Post on 12-Aug-2020
CLIMATES OF THE WORLD
4th Grade Earth Science-Mrs. Harris
CLIMATE – THE AVERAGE WEATHER CONDITIONS
IN AN AREA OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
GEORGIA, LIKE ALL OTHER PLACES, HAS A SPECIFIC CLIMATE.
Skunks are hardy animals that can survive both warm summers
and cold winters.
COLORFUL TROPICAL FISH CAN ONLY SURVIVE
IN HOT CLIMATES WHERE THE WATER
TEMPERATURE IS WARM.
HARP SEALS LIVE IN COLD CLIMATES. THEIR THICK FUR
KEEPS THEM WARM.
EARTH CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 3 MAJOR CLIMATE ZONES. CLIMATES CAN CHANGE WITH LATITUDE. THE HIGHER THE LATITUDE, THE COLDER THE CLIMATE.
Temperate Climate Zone
POLAR CLIMATE ZONE
The coldest climate zone
The areas around the North Pole and the South Pole
The poles receive the least amount of sunlight on Earth.
Most places in the polar climate zones have snow on the ground almost all year.
TEMPERATE CLIMATE ZONE
Between the polar zones and the tropical zones
Usually has warm, dry summers
Usually has cold, wet winters
Most of the United States is in the temperate zone
TROPICAL CLIMATE ZONE
Hot and rainy
Located in the areas directly north and south of the equator
Receives strong sunlight all year
HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE?
Cause Effect
The latitude of an area (how far north or south of the equator the area is) effects its climate.
Near the equator the Sun is high in the sky and the temp. is hot. Away from the equator the Sun is lower in the sky and the temp. is cooler.
HOW DOES LATITUDE EFFECT CLIMATE?
Cause Effect
The Polar Climate zone is the farthest north and the farthest south of the equator.
-Very cold temp. throughout the year - Snow is often on the ground
The Temperate Climate zone is in between the Polar and the Tropical zones.
- warm and dry summers - cold and wet winters - has all four seasons
The Tropical Climate zone is nearest the equator.
- hot and rainy all year
THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT AN AREA
RECEIVES HAS A LARGE EFFECT ON ITS CLIMATE
ALTITUDE, OR HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL, ALSO AFFECTS CLIMATE.
Mountains can also block the path of air masses.
When a warm, wet air mass reaches a mountain, the
air mass is
forced
upward.
HOW DOES ALTITUDE EFFECT CLIMATE?
Cause Effect
The altitude of an area is its height above sea level.
- The higher you travel up a mountain, the colder it gets.
Mountains block air masses. - Warm wet air is forced upward; the air cools and precipitation falls on the mountain. - On the other side of the mountain the air is dry.
HOW DO LARGE BODIES OF WATER EFFECT CLIMATE?
Cause Effect
Oceans and other large bodies of water affect the climate of the area where they are located.
-Land areas near large bodies of water are usually wet and mild, - Ocean air currents affect temperature and amount of rainfall.