The highest temperature in Chicago was 105

degrees as recorded on July 24, 1934. 7. Snow is falling at the rate of 5 cm per hour.

8. Autumn in Chicago is mild enough to still go to the beach.

9. The average temperature for the month of January in Chicago is 29 degrees.

10. There was a heat wave this summer. 11. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. 12. That region has rain from August through

June. 13. It hardly ever snows in Florida. 14. The sky is clear and sunny, but it’s cold out.