Factors That Affect Climate

Objectives To Know

• Explain the difference between weather and climate.

• Describe the factors that affect the climate of a region.

What is Climate?

• The Average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time and is determined by two main factors, temperature and precipitation.

• Think of a couple locations that have different climates?

• Why do these two locations have such different climates?

What Affects Weather and Climate?

There are FIVE Factors:

1. Ocean Currents2. Air Masses

3. Latitude4. Proximity to Water

5. Elevation

#1 Ocean Currents

• The world’s oceans are constantly in motion. Tides move the water up and down while currents move the water from place to place.

• Gulf Stream: Ocean current from the south. It brings warm temperatures to the south-eastern waters of the Atlantic provinces.

• Labrador Current: Flowing from the north. It brings cold water to much of the Atlantic coast.

• When warm, humid air blows from the south over colder waters, fog is formed.

How do ocean currentsaffect climate?

Warm Currents: warmer climateCold Currents: cooler climate

#2 Air Masses Large volumes of air with similar temperatures and moisture

conditions.

They affect the climate because they take on the temperature and humidity characteristics of an area.

It moves as a result of changing pressure conditions. It’s leading edge is called a Front.

Continental Arctic: This cold mass comes from Northern Canada and feels cold and dry.

Maritime Tropical: air that comes from the Caribbean and feels warm and moist.

Maritime Polar: air that comes from the Atlantic and feels cool and moist.

#3 Latitude• One of the most important influences on climate is

latitude.• How far north or south of the equator a region is

influences how warm or cold it will be.• The amount of heat energy (radiation) that the earth

receives depends on the angle of the sun’s rays.• Because the earth’s surface is round, sunshine is more

intense at the lower latitudes.• Because the earth is tilted on its axis, sunshine also

varies with the seasons. During the summer, the sun’s rays are closer, and therefore are also more intense!

How does latitude affect climate?

As latitude ________, the averageannual temperature _________.

0° Latitude 90°

Tem

per

atu

redecreases

increases

How does this happen?

• Solar Energy

• Latitude ultimately determines the amount of solar energy a place receives.

• The equator receives more direct sunlight year round. As you move up in latitude the amount of direct sunlight will decrease.

#4 Proximity to Water

• Sunshine heats the land and water at different rates.

• Areas close to large bodies of water stay cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter than inland areas.

• This greatly influences the climate of communities that are close to the ocean.

How does closeness to a large body of water affect climate?

Water __________ the temperature._______ summers. _______ winters.

City B is closer to a large body of water.

Its temperature line is flatter (moderated).

moderates

Cities A & B are located at the same latitude.

Cooler Warmer

Continental and Maritime ClimateContinental Climate: Usually found in the interior of large land masses. They are usually a long distance from large

bodies of water. These areas experience hot summers and cold

winters. The result is a large temp. range. Examples: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta,

parts of Ontario, parts of Quebec.

Continental and Maritime ClimateMaritime Climate: • Usually found along the coastal areas near

the ocean.• They experience a cool summer and a

relatively warm/mild winter.• Examples: P.E.I., Nova Scotia,

Newfoundland, New Brunswick, parts of Quebec.

# 5 Elevation(The Orographic Effect)As height increases, temperatures decrease.This is because the air is much thinner at higher

altitudes. For every 1000FT, the air temperature drops by 1 degree!

One of the THREE types of condensation is orographic rainfall.

This occurs when warm, humid air cools as it rises over a high elevation (ex: A mountain)

As air strikes, it is lifted and cooled. Windward slopes of mountains tend to be rainy, while the leeward side is dry. (Ex: West coast of BC)

How does the Orographic Effect

affect climate?

Windward Side: ___________Leeward Side: _____________

cool, moistwarm, dry

How does elevation affect climate?

As elevation _________, the averageannual temperature __________.

Elevation

Tem

per

atu

reincreases

decreases

What is a biome?

A BIOME is the largest geographic biotic unit, a major community of plants and animals with similar life forms and environmental conditions.

How are biomes formed?

Biomes are distributed across the Earth based primarily on climate. Therefore, in areas that are far apart, you will sometimes find similar plants and animals because the climate is similar.

How many biomes are there?

• Tropical Rainforest• Tropical Savanna• Desert• Chaparral• Grassland• Temperate Deciduous Forest• Temperate Boreal Forest• Tundra

Although there is some disagreement among scientists on how to divide up the Earth’s biomes, most can agree on the following eight: